Summer 2016 - Les Dames d`Escoffier International

Transcription

SUMMER
2016
Dames in
Hospitality
INSIDE | CONFERENCE UPDATE | CAROL BROCK’S ULTIMATE ACCOLADE | WENTE PURSUES EXCELLENCE
On the Cover: The historic
West Baden Springs Hotel, part
of the French Lick Resort in
Indiana, is a National Historic
Landmark and known as “The
Eighth Wonder of the World.”
Dames L-R: Michele Bowling
(Kentucky), Maria GomezLaurens (LA/OC), Emily Snyder
(NYC), Dawn Lyn Southworth
(Nashville), and Jennifer Goldman (Charleston). Story on
page 13.
Page 2 Photos: Dr. Carol Brock,
pioneering founder of LDEI,
story on page 16; The U.S.
Capital. Read a conference
update on page 15.
FROM THE EDITOR
SUMMER
2 O 1 6
IN THIS ISSUE
F E ATU R ES
4 Dames in Hospitality
15 Washington, D.C. Conference
The Flavors of Mexico
16 Dr. Carol Brock:
The Ultimate Accolade
7 LDEI Celebrates 30 years
1
18 The Wente Family's
Pursuit of Excellence
0 Global Culinary Initiative
2
21 Global Culinary Postcard
D E PA RTMEN T S
2 Chapter News
2
28 Member Milestones
31 Submission Guidelines
The Sweet Side of Hospitality
"Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value."
Albert Einstein
Our feature story has increased my appreciation for the hospitality industry tenfold. “Standing Tall: Dames in Hospitality”
was inspired by the work of veteran hospitality professional
Maria Gomez-Laurens, president of LDEI. Dottie Koteski
(Philadelphia) and I interviewed Dames across the U.S., in
Mexico, and British Columbia. We wanted
to learn more about them and the jobs they
hold, primarily in the accommodations
sector: hotel ownership and management,
public relations, catering, tourism, and
event management.
We found that women, in general, may
still find themselves stuck—metaphorically—in what The Economist calls, “the marzipan layer just
below the top-executive icing.” As with a frosted cake, it’s
always sweeter at the top. Possessed of a certain je ne sais quoi,
our hospitality Dames believe that through hard work they can
have their cake and eat it too! As leaders, strategists, connectors,
mentors, and storytellers, they are “owning the girl power”—
don’t let the pink fool you! Read their profiles on pages 4-14.
Congratulations to our founder, Dr. Carol Brock (NYC),
on receiving an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from
SUNY Cobleskill Commencement. You can read about this
jubilant occasion on page 16 in a story from Margaret Hapel
Perry (NYC). Don’t miss the excellent story about LDEI’s
partner, Wente Family Vineyards, on pages 18-19. Flip over
to page 20 where Suzanne Brown (Atlanta) reminisces about
her chapter’s Global Culinary Initiative dinner at the home
of Ambassador Judith Varnai Shorer, the Consul General of
Israel to the Southeast. Don’t miss the exciting coverage of the
fall conference, page 15, penned by CiCi Williamson, the fall
Quarterly editor. She provided additional conference information on the back cover. For now, enjoy the summer days and
traveling. Pay a visit to a magnificent hotel or inn mentioned
in this issue. If you run into the Dame affiliated with the
establishment, say hello—and mention that you read about
her in the Quarterly!
—Susan Fuller Slack, Editor, Summer Quarterly
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Les Dames d’Escoffier International
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Reaching Our Goals
Aaah, summer—that much-anticipated time
when we enjoy longer warm days, the sand at
the beach, and the aromas of cookouts with
our family and friends. But it's also time to
analyze our accomplishments, revisit our list of
goals for the year and refocus. We are halfway
through the year and with autumn on our
horizons we must stay on target.
Our membership of more than 2000 Dames
is privileged to learn from Grande Dame Carol
Brock (New York)—the perfect example of a
leader who is always setting and accomplishing goals. On May 16, The State University of
New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill awarded her an honorary
Doctorate of Humane Letters for being the
pioneer and founder of Les Dames d'Escoffier.
As I watched a video posted by the university of Carol's very moving speech, a quote
inspired me to write my message today. She
said, "Everything one of us does impacts on
all of us." This is such a powerful statement,
as I also truly believe that we are all connected
somehow. A warm congratulation to Carol for
this recognition, as it surely impacts all of us
and elevates our organization even more.
One of our ongoing strategic plans is focused
on expanding our partnerships, bringing extra
financial support to our conferences as we
continue to strive for even more impactful
educational seminars and greater networking
opportunities. The LDEI Board has come up
with a special way to engage the "entrepreneur" in all of us! You, your chapter, your
friends, and business partners are invited to
become Conference Patrons. This unique, taxdeductible, $500 level of participation was created to make partner-like engagement available
to individual benefactors and small businesses
alike. Please reach out to First Vice President
Stacey Ziegler (Atlanta) or your CBL if you
have any questions.
Congratulations to the winners of the Legacy
Awards and my gratitude to the Julia Child
Foundation, Co-Chairs Shara Bohach (Cleveland) and Becky Paris Turner (British Columbia) and to every Dame who volunteered to make
this a possibility. It is through everyone's hard
work that we make a lifetime impact in the lives
of women that choose to follow their dreams.
Making a long-lasting memory while we
continue to celebrate LDEI’s 30th Anniversary, and thanks to the generous donation of
Alice G. Foreman (Seattle) and the diligent
work of Immediate Past President Lori Willis
The mission of the LDEI Board is to
foster the growth and success of
the organization by supporting the
development of new and existing chapters
and by implementing program initiatives.
It provides leadership, guidance,
education, connectivity, and effective
communication among LDEI members.
President
MARIA GOMEZ-LAURENS Manager, Hospitality, HelmsBriscoe
11241 Avenida del Gato
San Diego, CA 92126
(858) 633-7515 | [email protected]
First Vice President
STACY ZEIGLER
Director of Sales, Bold American Events
2929 Surrey Lane
Atlanta, GA 30341
(St. Louis), a silk scarf digitized from custom,
hand-painted art has been designed to commemorate this very special year. Through Alice,
our generous benefactor, the first 500 scarves
are available to everyone to pre-order through
the LDEI website at a discounted price of $30.
We all have a meeting to attend this year on
October 27-29, in Washington D.C., the nation’s capitol. “Global Appetite, Local Impact”
promises to be an amazing conference, and it
has been in the works for the last 18 months.
Conference Chairs Ann Stratte (Chapter President), Drew Faulkner and Polly Wiedmaier
have been diligently planning every detail.
Susan Ungaro, President of the James Beard
Foundation, will be the keynote speaker. The
culmination of our 30th Anniversary celebration will be at the stunning Union Station,
so join us and be inspired and truly enriched
with what the Washington D.C. Chapter has
planned for us.
Everything we do as Dames impacts our
entire organization. It is through our passion,
love, and respect of one another that we will
continue to build a strong bridge into the
future. Happy summer to all of you and your
families!
Maria Gomez-Laurens
President, Les Dames d’Escoffier International
ON PAGE 30, READ ABOUT THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY SCARF.
ORDER AT WWW.LDEI.ORG/. (MEMBER’S AREA)
S U M M E R Q U A RT E R LY 2 016
2016 LDEI BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
Second Vice President
ANN STRATTE
Owner, My Personal Chef
100 Severn Avenue, #506
Annapolis, MD 21403-2622
Third Vice President
HAYLEY JO MATSON-MATHES
Owner/Culinary Consultant
2333 Kapiolani Blvd #3516
Honolulu, HI 96826
Secretary
BEV SHAFFER
Vitamix World Headquarters
3433 Blake Road
Seville, OH 44273
(440) 781-7202 | bev.foodwithattitude@gmail.
com
Treasurer
DEBORAH ORRILL
Culinary Consultant
64 Vanguard Way
Dallas, TX 75243
Chapter Board Liaisons
JUDITH BELLOS CES & Judy's Catering/Benito's Gelato/
Arctic Dairy
10405 Clayton Road
St. Louis, MO 63131
KATHY GOLD The Cooking Company/
In The Kitchen Cooking School
10 Mechanic Street
Haddonfield, NJ 08033
DEBORAH MINTCHEFF Cookbook Editor & Certified Life Coach
129 East 69th Street
New York, NY 10021-5000
(212) 879 0383 | [email protected]
Immediate Past President
LORI WILLIS Willco Communications & Strategic PR
1159 Charter Oak Pkwy
Creve Coeur, MO 63146
(314) 994-4602 / (314) 456-5457
[email protected]
Executive Director
GREG JEWELL
President, AEC Management Resources
P.O. Box 4961
Louisville, KY 40204
(502) 456-1851 x1 | [email protected]
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G
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Women in
Hospitality
By Susan Fuller Slack
Hospitality is defined as the act of kindness in
welcoming and looking after the basic needs of
guests. Sectors of the hospitality industry include
food and beverage, accommodations, recreation,
and travel and tourism. Customer service is the
backbone of all segments of this industry.
Co-author Dottie Koteski (Philadelphia) and I
interviewed 13 amazing Dames in the hospitality
field who represent 11 LDEI chapters: Mexico,
B.C., Hawaii, California, Tennessee, Kentucky,
South Carolina, North Carolina, Washington,
D.C., New York City, and New England. They
work in various areas of hospitality, but inevitably,
you’ll discover that all the sectors intertwine.
Dottie and I truly regret that space prevented
the inclusion of all Dames in the hospitality field.
Their names can be found in the Professional Skills
Index of the LDEI Directory in several categories
including Hotels/Motels, Events/Conference Planners, and Public Relations.
Looking back, consider the plight of working
women in 1943. That year, Mass Transportation
magazine published a piece for male supervisors
titled "Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency
Out of Women Employees." It went like this:
• Select young, married women (less
flirtatious with the pep to work hard).
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Susan Fuller Slack
Dottie Koteski
• Older women can be cantankerous and fussy.
• Husky girls—just a little on the heavy side—
are likely more even-tempered.
• Physical exams reveal female weaknesses
(they’re inclined to be nervous).
• Women lack initiative; keep them busy.
• Allow adequate resting periods for the
feminine psychology… and for reapplying
lipstick to boost confidence.
Fast forward. The Dames in our profiles are
extremely accomplished and making great progress
toward parity in the workplace. We’re fairly certain
they’re not “resting on their laurels” but standing
tall as they juggle families and schedules, walk
leadership tightropes, and master other workplace
balancing acts.
MARIA
Gomez-Laurens
(San Diego/LA-OC/Mexico)
Manager of Global Accounts
HelmsBriscoe
www.helmsbriscoe.com
As the daughter of a diplomat for
the Mexican government, Maria
Gomez-Laurens traveled the world
with her parents. Her love for travel,
event planning, and adventure comes
naturally.
Maria earned her degree in marketing and advertising. In the past 25
years, she has taken multiple hospitality courses and says, “I continue to
educate myself, attending four to five
educational conferences in the U.S.,
Mexico, and Europe each year.”
Maria is an expert in hotel and venue
sourcing, and assists multiple corporations and associations in researching
the perfect venue. “Once chosen, I
assist in all contract negotiations,” she
explains. “Our company contracts
over $1 billion in room nights around
the world. HelmsBriscoe is the biggest
producer for all the major hotel chains
worldwide.”
The day begins early for Maria, as she
has customers overseas and in Mexico.
“I review proposals and contracts and
spend a good part of the day negotiating with hotels. I also conduct site
inspections for my customer. At the
conclusion of any event, I follow up
with the customer and the hotel to get
feedback, she mentions.”
Maria acknowledges that the hospitality industry is experiencing all-time
high demand, so finding availability has been challenging. With high
demand, hotels are not negotiating
as much. They could have 10 to 15+
customers asking for the same date
and space.
One of Maria’s large corporate customers scheduled a Paris conference,
to take place in February 2016. “We
finalized the contract two weeks prior
to the attacks,” she recalls. “Afterwards, my customer was instructed
to cancel and rebook another hotel within a two-week period. The
original signed contract for the Paris
event had taken about four month to
negotiate. So, after all that work, I had
to start from square one.”
Maria found three hotel options
within the U.S., Canada, and South
America, and got another fully executed contract within the allotted time
frame. Just when the contract was to
be signed for the NEW destination,
her client’s corporate office lifted the
travel ban to Paris! With a sigh, Maria
says, “Yes, I had to go back to the
original Paris hotel and renegotiate the
contract all over again. In my industry,
change is always taking place.”
“Even though the hospitality industry probably employs more women
than men, it’s still a man’s world,”
observed Maria. “I know this is a
strong statement, but that’s what I’ve
experienced in business.”
Maria’s advice is always the same for
young interns who are eager to be part
of the hospitality world. “If you are
a people person…if you don’t mind
working weekends, evenings, and holidays… if you like constant change…
then hospitality is the career for you.
Or, if you can survive a summer job
at a resort or a spring or fall job at a
convention hotel!”
Maria says being bilingual has helped
her to expand her business. She is a
strong advocate for mentoring and
would welcome the opportunity to
mentor any Dame or person associated with any of our chapters.
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LORNA
Larsen-Jeyte
(Hawaii)
Co-owner, Kilauea Lodge
& Restaurant
www.kilauealodge.com
Thirty years ago, when Lorna
Larsen-Jeyte and her husband
Albert honeymooned on the Island
of Hawai’i, they fell in love again—
with historic Kilauea Lodge, a
private home, originally built as
Hale-O-Aloha YMCA Camp in
1938. Lorna reflects, “Albert and I
made a wild decision to leave our
jobs and homes in Honolulu and
move here. Our thought was to do
something together.”
