Georgia-2009-HR853-Introduced

By: Representatives Ralston of the 7th and Graves of the 12th

Recognizing and commending Mr. Hans Rueffert; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, growing up, Mr. Hans Rueffert lived with his family above their restaurant, the Woodbridge Inn, in Jasper, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, fascinated with cooking as a child, Mr. Rueffert grew up watching culinary masters such as Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Martin Yan, Graham Kerr, and Justin Wilson; and

WHEREAS, after years of honing his cooking skills at the family's restaurant, Mr. Rueffert was invited to be a guest on a local cooking show which led to his own show on ETC 3 TV called In the Kitchen with Hans; and

WHEREAS, in 2005, Mr. Rueffert was selected from over 10,000 applicants to appear on the Food Network's The Next Food Network Star, in which he placed third in a competition against eight other chefs from around the country vying for a spot in the cooking network's lineup; and

WHEREAS, shortly after his successful showing, Mr. Rueffert was diagnosed with stage three stomach cancer, resulting in the removal of half of his stomach and half of his esophagus; and

WHEREAS, thanks to the healing and skilled hands of the staff at MD Anderson cancer hospital in Texas, Mr. Rueffert remains cancer free to this day; and

WHEREAS, besides hosting his own live audience show on ETC 3 TV, Hans Cooks the World, which has earned him three Telly awards, Mr. Rueffert has recently taped a show for Georgia Public Broadcasting, Hans Cooks the South, slated to air this year; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Rueffert is united in love and marriage to his supportive and caring wife, Amy, and they have been blessed with two remarkable children, Finn and Ella; and

WHEREAS, in his first cookbook, Eat Like There's No Tomorrow, this gifted chef shares with audiences his love of food and portrays a truthful glimpse into his battle with cancer; and

WHEREAS, his appreciation and love of food are evident in all his projects, including his line of signature spice blends; and

WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that Mr. Rueffert's gastronomical genius and devotion to uplifting the lives of others through food be appropriately recognized.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body commend Mr. Hans Rueffert for his incredible career as a chef, writer, and culinary television show star.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to Mr. Hans Rueffert.