Wichita’s lost one of its original foodies, who met her spouse thanks to Julia Child

Long before food bloggers and influencers became ubiquitous, Wichita had its own resident foodie who made an impact everywhere from intimate, delectable dinners to citywide celebrations as one of the founders of the Midwest Winefest.

Pat Hysko, a longtime nurse, embraced the conviviality around cooking and entertaining long before it became a craze.

She died Saturday at age 82. Her husband, Don, preceded her in death in August 2023.

Together, the two shared a zest for not only good food and drinks but for new experiences, new friends and great music and entertainment along the way.

The Eagle archives give testament to many of these adventures.

In a 1999 story about New Year’s Eve plans for the new millennium, dining writer Denise Neil wrote about how Pat Collins (nee Broders) — she and Don were only dating at the time — and her beau were headed to France “to dine in their favorite restaurants, travel the French countryside and spend some time in a chateau owned by friends.”

“This is just a dream thing,” Pat said. “What a magic trip.”

Former Eagle food editor Joe Stumpe wrote of how a newlywed Pat jumped into the food scene in Providence, R.I., where her husband was from and where they spent much of their time.

She once hosted a lunch for five of Providence’s top chefs and Marian Burros, the late cookbook author and food writer for the New York Times.

“I have discovered it is not intimidating to cook for people renowned for their culinary skills,” Pat said. “Nobody ever feeds them.”

Denise and Joe, who happens to be my husband, and I all benefitted from Pat and Don’s hospitality and graciousness. They shared not only their food but their friends, some of whom became friends of our own.

I still like to tell the story of one of the most-sophisticated meals I’ve ever had courtesy of Pat and Don and a couple of their longtime friends.

Around the exquisitely-set table sat a who’s who of Wichita’s cultural — Pat and Don were huge supporters of the arts — and business scenes.

It was one of those meals where you sat a little straighter, made sure to use the correct fork and behaved as if your mother were there.

Until, that is, they broke out the limoncello.

Joe had to leave the party for about an hour due to a commitment he couldn’t get out of, and when he returned, all the proverbial hell had broken loose. In fact, it was literally on the loose as happy, rambunctious guests flitted to and from the table, visiting here and there, laughing and boldly gesturing in true bacchanalian style.

As I squinted out of my one eye that was still open, I believe I saw Joe’s mouth drop. He quickly collected me and ushered me out as I promised to never drink the evil limoncello again.

(An especially well-known businesswoman, herself another foodie, saw me a week or two later and, commenting on the revelry, asked me, “We didn’t raise our shirts, did we?” Horrified, I replied, “I don’t know!!”)

As cosmopolitan as our friends were, they also, thankfully, were known for their liberal merrymaking. It was on full display in 2021 when they shared their beloved New Orleans apartment with us.

The highlight of the trip was the several-hours-long chef’s dinner served in the kitchen at the famed Commander’s Palace, across from Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. It was a likely never-to-be-recreated splurge — the kind of thing that just seemed to happen with Pat and Don.

Denise said she aspires to be like the Hyskos, who cultivated friendships simply by pinpointing interesting people and inviting them to dinner.

“And once you were seated at their table,” she said, “they could regale you for hours with interesting stories about people they’d met and things they’d done.”

Joe, too, said, “They were the kind of couple a food editor hopes to meet when he moves to a new town — full of enthusiasm, recommendations and invitations.”

“Don’s signature story about quahogs got longer and more hilarious every time he told it.”

Other than the infamous quahog story (don’t ask — seriously), one of Don’s favorite tales to tell was how his friend Julia Child helped him meet Pat.

Don and Julia got to know each other when forming the Rhode Island chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food, and they were at one of its conventions when Don asked the famed chef what she wanted to eat that night.

Julia, instead, suggested he dine with her, pointing to the attractive Pat, and that was that.

A relationship formed on culinary love expanded to include a lot more interests. Enjoying and supporting music and other arts locally was especially important to them, and Joe and I enjoyed many concerts at their home, around their neighborhood pond and in the Sky Room atop the Hillcrest.

Of special importance to Pat were what she called her Zim kids, three students from Zimbabwe whom she helped support through school at the University of Kansas and Baker University, carrying on a tradition her mother started.

At Pat’s request, there is not going to be a funeral.

Memorials may be made to the Hysko Rainy Day Fund for International Students, P.O. Box 65, Baldwin City, KS 66006.

If I know Pat, though, I believe she’d also be tickled to know her friends — and anyone she’s inspired to enjoy some of life’s tastier pleasures — get together and raise a glass to each other and to the good fortune of dining and sharing each other’s company while we can.

So, to Pat and Don, we toast you both — and hope you’re enjoying a tipple or two with Julia.

Thank you, friends, and cheers.