Located in Volcano Village,
the lodge is one mile from the
entrance to Hawai’i Volcanoes
National Park, the site of Mauna
Loa and Kilauea volcanoes—the
dwelling place of Pele, legendary
goddess of fire. Dark lava fields,
juxtaposed with lush, rainforest
foliage sculpt the ever-changing
landscape.
Born and raised in Hawai’i,
Lorna and her German-born husband combined their two cultures
in the lodge. During renovations,
she wanted to preserve the plantation craftsman architecture and the
charm of old Hawaii. “We both
love Europe’s intimate inns...the
auberge that provides rooms in a
restaurant setting,” she reminisced.
Lorna selected European antiques, koa furniture, local art,
stained glass, and Hawaiian quilts
for the beds. The lodge center-
ELEANORA
Garcia
(Mexico)
Special Projects Coordinator
ProMéxico
www.promexico.gob.mx
Eleanora Garcia is affiliated
with ProMéxico, a division of
Mexico’s Secretariat of Economy,
which is in charge of economic
affairs. The federal agency
promotes products for exportation and foreign investment to
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Mexico. It participates in over 35
trade exhibitions internationally.
For the past two years, Eleanora
was in charge of the participation of Mexican delegation at
the World Economic Forum in
Davos, Switzerland. She also co-
piece is the 1938 International
Fireplace of Friendship embedded
with coins, precious artifacts, and
stones donated from 32 countries.
Lorna was a high school teacher
25 years. As a teacher-mentor,
organizer, and creator of goals and
objectives, she gained confidence
to become an innkeeper. She
confides, “Keeping up with social
media and internet changes were
challenges…thankfully, our younger staff moved us forward. It’s
important to keep cool and be patient in thinking through internet
criticisms; respond in a thoughtful
way,” she advises. “The rewards are
the wonderful people we have met
in 28 years. Many return yearly…
the relationships are precious!”
One particular challenge, three
months after opening, is etched
in Lorna’s mind. The chef didn’t
show up one evening, so Albert
volunteered to prepare dinner
for 40 reservations. He was an
Emmy-winning makeup artist
who worked on the Magnum P.I.
set and was just learning his way
around the kitchen. Lorna had a
few reservations of her own, ad-
mitting, “It was the longest, most
painful night of my life. Dinners
took three hours to come out; I
was giving away wine and beer as
the evening grew longer. At one
point, Albert stuck his head out
from the kitchen and said ‘Lorna,
what is a white sauce?’” The very
next day Lorna found a cooking
school in France for Albert, and off
they went after hiring a temporary
chef from the CIA. Today, Albert’s
fine Continental cuisine receives
applause and wide acclaim.
Lorna is a strong community
supporter and provides workexperience positions for high
school students. She suggests, “If
you try to hold all the eggs close
and not share the wealth, there’s
a strong chance those eggs will
break. Better to share…be generous…behave supportively."
ordinated work for the construction, operation, and maintenance
of Mexico’s pavilion at the
universal exhibition at Expo 2015
in Milan.
The pavilion’s design represented
corn husks (totomoxtle)—corn
being the symbol of traditional
Mexican cuisine. An urban, rooftop garden held quintoniles (amaranth greens), chía and squashes.
The extensive exhibit won honorable mentions in the categories
of “Best Use of Technology” and
“Editor’s Choice.”
Her work in the hospitality sector began in 2004 when
Eleanora was Convention and
Visitors Bureau (CVB) director
at Cuernavaca, Morelos, a small
state near Mexico City. The position involved teamwork, which
created a valuable, day-to-day
learning experience. “I would say
that training my team helped me
to train myself,” she explains.
One unforgettable “learning
experience” occurred when the
State of Morelos sponsored a
lunch in another state. Eleanora
explains, “We wanted to provide
typical foods from our state,
so we sent cecina, cheese, and
cream by bus. {Cecina is salted,
paper-thin, sliced beef eaten with
cheese and crema.} We didn’t
realize some states have restrictions on foods. The day before
Kilauea Lodge and the International
Fireplace of Friendship, dedicated in
1938 with 400 guests from around
the islands. Kilauea Lodge bedroom.
In Hawaiian society, the correct
spelling and pronunciation of
Hawai’i is generally preferred.
D AW N
Southworth
(Nashville)
Director of Hotel Operations
Omni Nashville Hotel
www.omnihotels.com/hotels/nashville
The greatest reward of Dawn
Southworth’s job is serving
people—not only hotel guests but
also her staff. She says, “It brings
me such satisfaction to mentor
and coach individuals and help
them to grow in the field for
which I am so passionate.” She
the lunch, I received a 4 a.m. call
informing me the meat had been
taken away.” She concludes, “We
quickly bought more meat and
got sanitary permits for delivery
to the airport where someone flew
with it. The meat arrived, and the
lunch was a great success!” She
cautions, “This made me understand that there can be different
rules and restrictions to deal with,
even within the same country.”
Eleanora was appointed Liaison
Director of the Mexico Tourism
Board for the Meetings Industry.
She says, “During this time, I had
the great opportunity to travel
around Mexico, getting to know
the supplier infrastructure.
spearheads development and execution of the hotel’s operational
and quality control strategies together with the General Manager.
Dawn serves on the hotel’s executive committee along with leaders
in accounting, engineering, food
and beverage, human resources,
Born in Mexico, Eleanora
learned English in elementary school; now she is studying
French. “To speak another language is not only a matter of communication, but helps keep your
brain active,” she advises. “It helps
to understand other cultures ways
of living, and can give you the opportunity to be more global.”
Eleanora believes one critical
issue facing women in the hospitality industry is that too often
women get paid less for doing the
same job as men. She counsels,
“Be passionate about what you
do, because you’ll often take part
of your personal time to do the
job. You have to LOVE it so you
and rooms. “There are no challenges—there are only opportunities, which allow continual growth
and learning,” she advises.
The inspiration for Dawn’s 22year career in hospitality began
when in Southern Kentucky, she
worked in a lodge owned by her
university and managed by Marriott. While serving executives
from the corporate office, they
asked if she had ever considered a
culinary-hospitality career, which
motivated her to switch her curriculum. Management programs
with Marriott International and
The Ritz-Carlton allowed her
to work in all areas, providing
insight into the inner workings of
each department.
One unforgettable experience
presented
to her while
working for
The RitzCarlton in
San Juan,
Puerto Rico in
2001, was to
participate in
the opening
of The RitzCarlton Doha
in Qatar.
Although her
departure for
Qatar was less
than a month
after 911,
Dawn says her
fears quickly
subsided once
she started
working
won't have any regrets when
you miss birthdays and special
celebrations.”
Eleanora declares, “I LOVE
my country! I believe that
with teams at the hotel. “It truly
showed me firsthand that diversity
is important, and one needs to
experience and engage with other
cultures and circumstances before
making assumptions and judgements,” she counsels.
As the Director of Operations,
in 2013 Dawn had the daunting, yet exciting, responsibility of
opening the new Omni Nashville
Hotel, a property that was truly
going to make its mark in a city
that was rapidly growing. She
confides, “No one could have possibly expected the volume in the
hotel, within its outlets, and in a
town where workers and associates
were hard to come by. Management had to do a lot with a little
in terms of resources.” Dawn is
proud of this success and although
they are still learning and growing, she is thrilled to see the magic
behind the production realized.
Dawn believes that this is an
extraordinary and exciting time
in the hospitality industry for
women, and says, “As women, we
are only limited by the fears and
limits we place on ourselves.”
When not at the hotel, she enjoys boating on Lake Cumberland
with family and friends, Southern
cuisine, Tennessee whiskey, and
attending music festivals. Dawn
has two “fur munchkins”—her
two Maltese—Miss Scarlett and
Mister Rhett.
By Dottie Koteski
Dawn Southworth chats with an employee at Omni Nashville Hotel.
just to give good service is not
enough—you have to go the
extra mile.”
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S TA C E Y
LeVasseur
(San Francisco)
Director of Event Sales
Rosewood Sand Hill
Emily is having fun with Zetoun, the hotel mascot, at Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech.
Dames Emily and Dolores (Dodi) Snyder.
E M I LY
Snyder
(New York)
Vice President, Global Sales
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
www.mandarinoriental.com
Emily Snyder oversees eight offices
around the globe with 70 employees, and
she directs the sales efforts for 29 hotels
and resorts. A major responsibility is strategizing market segments that impact these
properties including entertainment business, group business, and high-end leisure
clientele who book suites.
Her career began at the Holiday Inn,
Governor’s House in Washington, D.C.
Initially, Emily, who holds a degree in International Relations, expected to work for
the State Department but got redirected.
She uncovered her career by reading, of all
things, Glamour magazine, which touted
hospitality as a great new field for women!
Additionally, her experience of living in
London as a young girl enticed her to
explore the world beyond Irving, Texas.
A beau in New York City (NYC) and the
city’s charm, excitement, and dynamism
ultimately motivated her to move there
without a job.
Emily became a sales manager at The
Warwick in 1987. Her training was onthe-job with the coaching of great mentors. Her day can start with a conference
at home as early as 7:00 a.m. because of
Asian time zones. She reveals, “I often put
on make-up while speaking to Beijing!”
Office hours are usually 10:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. with perhaps a final phone conference
mid-evening. Otherwise, she can be found
at JFK International taking off for some
far-flung place with a glass of champagne
and settling in for the night.
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“Managing diverse cultures is always
challenging and a learning experience on
the job,” explains Emily. “From Beijing
to Dubai, one never knows what issue
might pop up, AND trying to lead all of
them to a common goal to book business
is a challenge and thrill all at once. Yes, I
wore a burka when I visited The Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia, where the women were
warm and welcoming.” Emily adds, “Their
entire lives revolve around YouTube where
they get all of their international news and
entertainment.”
Emily’s first sales mission to Russia was
hair raising. The audience was so enamored
when she was announcing the firm’s new
NYC hotel that she had to be rescued.
Everyone wanted to meet her to learn what
the Mandarin Oriental hotel was like and
ultimately visit NYC.
Her advice for anyone interested in global
hospitality is, “Start small; work your way
up. A hotel degree from Cornell isn’t a
must, but study business and marketing.
Learn e-commerce and parlay that into a
career in sales. Always, be the best intern
you can be; it helps get you noticed. My
greatest joy is helping those who have the
gift to get ahead in this business.”
Emily has been a member of the New
York Chapter since 2004, serving as President from 2005-2006. She is the daughter
of Dolores Snyder (Dallas), founder of the
Dallas Chapter and president of Les Dames
d’Escoffier International, 1989-1991.
www.rosewoodhotels.com
“Choose a job you love, and you will never
have to work a day in your life,” says Stacey
LeVasseur. “Well, for me it’s true! What could
be a better job than to help a young couple
create the perfect wedding unlike any other, or
build strong relationships with your clientele?
Stacey is responsible for the overall sales and
servicing of corporate group events and catering events for Rosewood San Hill, a luxury
hotel nestled among 16 prime acres in the Silicon Valley. It was named a Forbes Travel Guide
Five Star hotel in February, and its restaurant,
Madera, earned a Best of Award of Excellence
from Wine Spectator.
“ Each day is different,” she explains. “I work
closely with the executive chef to create exciting,
inspiring, and unforgettable dining experiences
for hotel guests. Utilizing my expertise to put
guests at ease and ensuring a flawless experience
is what keeps my juices flowing all day long.”
After college, Stacey became assistant restaurant manager at the Omni La Costa Resort
& Spa in Carlsbad, California. She says, “My
experience in fine dining gave me an understanding of food preparation and extensive
wine training. Combined with a Bachelor of
Arts degree in communications and a minor
in sociology, I gained a solid background for
hospitality management.”
Early each morning, Stacey grabs a cup of coffee and hits the ground running for event-order
meetings with the operations team (culinary,
By Dottie Koteski
stewarding, purchasing, audio
visual, and banquet). “I give
site tours for potential clients,
entertaining them in Madera
restaurant, and I attend one-onone meetings throughout the day
with hotel operations. It takes a
village,” Stacey admits.
She believes a background in
food and beverage operations is
a natural transition for women
who desire to work in the hotel/
hospitality industry. A willingness to travel and relocate domestically or internationally brings
opportunity too. “In the past 25
years, I moved from San Diego
to positions in Saipan, Bangkok,
and Hawaii, to mention a few!
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts is
going through a tremendous
growth period; that’s one reason
I pursued a position with this
organization,” she reveals.
“There is still a shortage of
women in upper management,
creating a void of mentors for
young women who aspire to senior
management positions,” Stacey
states. “Women are well suited to
the industry and can make fine additions to the team in any area they
choose in a hotel environment.
Work-life balance is a particular
challenge for hotel life as we are
open 24/7. ”
She counsels, “LDEI can assist
in mentoring and supporting
up-and-coming women in hotel
and restaurant operations. I plan
to reach out to schools that award
degrees in hospitality administration/ management then offer opportunities for job shadowing.” In
her spare time, Stacey is a trained
singer and performed most recently with the San Diego Master
Chorale—the preferred choir for
the San Diego Symphony.
Stacey LaVasseur carves
a large,
prepared fish
for a client
event.
