From Purée to Purpose: The Perfect Purée’s Journey from Donor to Scholarship Champion
The Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund, a program of Emeril Lagasse Foundation, is built on a powerful idea: creating opportunities for young talent to thrive through culinary education, mentorship and support. At the heart of this work is the Aarón Sánchez Scholarship – the Impact Fund’s flagship initiative – providing full culinary scholarships along with hands-on guidance and career shaping opportunities.
This purpose deeply resonated with The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley, whose journey from event supporter to scholarship champion reflects the kind of meaningful connection that drives lasting impact.
Founded in 1988, The Perfect Purée is known across the culinary world for its high-quality fruit purées and culinary bases, offering premium flavors that empower chefs, mixologists and innovators to dream big in the kitchen. Headquartered in Napa Valley, the company has always prioritized creativity, excellence and community—values that made their connection with the Impact Fund a natural fit.
Initially, The Perfect Purée supported the Impact Fund through events with sponsorship and product donations. But when CEO Michele Lex attended Aarón y Amigos, an Emeril Lagasse Foundation signature fundraising event, something changed.
Lex expected a fun evening and opportunity to connect. What she didn’t expect was to be so moved by the graduates’ stories – testimonies of resilience, ambition and transformation made possible by the Aarón Sánchez Scholarship.
“This event was different. It was personal. These were young people who were rising—and determined to lift others with them,” Lex said.
That night was a turning point. Inspired by the alumni’s courage and potential, The Perfect Purée made a deeper commitment: to directly invest in future culinary leaders by funding a scholarship.
“We wanted to participate in a way that felt meaningful, not just transactional,” Lex shared.
Today, The Perfect Purée is proud to be the first company in the food and beverage industry to fund an Aarón Sánchez Scholarship—a step rooted in generosity, belief and a shared commitment to nurturing talent.
What sets the scholarship apart, Lex says, is how personal and relational the support truly is.
“I think it’s the belief, it’s the mentoring,” she said. “It’s that somebody took the time—Aarón Sánchez and his team—to care about an individual and their growth. That’s what makes this different.”
She sees the same spirit reflected in Emeril Lagasse Foundation.
“What Chef Emeril and his wife Alden have built is powerful,” Lex added. “The Foundation does the work quietly and humbly—and that’s what makes it so genuine.”
As the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund continues to grow under the umbrella of Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Lex sees its impact amplified by the Foundation’s leadership and values – an alignment she describes as a “halo effect”—where humility, service, and genuine care shine through everything they do.
This “halo effect” is a major reason The Perfect Purée has chosen to deepen its relationship with the Impact Fund—moving from event sponsor to scholarship partner, and from participant to advocate.
Looking ahead, Lex hopes others feel inspired to get involved.
“If we can do it, so can you,” she said. “This is about more than one event or one company. It’s about helping young people see what’s possible—and being part of something bigger than yourself.”