Mary C's Culinary Cafe gets new name, $50K donation

The Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Center's Culinary Cafe will be named in honor of well-known arts patron and local gourmand Rebecca Adams Feder.

Feder had served as guest chef in the Mary C café 10 days before her death on Oct. 28.

Her husband, Ron Feder of the R&B Feder Charitable Foundation for the Beaux-Arts, has donated $50,000 to the center, designated to support the Culinary Café.

"It is my hope that Becky's Kitchen will serve as an inspiration for those interested in Southern cooking such as restaurants, caterers and home cooks," Feder said. "Through Becky's Kitchen, it is my vision that we can continue her passion of cooking by providing a platform to discuss, learn and deliver Southern cuisine. I can't think of a better way to honor Becky's love of Southern cuisine than to share her love of cooking with others."

The culinary classes held in Becky's Kitchen will celebrate Southern coastal cuisine, honoring the generations of immigrants who contribute to the cultural mix of flavors, tastes and techniques that distinguishes the unique culture of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The Culinary Café is a fully licensed Viking commercial kitchen, offering lively group instruction, unique dining experiences and on-site catering for private events.

The Mary C. is at 1600 Government St., Ocean Springs. For a list of culinary classes, visit the center's website at themaryc.org.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 4:07 PM with the headline "Mary C's Culinary Cafe gets new name, $50K donation ."