The famous spiral staircase at Lowndes Grove Plantation. Photo: Julie Hettiger. Circa 1786, Lowndes Grove Plantation is a National Historic Landmark.
JENNIFER
Goldman
(Charleston)
Chief Operating Officer
Patrick Properties Hospitality
Group
www.pphgcharleston.com
“People will forget what you said, people will forget
what you did, but people will never forget how you
made them feel.”
Jennifer Goldman says Maya Angelou’s sage
quote “is the essence of the hospitality business.”
It’s a philosophy Jennifer believes in. In addition to her professionalism and flawless attention
to detail, she cultivates exceptional service by
making people feel valued and putting a smile on
their faces!
Charlestonians Charles and Dr. Celeste Patrick
with Jennifer and her husband Randall cofounded Patrick Properties Hospitality Group
(PPHG) in 1997. “Our vision was to lovingly
restore the beauty and rich character of Charleston heirlooms as unparalleled backdrops to
special events,” explains Jennifer. “We’ve grown
the portfolio to five distinguished venues: Fish
Restaurant, William Aiken House, American
Theater, and Lowndes Grove Plantation—site of
the Charleston Chapter’s Autumn Affair during
LDEI’s 2015 conference.”
Jennifer spearheads all aspects of events across
PPHG’s venues, from sales through execution.
“We host more than 700 weddings and special
events annually, with a dedicated team of over
100,” she notes. The accolades are many: Brides
named Lowndes Grove and The William Aiken
House “Best Venues in America” for 2014, 2015,
and 2016, respectively.
Jennifer says. “I built upon my degree from
Johnson and Wales University with experience at
several luxury hotels and award-winning restaurants. It’s very rewarding; 85 percent of my
business is weddings. I’m blessed to be a part of
many couples’ biggest day.” The top challenge
of Jennifer’s 30-year career is not having enough
hours in her day.
“Women have come a long way regarding
position and compensation, but we’re still not
where we need to be,” she contends. “A struggle
I see with so many women is finding a sustainable work/life balance. Family demands coupled
with a hospitality career can be brutal. No one
works 40 hours in our industry; it’s also nights,
weekends, holidays, and keeping up with emails
and social media all hours of the night. To take
the very best care of your guests you need to have
a cool head and calm demeanor. That’s not always
easy.”
Jennifer advises, “Be passionate about what you
do—love it or you won’t last long. It’s so important to build experience in more than one aspect
of the hospitality field—both front and back of
the house, the numbers, service, and sales. You’re
a better team player if you can appreciate the
perspective of all parts of the team.”
Jennifer affirms that Dames help each other
tremendously and create a wonderful support
system. “It’s a gift, really,” she says. “I’m a big
believer in mentoring—it’s my goal to groom the
next generation of leaders and equip them with
the tools to succeed.”
Jennifer serves as president of the Charleston
Chapter. Her priority is spending time with family. She loves to cook and aspires to make time for
hobbies.
9
K AT H E R I N E
(KEEBE)
Fitch
(North Carolina)
Fearrington House Inn
& Restaurant
General Manager/ Events
Coordinator, McIntyre’s Books
www.fearrington.com
The hospitality gene runs deep in
Keebe Fitch’s family. “My parents,
R.B. and Jenny Fitch masterminded
a development outside of Chapel
Hill called Fearrington Village,”
she says. Established on the large,
historic, Fearrington dairy farm,
they recreated the ambiance of the
English countryside, which R.B.
fell in love with when he was an Air
Force pilot stationed in England in
the ‘50s.
Through the Fitch family’s stewardship, the planned community
was expanded to include a Relais
& Châteaux resort with the charm
of a quaint, English village and the
elegance of a grand English country
house.
Fearrington Village Center includes
a world-class inn and restaurant,
boutiques, bookstore, and a fullservice spa. There are 32 luxurious
guest rooms at Fearrington House
Inn with deluxe amenities, winding
garden paths, and complimentary
afternoon tea and full breakfast.
The surrounding pastoral landscape
is a playground for the family pets:
Scottish, belted Galloway cows; Ten-
ROCÍO
Mejia
(Mexico)
Partner Director
GPW Representaciones
Corporativas
www.mayanheritage.com.mx/
www.barcelo.com
Rocío Mejia always loved
to travel, so with her parent’s
blessing, she earned a degree in
tourism—a segment of the hospitality industry—and subsequently,
10
a master's degree in business
administration. Her education
included courses in leadership,
communication, and teamwork.
Her first job was with Avis Rent-
A-Car, working in the corporate/tourism sector to increase
revenues. She left after five years
to work at the Marquis Reforma
Hotel & Spa in Mexico City. The
five-star boutique hotel features
post-modern, Art Deco design
with a 16, 000-foot spa. Rocío
says, “This was my first job in the
hospitality area. I have worked
20 years in tourism-hospitality, of
which 14 years were with corporate hotels.”
GPW is a company dedicated
to the representation of hotels,
Convention Visitors’ Bureaus,
and fairgrounds. In the Yucatán,
Rocío is affiliated with Mayan
nessee fainting goats; Lankenvelder
chickens; and donkeys.
Keebe recalls that her late mother
was swept up in Julia Child and the
cooking revolution in the ‘70s. Having a restaurant was a dream of hers.
“My father felt it would be a great
opportunity for me to learn some
marketable skills,” she says. Her career began at the restaurant when she
was 16-years-old. She reminisces, “I
bussed tables, washed dishes, hosted,
and in a pinch, could do kitchen
prep if someone did not show.”
Grande Dame Edna Lewis was a
guest chef (1983-1984) and introduced her signature chocolate soufflé—still on the menu. The dessert
was photographed at Fearrington
for Gourmet magazine’s April 1983
cover. Under the supervision of
British-born, Executive Chef Colin
Bedford, the restaurant earned a
AAA Five Diamond rating, is on
the Forbes Five Star list, and is also
Green Certified.
Keebe wears additional hats now,
traveling for her family’s inn and
restaurant, and managing McIntyre’s
Books—named for her paternal
Heritage DMC (Destination
Management Company). The
company offers a variety of
services and products relating
to tourism mainly in two areas:
transportation and providing
expert tours of the Maya world.
She also is an agent for Barceló
Hotels & Resorts in the capital
city of Mérida, the largest city in
the Yucatán state and an important area to experience Maya heritage. The ancient Maya culture
flourished across the southeastern
grandmother. She coordinates a series of events called
Cooks & Books, which pairs
a cookbook author’s appearance with the hospitality of a
meal, using recipes from the
featured book. “The reward
is…knowing we worked
really hard to delight our
guests. When it all comes
together, the resulting joy is
such a high,” admits Keebe.
“Women should be given
more opportunities to run
kitchens and hotels. While
North Carolina seems to be
a haven for women chefs and
entrepreneurs, when I travel,
I do not see as many women
in these roles…but this is
changing,” Keebe opines.
To Dames interested in
a hospitality career, she
advises, “Have enough grit
to stick to something until
it is done. Maintain your
sense of humor; if you can
keep your cool…it will get
you far. Knowledge can be
gained; we always hire for
temperament and a certain
amount of outgoingness.”
She adds, “Our chapter has
been together about a year;
the caliber of the members
and networking opportunities are amazing. I am grateful
for having met so many cool
women, and know there are
many more Dames out there
from whom I can learn.”
LISE
Magee
(British Columbia)
Hotel Manager
The Listel Hotel
www.thelistelhotel.com
As the manager of The Listel Hotel,
Lise Magee’s responsibility is to ensure
that every guest has a wonderful stay.
The 129-room boutique property has a
fun culture that attracts an enthusiastic, service-oriented staff whose mantra
mirrors hers.
The hotel was dubbed “Vancouver’s
most artful hotel, and a cultural tourist’s
dream” by Robin Laurence, Visual Arts
Critic for the Georgia Straight newspaper, and Canadian Art magazine. The
décor is a tribute to all things distinctly
British Columbian.
Art at The Listel is not limited to public
places as is customary in high-end hotels.
Museum Floors guest rooms feature
contemporary Northwest Coast art by regional artists. Art for guest rooms on the
Gallery Floors was curated by Vancouver’s Buschlen Mowatt Fine Art Gallery.
Lise’s specific tasks include working
with the sales and marketing team to
The Fearrington House Inn.
corner of Mesoamerica from
around 2000 BC. The Maya
built one of the most brilliant
Pre-Columbian civilizations of
the Americas.
“We can produce a custom
itinerary for you, or you can
choose from our catalog of
tours,” Rocío suggests. “The
best tourist guides in the region belong to our team, and
we are ready to give you an
unforgettable experience.”
She adds, “Transportation
is through our own fleet of
late-model vehicles, which
complies with all legal and
safety standards, for transfers
between airports, hotels, and
tourist sites.”
Rocío says fortunately, she
has seen women who have
reached very high positions in
business and earn awards for
all their efforts.
She says there is always a
goal to reach in business and
her job requires a lot of time
and effort. “It takes perseverance to build a brand name
and quality work that people
will trust. But the rewards
are many: work becomes a
passion, you get to travel a lot,
The bar at Forage, one of the most sustainable restaurants in Vancouver, with a roof-top solar hot water system, sustainable sourced lumber,
and menu items sourced from ethical and sustainable producers. Photo:
Listel Hotel.
generate revenue and continually find ways to improve and
elevate their product and service. She personally manages
the hotel’s public and media
relations. Her management
philosophy is to make sure
the entire staff has the tools
and support to deliver great
experiences.
She cites the similarities
between theater and hotel operations—front of house, back
of house, setting the stage and
putting on a show—all, so
much fun and drama. Nevertheless, Lise is aware that hospitality professionals provide
people with something very
intimate and important—a
place to recharge, a sanctuary
or a temporary home base for
a life-changing adventure. She
describes this as, “a privilege
and a challenge because it
requires innovative ways to
inspire their journey.”
Lise often entertains a journalist or client in one of the hotel’s
two award-winning restaurants,
Forage and Timber, to explain
their cutting-edge sustainable
and meet people who, over
time, become close friends,”
she concludes.
Rocío serves as president of
LDEI Mexico. She believes
what’s most important is the
balance between work and
family…giving fair value to
everything, with enough time
to enjoy life. She remembers
her mother’s encouraging
advice, “Over time, everything you want you can have
if you aquire the right skills
and associations. Wanting is a
powerful force.”
practices and green technology. The hotel’s goal is to
reduce its carbon gas amounts
by 170 tons annually. This is
accomplished by a zero waste
program whereby organic waste
is converted into compost and
recycling, by converting all
recyclables into electricity, and
through the utilization of solar
thermal collectors.
Although Lise’s degree in
English prepared her for the
rigors of media release and
report writing, everything else
was learned on the job—desk
clerk, night auditor, restaurant/banquet server, and
ultimately sales and marketing. She has done everything
and enjoyed it all equally. Lise
says, “Anyone who wishes to
choose hospitality as their
career needs to know that it is
not for introverts. One needs
to enjoy being surrounded by
all kinds of people—all the
time!” Lise believes that there
are still not enough women in
senior positions.
By Dottie Koteski
Getting a caption
11
MARILEE
Spanjian
(New England)
Co/owner, Innkeeper
The Inn at Weathersfield
www.weathersfield.com
Inn co-owners, Marilee and Richard Spanjian. The Inn at Weathersfield.
12
Five years ago, Marilee Spanjian decided to rewrite the last
chapter of her professional life.
She and her husband Richard
relocated from Middle Tennessee
to Vermont to acquire the Inn at
Weathersfield, an idyllic, 21-acre
property near the village of Perkinsville. Their goal was to work
together, having been apart for
most of their 30-year marriage.
Richard’s corporate job required
extensive travel, often overseas.
Underlying the desire to be
innkeepers was a top item on
their bucket list: to fulfill the
dream of owning a cooking
school. Marilee explains, “We
decided to cradle the business
inside of an inn. Both of us
are passionate about food and
cooking, and we take cooking
classes when we travel.”
Their award winning, 18th
century inn is a Vermont culinary destination serving farmto-table cuisine in the historic
dining room and in the Tavern.
The Hidden Kitchen, created
by converting an old barn loft,
is where chefs and authors teach
classes and workshops tailored
to home cooks. Marilee brings
LDEI members together to
showcase their talents. “I love
working with other Dames,”
she says. “Authors Molly Stevens, Virginia Willis and Didi
Emmons have taught at The
Hidden Kitchen.”
Marilee graduated from
the University of Southern
California with a journalism
degree. For years, she covered
residential design and gardening in Nashville. She earned a
general contractor’s license to
build large, single-family homes
and became the top, regional
salesperson for Restoration
Hardware.
Marilee’s day begins at 7:15
a.m., preparing full breakfasts,
seven days a week, for up to
24 guests. Her responsibilities
include cooking school operations and supervising maintenance and remodeling of 12
ensuite guest rooms. “There are
always projects. I never planned
to physically demo the baths
to the studs, help hang cement
board, lay tile and grout baths.
But that’s what you have to do
to run a small business,” confesses Marilee. “And I mow the
lawn,” she adds.
Marilee advises, “Hard work,
confidence, the ability to prioritize, and surrounding yourself
with like-minded employees is
crucial. We work right along
side our staff.”
In 2015, a major fire broke
out in the lobby’s original 1792
chimney. Guests, servers with
aprons filled with wine bottles,
and rescued tubs of artisan
cheeses and rustic breads were
evacuated to The Hidden Kitchen. By the following weekend,
the inn was scrubbed, repainted,
and two bedrooms refurnished
in time for a wedding.
