Minnesota Les Dames d'Escoffier

Welcome to Minnesota Les Dames d'Escoffier.  We are the Minnesota Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier International, a philanthropic organization of women leaders in the fields of food, beverage and hospitality. Our membership, composed of over 2,300 women and 45 chapters in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Mexico,  is highly diversified and reflects the multifaceted fields of contemporary gastronomy and hospitality. 

The Minnesota Chapter is dedicated to mentoring and promoting Minnesota women in the culinary fields through charitable and educational activities. We financially support women through academic scholarships and professional mini-grants.  We also mentor and support high school youth through the St. Paul initiative Urban Roots, which explores food, ecology and agriculture.

While men have traditionally dominated the professional culinary landscape, exceptional LDEI members like Julia Childs, Marcella Hazan, Lidia Bastianich and Delores Cakebread are proof that women can excel in the culinary and fine beverage worlds. We are confident there are many gifted and talented young women of diverse cultural backgrounds right here in Minnesota who could be culinary super stars! 

100% of the money raised through this fundraiser will go towards mentoring and financially supporting female Minnesota students in culinary, food science, fine beverage and agriculture fields. We have been awarding culinary scholarships for the past 15 years. These scholarships are given to qualified female applicants pursuing full-time academic coursework in the fields of culinary arts, hospitality, nutrition, agriculture and related areas of study. We are committed to expanding the ethnic and cultural diversity of our recipients and our members.

Your contribution will help us identify and financially support Minnesota's next Culinary Female Superstars!