Soirée celebrating women in Kansas City’s culinary arts returns to Crossroads on March 8

MUSE: A Soirée Celebrating Women in Food, Drink and the Arts returns to Kansas City on March 8 at The Guild and Paradise Garden Club. 

The event celebrates International Women’s Month and brings together a lineup of notable and up-and-coming female names in Kansas City’s culinary scene. Muse planners have thoughtfully paired these chefs and beverage professionals to create food and beverage pairings for tasting stations that will be open throughout the night. A DJ, an electric violinist, and women-owned specialty vendors are on the bill, too. 

Plus, the proceeds will benefit Girls on the Run Kansas City. Last year’s soirée raised about $2,500.

It’s all the creation of Erica Schulte—a 17-year veteran in Kansas City’s beverage scene—and her hospitality marketing agency, Rose Productions. 

“Think of how many times you’ve dined at a restaurant and fell in love with the food or the drinks, but you’ve never met the women behind them,” Schulte says. “The work they’ve done to get Kansas City on the map—all of these women have been doing that for years, so we needed a way to celebrate them.”

Among them are James Beard nominees, chef-influencers, and local mainstays. And in the spirit of the event, we’d like you to meet a few. 

Kami Rella Mozz Madam // Photo by Dawn Higgins

MOZZARELLA MADAM

Her professional name is Mozzarella Madam. In civilian life, she goes by Kami Rella. 

Rella started out as a bartender but saw an opening for a “cheese puller” position at the same establishment. She didn’t really know what it meant. After learning from a Google search and seeing a drought of KC pullers, going for the promotion became a no-brainer. 

“I’m a serial creator of things,” Rella explains. With “one cheese curd at a time,” she’s lived up to the expectation by making original cheeses (think: a Gates BBQ-flavored mozzarella) and spreading the artform through mozzarella pulling classes and other social pop-ups. 

“It’s been cheesy, like smooth sailing and creamy,” Rella says of her business. “And to be part of the Muse lineup—I’m a super fan girl for all of these ladies. It doesn’t make me nervous, but it makes me feel proud.” 

ALEJANDRA DE LA FUENTE

Courtesy Alejandra De La Fuenta

Alejandra de la Fuente is the owner of Red Kitchen KC in Overland Park. With influences from de la Fuente’s native Guadalajara, it specializes in a breakfast-heavy menu. The burritos have gone triple platinum in the eyes of many. 

Before that, de la Fuente ran Red Kitchen Tamales in the Lenexa Public Market and, before that, a Facebook-order operation. She certainly doesn’t mind the recent recognition, but it’s her customers—she writes down at least one detail from their conversations for next time—that keep her going. 

Even after being active for nearly 10 years, she keeps a warm deference toward the work and her culinary community. 

“I was like, ‘did they make a mistake inviting me?’ The title of chef, I feel like it’s too much. But I believe all of us share that we love what we do. And a lot of us are immigrants, so we’re bringing our flavors, our culture. We see each other and, as women, what we’ve gone through to be here,” de la Fuente says. 

Courtesy Swetha Newcomb

SWETHA NEWCOMB

You might recognize Swetha Newcomb as a recent James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef in the Midwest—even though Newcomb says the title hasn’t clicked for her yet. 

Newcomb got her start in Johnson County Community College’s chef apprenticeship and worked as a private chef, too. Now, she’s the co-owner of Of Course, a restaurant that combines fine dining with Indian and American flavors. 

Food has kept Newcomb connected to her cultural identity, especially with her mother’s cooking. But food, professionally, hasn’t always been easy for her. 

“When I was an apprentice, before Covid, there were barely any women in culinary school or in the industry,” Newcomb says. “I really questioned if I was ever going to feel safe in a kitchen—I don’t know if safe’s the right word, but I wondered if I’d ever have a good group of gals to do this thing with. I love seeing now that I’m not the only woman doing this. ” 

After following through for the last 15 years, Newcomb tries to make her own kitchen that kind of place. 

“We all take care of each other. I have a lot of pregnant women on my staff right now, and I also had a baby last year. Emotions are high in the kitchen, but being there for each other, we always try and help each other out where we can,” Newcomb says. 

Tickets for Muse are available for purchase with general admission and VIP options, open to anyone aged 21 and up.