Marilee confides, “Life goes on
when you have an inn. People
expect nothing less than an incredible, memorable experience
and an exceptional meal with
impeccable service. That’s what
we want, so rest has to wait.”
Marilee says, “Richard is the
numbers man. After 30 years
in corporate, primarily product development, sales and
marketing, he lives and breathes
numbers…complete opposite
from me.” Between Richard’s
analytical skills and Marilee’s
sense of aesthetics, they excel at
teamwork, assuring The Inn at
Weathersfield’s future success.
MICHELE
Bowling
(Kentucky)
Senior Sales Manager
French Lick Resort
www.frenchlick.com
CiCi at Lands End, the most
westerly point of mainland
Cornwall and England.
Michele Bowling believes
the hospitality field is truly
one of those industries that
will capture you at the beginning or not at all. She says,
“It is a wonderful field if you
like to travel. More than likely,
there is a job waiting anywhere
on the globe where you might
want to live. It’s an incredible
opportunity to experience
other cultures, communities,
and customs.” How many
other industries can really
promise that?
Her 30-year career began as a
front desk, guest service agent,
which accommodated her
class schedule. Michele comes
from a long line of women
who loved to cook, entertain,
and make others feel at home.
She says that’s in her genes! In
fact, one of her favorite toys
as a child was a PlaySkool
Holiday Inn, which she has in
her office. Her training came
from life and on the job, and
it continues to this day.
Established in 1845 as a
mineral springs health spa,
the French Lick Springs
Hotel—with its 1901 spa
wing—attracted movie stars,
presidents, sports heros, and
even gangsters at the turn
of the century. Nestled in
the Indiana countryside, the
famed hotel was purchased
by the COOK Group, Inc.
of Bloomington, Indiana, in
2005. Under the direction of
the Cook family, the French
Lick Springs Hotel and the
nearby West Baden Springs
Hotel, and their grounds,
received a multimillion dollar
renovation to combine the
two Beaux-Arts belles into
one property and restore their
grandeur of earlier days.
In her present position at the
Midwest resort, Michele has
the privilege of sharing the
incredible story of how one
family meticulously restored
two historic hotels and turned
a sad story into the “save of
a lifetime.” Her focus is on
bringing group business to the
resort from her home state of
Kentucky. At the top of the
list of rewards in her position
is being involved with a family
that cares so much about their
employees AND their hotels.
Michele says, “It is extraordinary that over two-thirds
of the global hospitality
industry workforce is comprised of women who are
underpaid and whose talents
are under-utilized and underrepresented. Until everyone
understands that genderdiverse leadership drives the
success of any business, we all
lose. Women in our industry
will have to band together to
get results.”
Great women supporting
women is one of the reasons
Michele joined LDEI. The
Kentucky Chapter programs,
networking events, and even
board meetings are a wealth
of great information and
practices that make her business and everyday life better.
Michele hopes that she is as
helpful to her fellow Dames as
they are to her!
By Dottie Koteski
Veranda of the French Lick Hotel.
French Lick Hotel lobby.
13
RACHEL
Hayden
(Washington, D.C.)
Director of
Public Relations
The Inn at
Little Washington
www.theinnatlittlewashington.com
The kitchen at The Inn has been called, “the most beautiful kitchen i
n the world.” The Inn at Little Washington. An opulent bedroom at
Claiborne House, a 3600-square-foot guest “cottage” at The Inn.
14
Rachel Hayden directs public
relations interactions for The Inn
at Little Washington, a renowned
Relais & Châteaux property in
the historic village of Washington,
Virginia. It is the longest-tenured
AAA Five Star–rated restaurant
in America and was awarded two
Five Star Awards by the 2015
Forbes Travel Guide for the 25th
year in a row.
Chef/Proprietor Patrick
O’Connell opened the business
in a dilapidated car repair shop in
1978. Like a phoenix rising from
the ashes, it has been transformed
into a 26-acre campus with 24
richly appointed guestrooms,
suites, and private cottages; flower, herb, and vegetable gardens;
and a flock of sheep, two llamas,
and a brood of chickens.
Rachel’s days are incredibly
diverse, as she manages The Inn’s
outside PR firm and social media.
“I handle all offsite events, often
traveling with Chef. I interact
with a small portfolio of elite
clients and most of the celebrities
who visit us,” she says. Rachel also
manages The Inn’s interior design
company, works on renovations
and expansions, and on projects
with their London-based designer.
Chef Patrick’s veneration for
European style is realized in Joyce
Conway Evans’ signature designs
that infuse the rooms with oldworld mystique; each overflowing with colors, patterns, and
textures. The British stage and
set designer’s inspiration for the
magnificent, blue-tiled kitchen
is the dairy room of England’s
Windsor Castle. Meal service,
with soupçons of whimsy, is pure
theater; each bite surprises and
delights.
Rachel confides, “I love my
job… and I get so much back
from it. I have the opportunity to
participate in once-in-a-lifetime
events, travel extensively, eat well,
and meet so many of my culinary
heroes.”
Being the oldest of four siblings
taught her how to negotiate
and compromise early on. She
comments, “In culinary school I
learned how to work hard, how
important it is to love what you’re
doing, and that attention to detail
is the difference between success
and almost there. My culinary
training has been invaluable—a
little surprising given my job
description. It makes me much
more effective when it comes to
planning and organizing events,
and I even get to jump in and
help plate from time to time.”
She relates, “Any time we are
involved in a high profile event
there is an increased level of difficulty—whether it’s a reception
for the Queen of England or The
Inn’s upcoming 40th anniversary
celebration. Each project presents
its own complications but offers
amazing learning opportunities.” Rachel’s organizational
skills helped assure the success of
the 2015 book, The Inn at Little
Washington: Magnificent Obsession, by Patrick O’Connell.
Rachel’s management career
began at The Ritz-Carlton. She
feels fortunate that she met Chef
Patrick and has this amazing
opportunity to utilize all her
skills. “I feel like I’ve earned the
equivalent of a master’s degree in
hotel management and hospitality during my time at The Inn,”
she confides. “I found a niche for
myself that makes me happy and
fulfilled, and I am grateful to have
that opportunity.”
Come Do “Our Favorite Things” at
the Washington, D.C. Conference
By CiCi Williamson
“Markets and butchers and embassy lore,
Tours of plantations and ethnic food stores,
Gardens and vineyards and library wings,
These are a few of our favorite things.”
Washington, D.C.,
Dames just
can’t wait to
show you our
neighborhood. You’ll
WASHINGTON DC • 2016
have myriad
chances to
come with us for fabulous pre-conference
tours, conference activities, and educational
sessions in the world city we call “home.”
PRE-CONFERENCE TOURS
• View some really old cookbooks. Pop into
our little old “local” Library of Congress—the world's largest library, with
nearly 110 million items. Take a tour of
the rare book section and see original
cookbooks by Carème, Apicius and
Brillat-Savarin.
• Go to market. From its roots as Centre
Market, a fresh food venue born over
200 years ago, the modern Union Market houses more than 100 food production and distribution businesses. Union
Kitchen, three minutes away, houses 47
small food businesses.
• Tuck in at the Turkish Embassy. First,
have coffee and a tour of the Turkish
ambassador’s residence. Then do lunch
and a lecture by Sheilah Kaufman on
Turkish cuisine at Zaytinya, one of Jose
Andres’ acclaimed restaurants.
• Take an International Food Walking
Tour. Without using frequent-flyer
miles, experience the foods of Ethiopia, the Philippines, Mexico, South
America, Central America, and Turkey
in this in Wheaton, Maryland, suburban neighborhood with Janet Yu.
• Satisfy the meat lover in you. During the
“All Things Charcuterie!” tour, Katherine Newell Smith leads you to Red
Apron to watch some of the 100 varieties made by chef Nathan Anda.
• See where the current President’s meals
are prepared. Take a tour of the White
House kitchen and garden, if tentative plans are confirmed by the White
House (three weeks prior to the conference). Here’s where Mrs. Obama’s “Let’s
Move!” initiative evolved.
• See where our first President’s meals were
prepared. Travel to Mount Vernon to
visit George and Martha Washington’s
bountiful gardens and table with a curator talk arranged by Joan Bacharach.
En route, hear me tell about Virginia
foods of Washington’s day.
• Pedal off to the Piedmont. Well, not on a
bicycle. But coach doesn’t start with “p.”
On this full-day tour, visit the Virginia
Piedmont and Blue Ridge foothills to
meet farmers and taste the terroir in our
foods and wines with Susan James and
Janet Cam at Airlie, a historic hotel,
sustainable farm, and conference center.
Visit Whiffletree Farm to see the organic,
grass-fed, sustainably and humanely
raised livestock that supplies Airlie.
CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES
Dames arriving on Wednesday are invited
to Grande Dame Joan Nathan’s open
house. Thursday brings dine-arounds at a
variety of D.C. Dames’ delectable restaurants. Celebrate LDEI’s 30th birthday
party (and the D.C, Chapter’s 35th) on
Friday in our lil’ whistlestop, the magnificent Union Station, arranged by Michele
Jacobs. And the grand finale: our “Chapeau, Auguste Escoffier !” Sunday brunch
at the French Embassy to celebrate our
namesake’s 170th birthday. We hope you’ll
delay your trip home until after 2:00 p.m.
so you can attend.
EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS
With Stacey Adams at the helm, we’ve
arranged some cuttin’ edge learnin’ ops at
the Fairmont Hotel. Choose from Heritage
of the Chesapeake, Chefs as Advocates,
Attracting New Farmers, Food and Technology, Culinary Medicine, #Foodporn,
Microbiome Superfoods, and Legal Aspects
of Social Media, navigated by attorney
Jackie Henson.
And throughout the whole conference,
we’ve made sure Dames get “three squares
a day and more,” all of them unique food
experiences that carry out the conference
theme, “Global Appetite, Local Impact.”
Watch your mail for an in-depth description of all conference aspects in the
registration brochure, and sign up to spend
some time in our neighborhood. We guarantee to show you our favorite things to do
in Washington, D.C.
CONFERENCE DATES: OCTOBER 27-30, 2016
The Flavors of Mexico
By Maria Gomez-Laurens
(LA/OC, San Diego, Mexico)
It has been a four-year journey, but I am
proud to share that on April 27, the LDEI
Mexico Chapter was officially launched in the
city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, which is
the birthplace of Tequila—one of the most
recognized beverages in the world.
The launch occurred during “Tianguis
Turístico Mexico” the country’s prestigious
tourism event at which Mexican President
Enrique Peña Nieto was in attendance. During
a press conference set at 9:00 a.m., Chapter
President Rocio Mejia shared with the various
members of the press Les Dames d’Escoffier
International’s (LDEI) mission statement and
the vision for the Mexico Chapter. A quick,
introductory video was shown and the media
took note of three big events that will take
place in the next few months.
The first one, scheduled for July 28, in San
Diego, California, will be the chapter’s first
official fundraiser, headed by Mexico Chapter Vice President Flor Franco and LDEI’s
President Maria Gomez-Laurens. Mexico
Dames Master Chef Claudia Sandoval,
Chef Flor Franco, Chef Denise Roa, Chef
Claudette Wilkins, Chef Amy Dibiase, and
Chef Blanca Castro will prepare an exclusive
dinner for the 40 special guests attending,
with all proceeds distributed between LDEI
Mexico and the LDEI organization.
The second fundraiser takes place the first
week of September in Mexico City and
will be headed by Rocio Mejia and Araceli
Ramos, International Director of Public Relations for Jose Cuervo Tequila. This event will
feature a unique culinary experience with the
finest Mexican food and Tequila.
During the press conference, President Rocio
Mejia announced that Dames from all 36
chapters will be invited to the third event, “The
Flavors of Mexico.” It is scheduled for the spring
of 2017 and will feature the ultimate experience
in the Mexican city of Tequila, Jalisco, which
has been designated a World Heritage Site. Additional details will follow. Congratulations to
the Mexico Chapter and to LDEI since Mexico
is the first non-English speaking chapter. This
great accomplishment is very important to the
organization, as it fulfills the vision of international growth from our founder Carol Brock
and the vision of the international board.
15
AROL BROCK
C
.
R
D
The Ultimate Accolade
By Margaret Happel Perry
(New York)
On the 14th of May, Carol Brock, the
founder of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) was awarded an honorary
Doctor of Humane Letters degree by the
State University of New York at Cobleskill
at commencement. The degree is the capstone of Carol’s illustrious career and an
acknowledgement of her many contributions to Cobleskill. It is also a tribute to
her vision and leadership in establishing
our society, LDEI, where she spearheaded
the fight for opportunities for women in
the professional world of food, beverage,
and hospitality. These hard-won opportunities have benefited young students and
seasoned professionals alike.
SUNY Cobleskill is Carol’s more recent
passion. Through her philanthropy,
vision, personal generosity, and her
boundless encouragement, hundreds
of culinary books have been donated
to the Van Wagenen Library at SUNY
Cobleskill—many from the members
of LDEI’s New York Chapter. Carol’s
constant support of Cobleskill’s culinary
program has opened doors for its graduates to further their educational goals
and careers.
Cobleskill is a perfect gem of a col-
lege set in the agricultural heart of the
Schoharie Valley in New York State. The
baccalaureate students learn firsthand
that they are stewards of a rich heritage
of sustainability. The college prepares
them to examine the interconnected
world of food systems and to understand
the unalterable cycle where seeds become
food; food waste can be returned to
re-enrich the soil or converted to energy.
