Who We Are

We are a group of women in the culinary, beverage, and hospitality industry dedicated to honoring the women who came before us, supporting those among us, and creating paths for those to come. We are committed to philanthropy and serving our communities. To date, we have awarded over $291,000 in scholarships and continuing education stipends.

Our Members

Les Dames Austin is a local chapter of the nonprofit Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI). As of 2024, LDEI has roughly 2500 inspiring women members in 44 chapters across the USA, Canada, France, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

Mission

To inspire, advance, and support women in food, beverage, and hospitality to achieve excellence in leadership and philanthropy.  

Vision

Les Dames Austin envision a world where all people appreciate and value the work and contribution of women in our industry, where women support women, and where communities create meaningful impact through serving our community.

Equity Statement

The process of feeding people and nourishing our communities requires the work of many hands. Much like the acts of planting, harvesting, distributing, preparing, and serving food involve people of all races, ages, abilities, identities, and more, so too do we aim for the Austin Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier International to be as representative of all hands that serve the hospitality industry. We are committed to making diversity, equity, and inclusion an integral part of our organization through our members’ talents, resources, contributions, and community collaborations. Together we will build an inclusive culture of belonging by offering everyone supporting our mission a seat at our table.  

Black Lives Matter

Throughout these difficult times, we the members of the Austin Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, stand alongside with our entire Black community as true allies committed to making our neighborhoods safer and our industry more equitable. The recent events that have plagued our nation have amplified the need to create change within our communities, and we are committed to making those changes through our organization.  We recognize that actions speak louder than words and pledge to help build a more equitable community by committing to educating our members on accurate historical context, actively training our members on antiracism practices, listening to and amplifying Black voices, and continuing to actively support Black-owned businesses. Together we can create the change we need.