The college’s outstanding educational
facilities enable students the opportunity
to expand their vision and embrace the
exponential dynamic of the food industry with experiences in culinary preparation and a student-run restaurant. Dairy
farming and fish hatcheries are a further
extension of the curriculum—a curriculum that prepares students for relevant
careers and advanced studies in today’s
competitive market. And throughout
every experience Carol stands as an
inspiration, role model, and mentor.
Carol’s early academic achievements
at Queens College and New York
University were followed by acclaim in
food journalism at Good Housekeeping
magazine and Parents Magazine. Later
she expanded her credentials at the New
York Daily News and the Queens Times
Ledger. Add to her many career accomplishments those of chef, cookbook
author, restaurant critic, continuing
education teacher, and perennial student
who is constantly expanding her already
encyclopedic knowledge of food and
wine. All add luster to her long and
admirable resume and underscore why
she is a constant inspiration to all who
are privileged to meet and know her.
More recently she has used these talents
to be an especial beacon for the culinary
students at Cobleskill.
Distinguished awards are not only for
factual accomplishments but also for
a lifetime of building an impeccable
character. Carol has filled her almost
ninety-three years with boundless and
selfless determination, energy, generosity, compassion, and encouragement to
others. Every undertaking is seasoned
lavishly with good humor and wit. Her
zest and joy for life is boundless. Who
can forget Carol dancing the Charleston in Charleston at this past LDEI’s
fall conference? But above all, it is her
unflagging devotion to the advancement
of women, especially through scholarship and mentoring that is the hallmark
of her illustrious, 70-year career. Every
college student and every member of
LDEI—whether directly or by osmosis—has reaped the benefit of her efforts.
An honorable career, indeed.
Carol Brock receives an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from SUNY Cobleskill May 14, 2016. She is shown with Professor JoAnne
Cloughly (L), and President Marion A. Terenzio, PhD. (R). Photo by Erica Miller. Right photo: Professor Cloughly, Dr. Carol Brock, and President
Terenzio, PhD. Photos: SUNY Cobleskill.
16
A quick turn
from
to
Les Dames d’Escoffier
International Celebrates 30 Years
Progress of Women in Food,
Beverage, and Hospitality
By Hayley
Matson-Mathes
Les Dames d’Escoffier
International (LDEI)
celebrates its 30th
anniversary this year with
36 chapters planning
events around the world.
Share 30th anniversary
celebration news and
chapter photos with local
media and the Quarterly.
Email news and high
resolution photos to
[email protected] or
Susan Slack at sslack363@
gmail.com.
We would like to feature
your celebrations on social
media @damesdescoffier.
Promote the 30th
anniversary on social
media: #ldei30.
Visit the LDEI website
at www.ldei.org (Mediadocuments) to download
the 30th promotional
kit, 30th logos, and
PowerPoint. Or go to:
www.ldei.org/uploads/
press/77.pdf
PLAN A 30th CELEBRATION:
• Conduct a 30th anniversary cake raffle.
Dames contribute cakes to sell and then a
giant sheet cake is made with every purchaser receiving a piece. Whomever gets
the piece with the “30” token in it wins the
grand raffle prize (restaurant gift certificate,
wine tasting, magnum of champagne).
Similar to Mardi Gras in which the token is
in the cake.
• Host a dessert auction. Dinner is provided
and individual tables pool their money to
bid on their dessert for the table. Highest
bidding table chooses their dessert first.
• Celebrate the LDEI 30th anniversary in
conjunction with your own chapter anniversary. Highlight the founding members
with a throwback potluck of food trends
from 1986 or the year your chapter was
incorporated.
• Conduct an oyster and/or caviar educational session (connecting to the 30th pearl
anniversary).
• Conduct a champagne tasting and/or
a blind tasting between cava, prosecco,
champagne, and sparkling to understand
the differences of sparkling wines among
different countries.
• Host an Escoffier dinner and the last course
is a cake to celebrate our 30th Anniversary.
• Conduct an educational meeting on the
science of baking and the different kinds
of flours and their effects. Different flours
can be used in different cakes for guests to
taste and compare.
• Contact local morning television and radio
programs promoting LDEI’s 30th Anniversary.
How do you get there?
Ask for Alaska.
If you’re passionate about
what you cook, satisfy your
wildest desire with the
enticing taste of succulent,
and sustainable seafood
harvested from the purest
Alaskan waters.
For this Vietnamese
Wild Alaska Black Cod
recipe and more tempting
seafood ideas go to
wildalaskaseafood.com
17
ROOTED BY A VISION,
FUELED BY PASSION:
The Wente Family’s Pursuit of Excellence
t’s a beautiful
morning at the Wente
Vineyards Estate Winery in
California’s Livermore Valley, and
fifth generation winegrower Karl
D. Wente has just arrived for a
meeting with his team. There, he
talks through the special care that
must be paid to the land that
they farm and the importance of
“boots in the vineyard,” a phrase
that Karl uses to define the time
spent walking the rows of their
estate to closely monitor the
vines and track ripeness throughout the growing season.
“My great-great-grandfather said
that work made life sweet, and I
couldn’t agree more,” says Karl.
He’s referring to first genera18
tion winegrower C.H. Wente,
who purchased 47 acres in the
Livermore Valley back in 1883.
When his sons, Ernest and
Herman, took over the family
business in the 1930s, they began
to produce the wines under the
“Wente Bros.” label. It was their
introduction of the renowned
Wente clone of Chardonnay and
the launch the country’s first varietally labeled Chardonnay that
earned the family the distinction as America’s First Family of
Chardonnay.
When third generation winegrower Karl L. Wente came into
the business, he brought with
him a strong desire to sustain
his family’s legacy. In 1963, he
purchased 300 acres of apricot orchards from Alfred Riva
in the Arroyo Seco region of
Monterey and replanted them
to vines. Today it is home to
Wente Vineyards’ single vineyard Riva Ranch.
The fourth generation of Wentes—Eric, Philip, and Carolyn—
view the vineyards as a legacy for
the future. Growing up among
the vines in the Livermore Valley
gave them a deep appreciation
for the history of their ancestors.
Philip Wente states, “We make
every effort to preserve what they
created and what nature has so
generously provided.”
Today, Karl D. Wente works
closely with the fourth generation
to make wines that are representative of Wente’s estate vineyards.
Focusing on innovative farming
and top-quality fruit, he is passionate that all of their wines be
made with a small-lot approach.
Karl’s thorough understanding of
the vines allows him to achieve
the best expression of the family’s
estate, assuring a quality that is
worthy of their heritage.
“As winegrowers, it’s critical that
we have a deep understanding
of our estate vineyards to ensure
that the unique flavors and characteristics they offer are represented in the glass,” Karl says.
For more than 130 years,
the Wente family has been
part of the story of this land.
C.H. Wente’s original vision of
constantly pursuing excellence
has been passed down from
generation to generation, and
with each time it was handed
down, such was that very passion, dedication, and unrelenting work ethic. But it’s the love
of the journey that serves as the
common thread woven through
the Wente family.
That journey also consists of a
wide range of wine country experiences that are offered by Wente
Vineyards, with 2016 marking
the 30th anniversary of The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards.
Carolyn Wente states, “When
we opened The Restaurant in
1986, our goal was to provide
a gathering place on our family
vineyard’s picturesque grounds
that would bring to the table the
simple pleasures of honest food
driven by the freshest local ingredients and exceptional wine.”
This year also marks 30 years
of entertainment with the 2016
season of The Concerts at Wente
Vineyards, which showcase worldrenowned entertainers in the
winery’s natural amphitheater.
“At the end of the day,” says
FOR THE
The Wente family, L-R: Phil Wente, Dame Carolyn Wente, Karl D. Wente, Christine
Wente, and Eric Wente. Fifth generation winegrower Karl D. Wente. L-R: Second
generation winegrower Ernest Wente (wearing glasses) holds Eric Wente, fourth
generation. To his right, Karl L. Wente (third generation) holds Phil Wente, fourth
generation. Photos: Sam Harnack.
OF
FIFTH GENERATION WINEMAKER
amazing wines that people
will remember long after
that last sip.”
KARL D. WENTE
Karl, “we want to continue our family’s legacy by
delivering memorable wine
country experiences and
THE JOURNEY
We work at it relentlessly. Growing and producing
great California wines for five generations, not
because we have to, but because we love to.
DISCOVER WENTE VINEYARDS
FAMILY OWNED. ESTATE GROWN. CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE.
LEARN MORE AT WENTEVINEYARDS.COM
© 2016 WENTE VINEYARDS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 0350 ML | LDEI | v1.1 1.25.16
19
An Evening in Israel
By Suzanne Brown
(Atlanta)
When you think of a trip to Israel,
chances are your mind envisions a tour
of Jerusalem including a visit to the city
market where you pass
vendors selling touristy
“evil eye” jewelry,
wooden goblets from
Bethlehem, and aromas of spices in a mélange of foods—some
recognizable, some not. Like listening to
a difficult piece of classical music after
studying its composer, learning about
the history, traditions, and foods of Israel prepares the palate for an explosion
of tastes and textures.
Such was the experience of Atlanta
Dames during the chapter’s Global
Culinary Initiative program featuring the heritage of Israel. It was held
February 17 at the home of Ambassador
Judith Varnai Shorer, Consul General of
Israel to the Southeast. The guest chef
for an Israeli dinner during the event
was award-winning Restaurateur-Chef
Michael Solomonov who was in Atlanta
February 16 to showcase his documentary, “In Search of Israeli Cuisine,” during closing night of the annual Jewish
Film Festival.
Atlanta Dames were an integral part
of the dinner, including the authentic
preparation of Chef Solomonov’s recipes
by Sandra Bank, owner of Added
Touch Catering, and Chef Ashley
Mitchell, also from Added Touch.
Susana Braner and her team from
Divine Event catering set the mood
with elaborate table settings, each table
topped with fresh flower arrangements
created by Marie-Laure Coste Dujols,
owner of Le Jardin Français.
During the dessert course, Eileen
Mason of The Israel Tour Company
gave a brief presentation on Israel as the
ultimate culinary destination.
Dames who attended the film the
evening before as well as the LDEI dinner were primed for the guest presenter
Chef Solomonov, who provided the
heritage and tradition that goes into
preparing authentic food from Israel.
After dinner, he autographed copies of
his new cookbook Zahav, A World of
Israeli Cooking, which recently won the
2016 James Beard Foundation’s Book
of the Year award as well as for Best
International Cookbook.
20
Our dinner really started the previous
evening on closing night of the Jewish Film Festival. In fact, one of the
films shown during this festival was
“Breakfast at Ina’s,” an award-winning
documentary about Chicago Dame Ina
Pinkney.
Grand Dame Joan Nathan gave a
presentation about Israeli cuisine, which
preceded the premiere of Chef Solomonov’s documentary.
After watching the film, any preconception of foods of Israel only consisting of menus from Passover dinner
was obliterated by several events that
proceeded the evening of Israeli food,
heritage, and tradition. Several hundred
attended this sold-out event, held in
Atlanta’s Symphony Hall on the campus
of the Woodruff Art Center. Famished
after watching the documentary—like
a starving herd of cattle—everyone hurried to the lobby to enjoy some of the
delicious foods featured in the film.
With over 2,000 years of history,
Israel’s food heritage is a melting pot of
cuisine from early settlers from Palestine, Yemen, Eastern Europe, and the
Mid-East who settled throughout Israel.
Religion played a key component in the
ceremonies and rituals revolve around
food. Therefore, foods from Israel come
from ancient recipes handed down from
generations and evolved into the food
revolution enjoyed today. Agribusiness,
including Israeli wine, has now become
a culinary focus for tourists.
Some of today’s Israeli food combinations are shared in Chef Solomonov’s
cookbook, Zahav. Perhaps the food
culture and tradition is best summed in
his commentary: “We mark time sitting
at the table. Year after year, on holidays
and birthdays and even at funerals, we
sit and eat and take note of what is the
same and what has changed. We take
stock of where we are and where we
want to be. And food is the tonic that
makes it all easier to swallow. A few
glasses of wine don’t hurt either.”
The LDEI Atlanta
Chapter, in
partnership with
the Israeli Ministry
of Tourism and
Israeli Consulate of
the Southeastern
U.S., hosted “An
Evening of Israeli
Food, Culture, and
Tradition,” with
award-winning Chef
Michael Solomonov.
This event was
held as an objective
of LDEI’s Global
Culinary Initiative,
established to
“embrace our
global communities
through culinary
connections that
educate, train, and
provide cultural
exchange.”
Atlanta’s GCI Chair
Suzanne Brown is
the founder of the
international Global
Culinary Initiative.
L-R: Dame Susana Braner,
Israeli Consul General Judith
Varnai Shorer, and Dame
Suzanne Brown. Suzanne and
Susana were co-chairs for the
event. A bowl of silky-smooth
Hummus Tehina from the
cookbook Zahav, a cookbook
from Chef Michael Solomonov
and his business partner Steven Cook. Dame-Chef Ashley
Mitchell (L), Chef Michael
Solomonov, and DameChef Sandra Bank. Ashley,
Sandra, and the culinary team
from Added Touch Catering
prepared the recipes from
Zahav. Dames Lenada Merrick
(L) and Gloria Smiley look
over Zahav. The elegant table
showcases beautiful flowers
and salatim—an assortment of
appealing Israeli salads made
with ingredients like caramelized eggplant, cucumbers and
tomatoes, and carrots with
fresh herbs. Photos: Travis S.
Taylor
GLOBAL
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21
CHAPTER NEWS
Carole Bloom (LA/OC)
ANN ARBOR | ATLANTA | AUSTIN | BIRMINGHAM | BOSTON | BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA | CHARLESTON | CHICAGO
CLEVELAND/NORTHEAST OHIO | COLORADO | DALLAS | HAWAII | HOUSTON | KANSAS CITY/HEART OF AMERICA
KENTUCKY | LONDON, ENGLAND | LOS ANGELES/ORANGE COUNTY | NORTH CAROLINA | MEXICO | MIAMI | MINNESOTA
MONTEREY BAY AREA | NASHVILLE | NEW YORK | NEW ENGLAND | PALM SPRINGS | PHILADELPHIA | PHOENIX | PORTLAND
SACRAMENTO | SAN ANTONIO | SAN DIEGO | SAN FRANCISCO | SEATTLE | ST. LOUIS | WASHINGTON, D.C.
ATLA NTA
Kelly Hornbuckle
The kickoff for 2016 was our annual Culinary Futures
fundraiser in conjunction with the January Housewares
Show at AmericasMart. Through attendee and sponsor
support, we raised over $25,000 in one short evening,
enabling a high school senior to attend culinary school on
scholarship.
In February, we enjoyed an incredible "Evening of Israeli
Food, Culture, and Tradition. Israeli Ambassador Consul General Judith Varnai Shorer graciously hosted us
in her private residence, where James Beard Foundation
Book Awards winner Michael Solomonov treated us to
his Israeli-American take on centuries-old recipes shared
around the Jewish family table. Read more on page 20.
An all-Dame lineup prepared dinner for 680 guests at
the Delta Flight Museum for the 6th Annual Shaken, Not
Stirred Gala, benefiting the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance (GOCA), Saturday, March 19. Funds raised benefit
GOCA's statewide patient and community educational outreach. There was a very special tribute in memory of Dame
Barbara Petit, who we lost to ovarian cancer. On March
22, at our 11th Annual Dinner & A Movie Event, guests
enjoyed spectacular views of Atlanta’s skyline from Atlanta
Daylight Studio. An interactive kitchen served food highlighting several short films from The Southern Foodways
Alliance, featuring heroes of the Southern food and culture
movement. We wrapped up an exciting month of March
with Dames Who Play in the Kitchen Take 3—Dames
who make pasta. The Dame-only event, in memory of Lea
Brueckner, brings members together to learn and bond in
the kitchen...in this case, making pasta from scratch!
BIR M INGHAM
Martha Johnston
At our Meet-the-Dames Social at the new Time Inc.
Food Studios in April, you could feel the excitement as
Dames and other like-minded women in the Birmingham
food community met to learn details of LDEI and our
mission and connect. We shared stories, ate delicious food
and sipped beverages all prepared by the Time Inc. Food
Studios team.
We gathered at AVO in January to discuss 2015 activities, the Birmingham culinary scene, and 2016 programs.
President Angela Schmidt thanked the chapter members
for their participation last year and challenged them to
continue to work to strengthen our community of women
helping women.
Our local restaurants quest led Dames to Eli’s Jerusalem
Grill in late March. It was a great way to sample everything from Shawarma to their freshly made pita and gave
us a hint of what to expect in an upcoming Israeli cooking class that Sherron Goldstein will lead. At our first
Birmingham LDEI Book Club meeting we discussed The
Gastronomical Me by M.F.K. Fisher. Planning by Jan Gautro and Susan Swagler made this a great success. Deborah Stone hosted our Dames and guests at her Botaniko
22
Birmingham Dames at the Time Inc. Food Studio, L- R: Angela
Schmidt, Gia McCollister, and Rebecca Satterfield welcome guests to
our Meet-The-Dames event. Birmingham Dames and guests gather in
the Time Inc. Food Studios.
studio and led them through crafting individual perfumes.
The Pantry, another of Deborah’s businesses, generously
provided wine and snacks for the March event. In January, a
local art gallery event offered an opportunity for our chapter
to raise some money and let people know about LDEI. Angela
Schmidt immediately accepted the challenge and was joined
by Maureen Holt and Martha Johnston.
BO S TO N
Lucille Giovino
Boston had a full complement of events this past winter
starting with a tasting of craft hard ciders made from freshpressed apples at Michelle da Silva’s Bantam Cider. We were
treated royally to full flights of five beers, while participating
in the festivities of the entirely transformed warehouse, still
able to view four enormous vats that could rival the wine
vats in Napa Valley. Next on the agenda, off to Co-President
Louisa Kasdon’s summer retreat overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Cohasset where
we indulged in homespun cookery at our
Annual Potluck and Yankee Swap with the
new addition of a sleepover. What a treat!
Come February, Joan Sweeney outdid herself with a second Ice Fishing Expedition
at her lakeside home in New Hampshire.
The outdoor competition had a tough
Ellie O'Keefe
time trying to compete with the indoor
display of massive arrays of delicious dishes prepared by the
Dames. Kudos to Joan for organizing this ultra-special event.
March ushered in our 55th Annual Dinner at the Colonnade
Hotel chaired by Ellie O’Keefe who adhered to the principles perfected over 55 years. Executive Chef Nicholas Calias
brought us right into the 21st century with a lighter touch to
each of his eight courses, while maintaining Escoffier integrity
and artistry. The chef ’s first course, Rabbit Galantine was sheer
artistry, which exceled in flavor and texture. We all deserve a
feather in our caps for a productive few months; on to more
challenges and successes.
CL E VE L AND
Shara Bohach
In January, Cleveland Dames toured Green City Growers, an
urban 3.25-acre hydroponic greenhouse. This large, state-ofthe art facility sustainably grows fresh lettuce, gourmet greens,
and herbs year-round, and it delivers produce to customers
within 48 hours of harvest.
In March, Britt-Marie Culey
and husband Shane Culey of
Coquette Patisserie hosted the
Cleveland Chapter for a night of
Grower Champagnes paired with
sweet petit fours and a delightfully
savory menu. They gave a presentation on classic French pastries
and Grower Champagnes—sparkling wines crafted by grape growers, which tend to vary more year
to year than other wines.
In April, Dames Carol Hacker,
Cynthia Schuster Eakin, and
Paula Hershman spoke to the
members of The Study Club of
Cleveland about the history of Les LE BONBON—Chocolate mousse
Dames d’Escoffier International
layered with chocolate meringue
(LDEI) and the Cleveland Chapter. and painted dark chocolate at
Coquette Patisserie. Dames Gloria
The Study Club is a group of 50
women, many retired leaders in the Cipri-Kemer and Terry Thomsen
hold a basil bouquet at Green
community, who remain interested City Growers Cooperative.
in lifelong learning and in all things Photos: Shara Bohach.
Cleveland. The club meets monthly
at the Cleveland Yachting Club. Carol, who is president of LDEI’s
Cleveland Chapter, spoke about the organization’s membership requirements, LDEI Green Tables Initiatives, and the Legacy Awards.
Cynthia related past and future events sponsored by the Cleveland
Chapter to support its Green Tables Initiatives. Paula talked about
her business, Storehouse Tea, and about the support offered by
LDEI to women in the culinary industry.
H AWA I I
Hayley Matson-Mathes
Hawaii Dames Jenny
Grondin of Grondin:
French Latin Kitchen;
Jocelyn McCann of EAT
Honolulu; and Chef Kathi
Students with Dames Jenny Grondin
Saks taught culinary classes (in black), Kathi Saks, Fern Yoshida
at Waianae High School. The (polka dotted top); and Hayley MatsonMathes.
program focused on frontof-house service and was a
part of the Hawaii Culinary Education Foundation mentoring
program directed by Hayley Matson-Mathes and coordinated by
Fern Yoshida, Oahu chef mentor coordinator. The classes were in
preparation for a student-led community dinner.
KENTUCKY
Jamie Estes
The Kentucky
Chapter’s Green
Tables committee is lending a
hand to New
Roots and its
Fresh Stop Markets this summer. LDEIKY’s Kentucky Dames, L-R Front: Claudia Delatorre, Rhona
members will
Kamar, and Sherry Hurley. Back row: Stacy Duncan,
provide demLisa Windhorst, Gina Brown, Susan Tucker Mezza, Jaonstrations and mie Estes, Katie Payne, and Jacquelyn Thompson-Lee.
tastings at various
Fresh Stop pop-up food markets, which are located in places like
local churches and community centers, typically in underserved areas
of Louisville. Led by Green Tables board member Lisa Windhorst
and Green Tables Chairs Sherry Hurley, Rhona Kamar, and Gina
Brown, the Kentucky Chapter will also offer tips, recipes, and
techniques for cooking with fresh summer produce. Voice-Tribune
columnist Carla Sue Broecker featured LDEI members at a New
Roots reception launching the new program. www.voice-tribune.
com/columns/partyline/gardens-louisville/
M O NTE RE Y BAY
Carol S. Hilburn
On February 24, 2016, the Monterey Bay Chapter hosted an
induction ceremony for the Disciples of Escoffier and welcomed
new members into the Monterey Chapter. The dinner, held at the
Monterey Peninsula Country Club, was prepared by Executive
Chef Disciple Colin Moody and consisted of hors d’oeuvres and
four spectacular courses using Auguste Escoffier’s numbered recipes
from Le Guide Culinaire. It was a memorable evening with Michel
Escoffier, the great grandson of Auguste Escoffier, present for the
ceremonies.
NAS HVI L L E
Mindy Merrell
The Nashville
Chapter kicked off
its new Table in
the Back program
on March 28 with
a lively gathering
of Dames and a
prospective member
at the Family Wash “Table at the Back” dinner at Family Wash in East
restaurant. The new Nashville L-R: Anne Byrn, Family Wash Chef John
Stephenson, Emily Frith, Erin Byers Murray, Mindy
networking and
prospective member writer and cookbook
educational platform Merrell,
author Nicki Pendleton Wood, and Sylvia Ganier.
aims to connect
members in intimate
gatherings at restaurants in different areas of the city. Emily Frith
of Corner Market Catering spearheaded the event and enlisted her
former protégé Chef John Stephenson for the inaugural gathering. His special three-course Spanish-inspired menu featured an
amuse-bouche of sweet medjool dates with chorizo and jalapeño;
seared Brussels sprouts with almonds and vinegar; and patatas
bravas (Yukon potato) with spinach, smoky tomato, and poblano
crema. The final course was an elegant vanilla and brandy flan. The
chef spoke to the group about his cooking philosophy and how
Emily’s early guidance helped him to become a successful chef and
restaurant owner.
Table in the Back continues in April with a family-style Chinese
adventure and exploration of Cantonese cuisine at Lucky Bamboo China Bistro. In May, wine consultant and educator Billie
Joyce Helmkay, owner of Thru the Vines, will lead a workshop
for members and guests on Bold Reds at Whole Foods Market in
Green Hills.
NE W E NGL AND
Nancy Matheson-Burns
As you can see in our logo, we
have gotten the approval to change
our name to New England based on
the recommendation of Les Dames
International, and full agreement by
the board. Presently, we have over
110 Dames in our chapter and growing. To learn more about your
New England/Northeast sisters, cultivate member connections,
and stay up to date with our many events, follow us on Facebook.
23
Susie Brown hosted another successful Boston
Center for Adult Education annual fundraiser,
CHEW ON THIS. Chapter members enjoyed
fabulous food and drink with the most fun crowd
in town. Several Dames participated in and managed The GO SPRING EXPO, A Celebration
Of Local Agriculture And Spring. Included were
Dames Kim Gregory (Kim’s Pure Pastry); Kindra
Clineff (Kindra Clineff Photography); Jodi
Clineff; Liz Mullholland (Valley View Farm);
Mary Bandereck (Topsfield Bakeshop); and
Brandi Parker (Willow Spring Vineyards).
Northshore magazine nominees for the Best of the
Northshore Awards included several New England Chapter gals! Dames Lila Haynes (Heaven
On Earth Cooking); Karen Cook (Cider Hill
Farm); Kim Gregory (Kim’s Pure Pastry); Nancy
Battista-Caswell (BRINE Oyster Bar) and Ceia
Kitchen + Bar); Phyllis LeBlanc (Harbor Sweets
Handmade Chocolates); Mary Bandereck
(Topsfield Bakeshop); Carolyn Grieco (Carolyn’s
Farm Kitchen); and Krisztina Ronai Perron (The
Wooden Spoon Catering Company).
Top: 1. Dame Carol Brock (L), LDEI Founder; Ambassador Katalin Bogyay, Permanent Representative of Hungary to the United Nations. 2. L-R: Dame Linda
Lawry, LDNY President; Dame Joan Brower, Event Chair and LDNY Secretary;
H.E. Ferenc Kumin, Ambassador and Consul General of Hungary. Middle: 3.
Dames Beth Allen (L), LDNY Vice President, and Linda Lawry. 4. L-R: Dames
Karen Benvin Ransom, Janeen Sarlin, and Melanie Young. Bottom: 5. L-R:
Dames Jeanne Voltz, LDNY Program Chair, and Joan Bloom, Program Committee. 6. Dame Joyce O’Neill, Program Committee.
NEW Y ORK
Beth Allen
Several Dames from the New
York Chapter attended the Cherry
Bombe Jubilee at The High Line
Hotel in Manhattan Sunday,
April 10. It was a fabulous day of
news, views, networking, and tastings. Topics of the presentations
and panels varied from “Good +
Simple,” to “How to be the Boss,”
and “New York’s Next Wave.”
One of the highlights of the day
was a “Keynote Conversation”
with Martha Stewart and Kerry
Diamond, who along with Claudia Wu founded Cherry Bombe
magazine.
On the 31st of March, 46 New
York Dames were guests at the
Hungarian Culinary Rhapsody,
an elegant, private culinary
reception created exclusively for
LDNY members at the Consulate General of Hungary. The
Dames were warmly welcomed
by hosts, H.E. Mr. Ferenc
24
Kumin, Ambassador and Consul
General of Hungary in New
York, and Magdolna Fekete, Director of the Hungarian National
Tourist Office in New York, and
greeted by Ambassador Katalin
Annamária Bogyay, Guest of
Honor for the evening and the
Permanent Representative of
Hungary to the United Nations.
The festivities began with a
champagne toast, specialty hors
d’oeuvres and live Hungarian
music, followed by a food and
wine tasting of prized Hungarian
wines and food pairings, which
were conducted by Ms. Helga
Gal, Hungary’s first female sommelier. The event marks the occasion of the Year of Bocuse d’Or
2016 in Hungary, as Budapest
has been named host city this
year for the prestigious Bocuse
d’Or chef competition finals.
Congratulations to Chair Joan
Brower, Joan Bloom, Jeanne
Voltz, and Joyce O’Neill for
organizing this splendid affair!
Dame Jenny Johnson hosts the live auction for the BCAE
annual fundraiser CHEW ON THIS. Dame-Chef Karen
Akunowicz and friends feed the lively crowd.
PAL M S PRI NGS
Pamela Bieri
A delicious,
successful
“L’Affaire
Chocolat” on
February 21,
Palm Springs
Chapter's major fundraiser,
consisted of
high tea, ladies
in hats, and
our famous
25-foot table
of luscious,
mouthwatering
chocolates from
pastry chefs,
restaurants,
hotels, and our
members. Live
and Chinese
auctions netted
substantial
Our stellar L’Affaire Chocolat committee members are L-R: Janet Harris,
Dawn Rashid, Andrea Rosenblatt, and
Ellen Spencer. At L’Affaire Chocolate,
Palm Springs Chapter board members,
L-R: Nancy Cohee, treasurer; Lisa
Wherry, vice president; Mary Clair
Mulhall, secretary; and Pamela Bieri,
president.
PHO E NI X
Marianne Belardi
Wearing a crafty cowboy hat that was for sale, Dame Gail Nottberg prices
items for the culinary yard sale benefiting Palm Springs Chapter’s scholarships. Dames at the Palm Desert Food & Wine Festival, L-R: Andrea Rosenblatt, Pam Bieri, Dawn Rashid, (in front), and Felicia Benavides.
money for annual scholarships. Neighborhood bargain seekers found
culinary treasures at our annual two-day Culinary Yard Sale held in
Gail Nottberg’s tree-shaded Palm Desert home in April. Proceeds of
nearly $1,000 went to the scholarship coffers. Palm Springs Chapter
Dames worked behind-the-scenes in the kitchens as well as greeting
the crowds at our booth during the sixth annual Palm Desert Food &
Wine Festival in April.
P H I L A D ELPHIA
Natanya DiBona
The Philadelphia Chapter had a busy winter! In addition to our
Winter Potluck held at Maryann Baldassarre’s Artisan’s Exchange,
our members gathered for several social events including holiday
cocktails at the Rittenhouse Hotel and an evening at the new restaurant, Urban Farmer. Dames also met for a screening of the documentary, King Georges, followed by dinner at Susanna Foo’s new
restaurant, SuGa. Dames Natanya DiBona, Kathy Gold, and Michele Haines volunteered at Philadelphia’s first pop-up dinner party for the homeless,
#PopUpPhilly. Tables, chairs, linens, and dinnerware were provided
by Irene Silver of Party Rental, Ltd. In honor of women’s history
month, Lynne
Farrington
hosted an event,
“Women in
the Archives:
Recipes through
the Centuries”
at the University
of Pennsylvania
library. Highlights from the
collection include The Philadelphia Chapter hosted a “Women in Food”
Cocktail Reception on April 4. Chapter members from
cookbooks and
L-R: Lynn Buono, Stormy Lundy, Claire Boasi, Barbara
manuscripts
Samson, Natanya DiBona, Nina Sygnecki, and Madating from the nette Richardson. Photo: Todd Photography.
mid-1600s to
today. On April 4, the chapter hosted a “Women in Food” cocktail reception at the Philadelphia Foundation for 100 distinguished women in
the Philadelphia area. The event was chaired by Lynn Buono, owner
of Feast Your Eyes Catering, and made possible by generous donations from over 20 chapter members. We enjoyed our Green Tables Spring Farm Tour on April 24th.
Janet Chrzan planned an exciting day of “Cheese! Baby Goats!
Brunch!” at Wyebrook Farm, Amazing Acres, and Conebella Farm.
We are also busy planning our first “Outstanding in Her Field” event
this September, which will recognize a woman in the Philadelphia
area for her contributions to the food industry. We desert Dames have big love for C-CAP Arizona (Careers
through Culinary Arts Program), for which our own Jill Smith
serves as Director. In March, our 2016 chapter scholarship was
awarded to Cassandra Loper, a C-CAP student at Mesa High
School aspiring to a baking and pastry career. She also received
the Tracy Dempsey Industry
Scholarship, and will begin employment with Tracy Dempsey
Originals after graduation.
The Barb Fenzl Scholarship
($1,500 and a signed copy of
Seasonal Southwest Cooking) was presented to Paulina Aguilar of Carl Hayden
High School. Dames Tracy
Dempsey, Amy Binkley, and
Eugenia Theodosopoulos
(who also employs a C-CAP
C-CAP President Susan Robbins, Eustudent), volunteered as judges genia Theodosopoulos, Amy Binkley,
for the C-CAP culinary compe- Pamela Hamilton, Cassandra Loper,
Robyn Lee, C-CAP Founder Richard
tition, and mentored students
Grausman.
preparing a Harvest Moon
Dinner. Kim Haasarud donated
proceeds from her 6th Annual Arizona Cocktail Week Storytelling Dinner; Kim was a sponsor for the dinner. Robyn Lee, James
Beard Foundation Arizona coordinator, invites students to assist
local and visiting JBF chefs at events. C-CAP Arizona served 4,300
students in 50 schools statewide in the 2015-2016 academic year
and awarded over $533,000 in student scholarships in 2015.
High-Performance Blending
Leading chefs and at-home cooks alike choose Vitamix
for its power, versatility, and premium engineering.
From hot soups to frozen desserts, nothing delivers the
fresh flavors of whole foods like a Vitamix machine.
Vitamix is proud to sponsor
Les Dames d’Escoffier International Conference.
To learn more about Vitamix, visit vitamix.com
25
SAN ANTO NI O
Nichole Bendele
Carole Bloom
Janet Burgess
CHANGING OF
THE GUARD:
Quarterly Chapter
News Editor
We are pleased to introduce LDEI’s
new Chapter News editor Carole
Bloom, CCP, (LA/OC). She is the successor to long-time Quarterly contributor and editor Janet Burgess (LA/OC).
Carole is the award-winning author of
11 dessert cookbooks, including Caramel (Gibbs-Smith). Her latest endeavor
is The Art of Caramel: Techniques
and Treats, a mobile learning class on
Craftsy.com. Carole teaches cooking
classes on desserts, and her work appears in culinary magazines, websites,
and on national television. She is one of
the founders and past President of the
San Diego Chapter. In addition, Carole
is a registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga
Alliance and teaches classes regularly in
Carlsbad, CA.
Carole, a veteran journalist, joins the
Quarterly staff with this issue. To share
the activities and accomplishments of
your chapter, email news—up to 250
words—and quality photos to Carole
Bloom at [email protected]
Janet Burgess hands over her Quarterly duties after three years to focus
on travel, 4littlecooks—her cooking
school for children, and kids’ summer cooking camps. Janet wrote the
children’s cookbook, CHOP, COOK,
MUNCH! She says, “I enjoyed the
job, especially looking for and meeting
contributors at conference to match a
face with the writer. And reminding
them to not embed photos and to use
high resolution!” Janet suggests utilizing Chapter News to “obtain fundraising and membership ideas from all over
the country and from our international
members.” Janet, CiCi Williamson
and I wish you well, and extend our
warmest thanks and appreciation for a
job well done. -Susan Fuller Slack,
Quarterly editor.
26
San Antonio Dames were treated to special
visitors: Michel Escoffier and Mary Chamberlain, Monterey Bay Chapter, on March
5th! A dinner for the guests was held at
the newly renovated St. Anthony Hotel's
restaurant, Rebelle. Chef Stefan Bowers
prepared a fabulous and divine five-course
menu of Char-Broiled Gulf Oysters, Charred
Beet Salad, Veal Carpaccio, Merguez Ground
Goat Kebabs, and Shrimp & Beef Curry, followed by dessert. Bon Appetit!
SAN DI E GO
Teresa Palzkill
Sixteen brave souls battled an El Niño to
visit the Encinitas Unified School District
Farm Lab in January. Dame Jennifer McNeil
and Farm Lab Director Mim Michlove
shared how students in grades K-6 are growing edible plants, which are in turn incorporated into school lunches. Surplus produce
is sold at local farmers markets and at a
local organic food store. It was inspiring to
hear from Jen and other directors of school
nutrition about the techniques used to create
interesting, delicious, and nutritious school
meals.
In February, chapter members attended the
launch of the cookbook Global Fresh Recipes
with San Diego’s African and Middle Eastern
Cooks. Adrienne Markworth, Executive
Director of Leah’s Pantry, worked in conjunction with local immigrant women to present
delicious, healthy, low-cost dishes from their
native countries.
Dame Mary Chamberlain (in red sash), Michel
Escoffier, and Chef Stefan Bowers are surrounded by San Antonio Dames.
L-R: Dame Jennifer McNeil and Farm Lab
Director, Mim Michlove, at Farm Lab. Chapter
Members and guests brave 40 mph winds to
walk through the Farm Lab field.
WA S HI NGTO N, D. C.
CiCi Williamson
On Saturday, April 30, 50 Dames and
guests attended a special behind-the scenes
tour of Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee
Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery.
Joan Bacharach, Museum Curator at the
National Park Service (NPS), arranged the
tour. Kim Robinson, NPS Curator, narrated
a tour covering three floors of the mansion;
of special interest were the dining room
and kitchen. Park interpreter Matt Penrod
led people to the slave quarters, the kitchen
garden, and Mary Randolph’s nearby grave.
Afterwards, Devon Capili, Karen Vartan,
CiCi Williamson, CiCi’s husband John Kelly, and Connie Hay’s husband Don shuttled
attendees to the Fort Myer Officers’ Club for
a Southern Buffet luncheon. CiCi gave a talk
about Robert E. Lee, Virginia food history,
and Fort Myer, which is the Army base that’s
home to “The Old Guard,” the ceremonial
army division that guards the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier and conducts military
funerals in the prestigious cemetery.
At Arlington House: Matt Penrod,
Kim Robinson, and Joan Bacharach.
Photo: CiCi Williamson.
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27
MEMBER MILESTONES
BRITISH COLUMBIA
BOSTON
CHICAGO
Meeru Dhawala produced a private dinner
in March for Canada’s 12 Provincial and
Territorial Premiers at
her Rangoli Banquet
Room, which was
hosted by Canadian
Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau. Mr. Trudeau
was a regular guest at
her Vij’s Restaurant
while he lived in
Meeru Dhawala
Vancouver prior to
entering politics.
Ilene Bezahler, publisher of Edible Boston, launched a sibling quarterly publication, To Market, which is set to publish
its first issue in
September 2016. To
Market takes a broader
regional approach,
tackling policy issues
and exploring trends
across state lines and
how they expand
throughout the area. Ilene Bezahler
Carrie Nahabedian received the inaugural Jean Banchet Award for Culinary Excellence. Carrie, as a young cook, worked
for Jean at his legendary Le Français
restaurant.
Barb Finley received
the Community
Leadership Award
from Canadian Association of Foodservice Professionals
Vancouver (CAFP)
for her work with
Project CHEF.
Barb Finley
Alessandra Quaglia and her husband
celebrated the 14th anniversary of their
restaurant, Provence Marinaside. They
also own the Provence Mediterranean
Grill and TWB-The Wine Bar.
Merri Schwartz opened a new Bakery &
Toast Café as a satellite of her East Van
Roasters (EVR). EVR is a non-profit
initiative—100 percent social enterprise
providing training and employment to
disadvantaged women living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
BIRMINGHAM
Kathy Mezrano, president of Kathy G. &
Company, won prestigious Allie Awards
from the International Special Events Society in March that included Best Event:
Corporate/Association under $100,000,
and Best Off-Premise Catering for an
event themed “No Place Like Home” with
food stations inspired by “The Wizard of
Oz.” www.kathyg.com
Jan Walsh, celebrated the 10th
Anniversary of her
commercial website
www.BirminghamWine.com. It started
the same month
Twitter launched and
six months before
Jan Walsh
Facebook became
an open network. The site was immediately embraced by the local wine community
and continues to be known for its wine
columns, calendar of events, restaurant
wine lists, wine of the year, and restaurant
wine awards.
28
Dottie Koteski (Philadelphia)
Donna Domiano
was promoted to U.S.
Director of Product
Development for Fabbri USA. Donna will
build and manage a
team of independent
chef educators in key
markets throughout
the USA. She will be
responsible for developing a variety of new
menus and recipes for
gelato and pastry.
Lisa Ekus was the
keynote speaker at the
Professional Women’s
Chamber of Western
Massachusetts on
March 23rd.
MEXICO
Araceli Ramos
Rosaldo received
recognition from the
National Counsel of
Cultural Gastronomy
of Mexico for her
worldwide culinary
Araceli Ramos Rosaldo
and gastronomic
representation of Mexico. Araceli is an
excellent ambassador for her country.
MONTEREY BAY
Donna Domiano
Lisa Ekus
Brandy Rand was named Vice President
of U.S. Marketing and Business Development for the International Wine & Spirits
Research. It is the leading source of data
and trend analysis on the alcoholic beverage market. The information it generates
is used by leading
multinational wine,
beer, and spirits corporations, and companies that provide
products and services
to the industry.
Michele Topar was
featured in a six-page Brandy Rand
article in the spring
issue of Country
Gardens. Michele is
a registered nurse
turned chef/tour guide
who has taken rooftop
gardening to another
level by growing vegetables, greens, herbs,
Michele Topar
berries, and citruses
five stories above the street. In addition
to being an avid guide to the Boston food
scene. Michele leads tours to Italy.
Mary Chamberlin, chef and culinary
icon on Monterey Peninsula, and President of the Monterey Bay Chapter since
its inception in 2007, has been named
“Woman of the Year 2016” by Meals on
Wheels. She was honored at the Women
Who Care—Woman of the Year luncheon
held June 5 at Ferrantes, atop the Monterey Marriott.
Catherine Fallis, one of only five women
in the world who has achieved certification as a Master Sommelier, has launched
her Planet Grape Review—the only
woman-led wine-rating panel in the USA.
http://winereview.planetgrape.com. 2017
will be the 20th anniversary of her receiving the Master Sommelier certification. Carol Hilburn, an attorney with Fenton
& Keller in Monterey, reports that Fenton
& Keller has been voted the “Best Law
Firm” in Monterey County for 2016 by the
Monterey County Weekly’s readers’ poll.
Sharon Van Meter
is offering mentoring
and coaching to new
culinary professionals
and first-time restaurateurs in space developed by Phil Romano
at Trinity Groves
outside Dallas. Sharon
is a recipient of the
“Live It! Women With
Impact” recognition
from the Women’s
Foodservice Forum. Sharon Van Meter
NEW ENGLAND
Heather Atwood
hosted a dinner featuring seafood at Wenham Tea House with
Heather Atwood
Executive Chef Peter Capalbo. Peter cooked
dishes from Heather’s beautiful cookbook,
In Cod We Trust, while guests sipped on
Portuguese wines and enjoyed the company
of the crowd.
Jean Nordin-Evans
hosted a valuable and
unique networking
event at her spectacular
facility, Farm to Table
Café at Groton Wellness Spa. Jean is passionate about growing a
community of health- Jean Nordin-Evans
conscious people who
understand, practice, and maintain a joyful
and healthy life supporting whole-body
healing practices, and providing people with
choices for all-natural food.
Lisa Webster, owner
of North Star Sheep
Farm, was featured
in the Portland Press
Herald. Lisa is president of the Agricultural
Council of Maine and
represents the Maine
Sheep Breeders AsLisa Webster
sociation, established
in 1990 as a forum for agricultural interests.
Its mission is to advocate on behalf of Maine
agriculture.
NEW YORK
Joan Coukos founded
the artisanal confection
company of Chocolat
Moderne in 2003, after
20 years in the banking
business. Ten years
later, Dessert Professional Magazine named her
Joan Coukos
one of the Top Ten
Chocolatiers of North
America. Learn more about Joan in “Living
Her Best Life” by Nina Bahadur. www.self.
com/trending/2016/03/joan-coukos-chocolat-moderne/
Ellie Krieger has a new show, "Ellie's Real
Good Food," on Public Television. Ellie was
the keynote speaker at the Washington, D.C.
Chapter's "Celebrating Food" symposium.
PHILADELPHIA
Susanna Foo made her eagerly anticipated
return to the Philadelphia restaurant scene
with the opening of SuGa this winter. The
restaurant, which she opened with her son,
Gabriel, features modern Chinese cuisine. www.sugabyfoo.com/
SAN DIEGO
Julie Darling was featured in a segment of
KUSI-TV for her work at the helm of Just
Call Us Volunteers with the “Breaking Away
Award of Excellence.” Every week KUSI recS U M M E R Q U A RT E R LY 2 016
ognizes an individual or business going above
and beyond to serve our community. www.
kusi.com/story/31213513/breaking-awayaward-of-excellence-just-call-us-volunteers
Teresa Palzkill was named the 2016 Adult
Education Administrator of the Year by the
Association of California School Administrators Region 18, which consists of San Diego
and Imperial counties.
SAN FRANCISCO
Antonia (Toni) Allegra established the
Symposium for Professional Food Writers,
a hub for novice to well-seasoned culinary
writers with a Who’s Who list of noted
faculty speakers. The 2016 Symposium
is scheduled for September 26-30 at the
Culinary Vegetable Institute near Cleveland.
www.spfw.org
NASHVILLE
Sylvia Garnier, owner of
Green Door Gourmet,
spoke to the Women in
Agriculture Mentoring
Network in February at
the USDA. She shared
her vision for growing
Sylvia Garnier
nutrient-rich diverse
specialty crops, education, agritourism, and
conservationism. The following day she attended "Tomorrow's Table," a USDA-White
House summit with roundtable discussions
led by agricultural leaders.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Susan Barcocas served as the guest chef for
the third time for the White House Seder.
She is honored to be a part of this very
special and meaningful event and to work
with Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford,
and Executive Pastry Chef Susan Morrison
and their staffs.
CiCi Williamson was interviewed by CNN,
for a segment titled, "Is Obama America's
First Foodie President?" As a culinary
historian, she gave evidence that 200 years
ago, Thomas Jefferson was in fact our first
gourmet president. He introduced our
young country to many foods after traveling through France and Italy, including ice
cream, macaroni, Parmesan cheese, champagne, and crème brûlée.
Janet Yu was featured
in Bethesda Magazine. The
article, "Taiwan On," by
David Hagedorn described
the Washington, D.C.
Chapter's Global Culinary Initiative February
Janet Yu
luncheon at her restaurant, Hollywood East
Cafe. The program was arranged by Amy
Riolo. Rose Chen, President of The Rose
Group for Cross-Cultural Understanding,
gave a lecture on the cuisine of Taiwan.
www.kikkomanusa.com
CheCk out the
Kikkoman’s Kitchen Page
29
Have You Made the Move
to the Brock Circle?
Lori Willis (St. Louis)
The Brock Circle is one of the most significant steps we have taken as an organization in
recent years and, on our 30th anniversary, it is
a testament to the work we are doing to stay
relevant and productive. You, as a member
or business owner, and
your chapter have a
ircle
chance to be part of the
kC
movement.
Your tax-deductible
contribution (indiD
vidual or chapter)
EI
gives LDEI a solid
foundation from which
to build our resources and move toward our
future. Founded in 2012, the Brock Circle
is not a part of the operating budget, but it
is used to provide exceptional educational
opportunities and value-added services of all
types that support our mission and vision. Each year, 60 percent of the funds are
Broc
Crafted in France,
at home in
the South.
L
invested to ensure our future and 40 percent
are available for special projects. Presently, the
Brock Circle is enabling us to provide support
to organizational priorities by providing ongoing education (speakers, podcasts, and webinars); branding support (awareness); growth
initiatives; and resources. In addition, Brock Circle members and
friends, and the Board, look for special
projects to serve organizational priorities and
benefit a majority of our membership. In
addition to our own aggressive outreach,
the LDEI Board looks to you to bring us
ideas we can vet and act upon. Just the very thought that we have such a
plan makes us stronger and more powerful as
an organization. Thank you for your support
of the Brock Circle. For more information
and a list of privileges obtained by Brock
Circle investors please look on-line at
www.ldei.org, or contact Immediate Past
President Lori Willis, liaison to the Brock
Circle, or President Maria Gomez.
LIMITED EDITION LDEI SCARVES!
Wear a piece of LDEI history!
30th Anniversary Scarf
LDEI has commissioned St. Louis artist
Sherry Salant to create limited edition
scarves commemorating LDEI’s 30th
year with our special anniversary logo.
The project is sponsored by Dame
Alice Gautsch Foreman who is making
it possible to offer the scarves at a
significant discount. (The $30 sales price,
plus shipping, is good while supplies
last and through August 1, 2016.)
Les Dames d’Escoffier,
welcome to our home in the
culinary capital of the South.
lecreuset.com
The material is ordered from New York
and the image digitally transferred
one-at-a-time onto 21- x 81-inch, silklike cloth. This highly stylized art is a
combination of alcohol inks, which the
artist sends flowing over a hardboard to
form images. Symbols of food, beverage,
and hospitality flow under our 30th
anniversary logo.
Consider ordering as a chapter now to
ensure your discount and make sure you
have your scarf by Conference! Delivery
can take up to six weeks.
Scarf modeled by Dame Catherine Neville.
30
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
UPCOMING
DEADLINES
in the
2016 FALL ISSUE – AUGUST 5, 2016
2017 WINTER ISSUE - NOVEMBER 11, 2016
2017 SPRING ISSUE - JANUARY 10, 2017
2017 SUMMER ISSUE - APRIL 10, 2017
fall issue
• M.F.K. Fisher Awards
PHOTOGRAPHY/IMAGES
Electronic images must be properly focused and in color with a
minimum resolution of 300 dpi (TIFF or JPEG). Cell phone photos
are acceptable if they meet resolution requirements. Do not send
photos taken off the Internet or embedded with text in Word
files or PDF files. Please identify individuals in photos from left
to right in the message of your email. Include photo credits, if
required, and captions. ALL PHOTOGRAPHS MUST COME WITH
CAPTIONS TO BE PUBLISHED.
MEMBER MILESTONES
LIST DAME’S NAME and XXX CHAPTER. Each Dame may
submit up to 50 words about honors or important businessrelated activities, as preferred, to appear in print. Please include a
website URL, if applicable. You may email a quality headshot to
accompany your news. Press releases and cookbook covers are not
accepted. Email your Member Milestone and photo to Member
Milestone Editor, Dottie Koteski at [email protected]
by the deadline listed above. Entries received after these dates
may appear in a following issue. Photos of Dames networking
at conferences or other chapter events may also be sent to
this section. Note: Due to space constraints, only two Member
Milestones will be published per Dame per year.
CHAPTER NEWS
British Country Picnic. Photo: Susan Slack.
• Two-part feature: Edible London
2016; and Edible Cotswolds
• 2016 LDEI Conference:
Washington, D.C.
CHAPTER XXX (By, the submitter's name, office-or title, if any).
Each chapter may submit 250 words as you would like to see
it in print. You may include photos to accompany your news,
noting photography requirements above. Submissions that
exceed the word count will be edited. (A lengthy submission on
a special chapter event could be considered for a feature; contact
the editor in advance.) Press releases are not accepted. We
regret we don't have space to print full menus but menu items
can be included in the copy. Submissions not conforming to this
format may not be printed due to deadlines and volunteer’s lack
of time. Email to Carole Bloom at [email protected] by
the deadline date. Entries received after this date may appear
in the following issue. Note: "Chapter News" and "Member
Milestones" may be dispersed through LDEI social-media
channels, as well as in print and online.
E-NEWS
This bimonthly publication will keep you informed about events
in other chapters and encourages networking. Press releases
are not accepted. Include an email contact, date, time, and cost
for chapter events. Lack of space prevents member milestones,
product news, listing of cooking classes, or tours. You will
receive a reminder call for “E-News” email. Respond to E-News
Editor, Shelley Pedersen, at [email protected]
Photo: Cecily Hoffius.
• GCI-St. Louis:
Sacred Foods of India
31
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P.O. Box 4961
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PERMIT #1051
The LDEI Conference: We’re Going to Party Like It’s 1789!
Our first president was inaugurated in 1789.
At that time, the Washington, D.C., we know
didn’t exist—no Capitol, no White House.
Indian villages once stood where Georgetown
is today.
Mount Vernon was the executive residence
where emissaries and government officials
visited and dined. Among the many interesting pre-conference tours the Washington,
D.C., Conference Committee is planning
for you is “Exploring George and Martha
Washington’s Gardens and Bountiful Table
at Mount Vernon.” Hear how the Washingtons entertained. Take a customized tour
of Mount
Vernon’s newest exhibit on
food production and food
service with
Mount VerWASHINGTON DC • 2016
non’s museum
curator to learn more about 18th century
culinary and hospitality practices. Explore the
estate with Mount Vernon’s horticulturalist and
visit George Washingtons’ Gristmill and Distillery
for a whiskey tasting.
Watch for more conference
information coming soon!
Above, the formal dining room at Mount Vernon.
Below is the Upper Garden where vegetables
and flowers were grown. Photo Credits: George
Washington's Mount Vernon.
CONFERENCE DATES: OCTOBER 27-30, 2016

Summer 2016 - Les Dames d`Escoffier International

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