Scholarship and Stipend Recipients
Since 2003 the Austin chapter has given $288,000 in scholarships and culinary stipends. In 2023 our giving totaled $50,000 in grants to women. These funds support the growth of careers and ongoing studies for women in hospitality, culinary, and beverage.
2023 Scholarship Recipients
Grace Aguilar - Michelle Lee Legacy Scholarship (2023)
My passion for food began in my godmother's restaurant, Delmonico's, in New Orleans. Since then, I have surpassed hurdles such as Hurricane Katrina as part of my journey. Graduating with a degree in political science, I did not feel fulfilled quickly realizing cooking is what I was called to do. I started a clean slate when moving to Austin, while working at James Beard nominated La Condesa I attended ACC culinary school on full ride scholarship with US Foods and the Tavel Bristol-Joseph Scholarship. Under Chef Tavel's mentorship, I got to intern at his James Beard nominated restaurant, Canje. In between working and going to school, the pandemic had different plans, where I began cooking as a private chef for high profile clients. I started creating my own charities where I would cook and donate all of the money to organizations such as Austin Justice Coalition, The Lilith Fund, and to victims of Hurricane Laura in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Since then, I have food-styled, shot commercials using my food, have done pop-ups, written recipes for a major food blog (The Kitchn), have created food videos for Tastemade, and have written an online cookbook.
My intermediate goal is to create pop-ups that showcase a subculture of food that is not spoken of outside of Louisiana. I aim to bring the fusion of New Orleans and Honduran food to Austin. I want my intermediate goal to eventually scale into my long-term goal and open a brick and mortar that would detail every missing part I may have within my pop-ups. I would like to start sharing with Austin, for example, the art of how every part of a po-boy is created and outsourced to get that perfect bite. French bread is the most crucial part of a po-boy but due to the altitude difference between New Orleans and Austin, baking French bread has been a problem that I have been obsessed with solving. All of this to say, this scholarship would allow me to go in depth and further study bread classes in France. I’d like to attend a 4-day French bread baking course in Lot- et-Garonne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine that would help me on this journey. My other goal is to visit author Michael Twitty and Chef Amethyst Ganaway (former Dame of the Charleston Chapter) to study more in depth roots of southern cooking. Both Twitty and Ganaway, are culinarian historians that would educate me more on the food I am wanting to share. To tie all food cultures together, I’d like to study Honduran cooking with locals and my family back at home but would further search a class that can teach me Honduran basics cooking. My aunt living in Honduras has been a culinary inspiration. With this scholarship it would allow me to connect with her to truly gain the knowledge I would need to further my career.
Estefania Colamarco - Culinary Professional (2023)
My name is Estefania Colamarco, I was born and raised in Guayaquil, Ecuador and I’m an aspiring pastry chef. In 2021, I finally moved to the USA as a permanent resident and relocated across three states: Philadelphia, Kansas and finally Texas to pursue my dream of becoming a professional pastry chef. I’m currently attending Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. I recently won episode 3 of “No Borders, just flavors” cooking competition for United We Dream where I had the opportunity to showcase the beauty of Ecuadorian food.
As an Ecuadorian immigrant I realized my country isn’t as recognized abroad, my ultimate goal would be to establish my own bakery to express my passion for baking, define people’s perspectives on foreign sweets, and establish new standards in the food industry.
As I am finishing up my pastry degree, I am still eager to learn more pastry techniques. For that reason, I would be using the scholarship funds to take an online pastry course called PastryClass. Beyond the tuition of the course, the remaining funds would be used to purchase ingredients and tools for the course. The 1- year long course teaches many technical pastry techniques and is taught by 10 well-known pastry chefs. The course would accelerate my career by enabling me to apply my technical skills as a pastry chef and serves as an opportunity to develop my social media presence and an audience for Ecuadorian pastry. I see the course as an opportunity to integrate those techniques into Ecuadorian pastry and to showcase those pastries on social media to develop an audience. I do believe that making changes within the food industry will require exceptional achievements. Therefore, building an audience that enjoys Ecuadorian pastry is an accomplishment that will facilitate a change in the food industry. I am also interested in developing new techniques to make alfajores and transition that into a business. My hopes are that the course will help facilitate the journey to reach these ambitions and aspirations.
Madison Ducote - Culinary Professional (2023)
Madison Ducote is a Nose-to-Tail Chef at TerraPurezza, a regenerative agriculture farm in Spicewood, Texas, whose focus is on building nutritionally-dense food systems that exist in balance with the native ecologies in Central Texas. They rotationally graze heritage hogs, hens and sheep at Willie Nelson’s Luck Ranch and utilize whole animal butchery to supply local farmers markets. Madison takes everything she can from the animal once market cuts have been separated and turns it into delicious nose to tail options. Continuing on to work the markets and educate others on the benefits of consuming all parts of the animal including organ meats, animal fat, and bone broth.
After moving to Austin four years ago, I began my career as a chef after winning first-place in two separate categories and the overall grand prize at a cook-off, resulting in a job offer as line cook at the Onion Creek Country Club. From there, I worked my way up through the Austin restaurant scene to chef and recipe/menu curator while simultaneously creating a personal business in women’s health by creating meal plans that cater to women and their menstrual cycle and postpartum periods. I did so by utilizing my developing skill set in the culinary world, as well as cycle syncing meals and applying knowledge from my growing interest in herbalism. This holistic approach to delicious, deep nourishment for pregnant and postpartum mamas is where my passion is and what I would use the 8-month Herbalism Basics course taught by Ginger Webb (owner of Texas Medicinals) for. Ginger Webb has been an herbalist for over 25 years teaching, making medicine, making recipes, and sharing a deep love for the plants of Central Texas.
This education would help me become a personal in-home women’s chef, specializing in supporting holistic menstrual cycle, prenatal and postpartum health. I would use the Les Dames Scholarship to fund the program as well as the required books in the course. This is an investment not only in a lifetime’s wealth of knowledge, but also directly feeds into a career that I believe contributes meaningfully to my community. Through the program, I hope to gain knowledge of medicinal benefits, flavor profiles, and harvesting techniques of the native plants of Central Texas. The importance of understanding food as medicine, harvesting with intention, adopting these practices into my butchering and gardening journey as well, and giving women more holistic options for their full hormonal health to flourish would be a dream come true.
Amron Saldivar - Culinary Professional (2023)
I am a graduate of the University of Texas and worked as a project manager in healthcare technology before deciding to pursue a lifelong dream of starting a culinary career. I attended culinary school at Austin Community College while simultaneously gaining hands-on experience, working my way up in kitchens to eventually become a pastry sous chef, formerly at Dai Due. I am currently working on building an ice cream business, Ripples and Bits.
I am currently working on growing my ice cream business, Ripples and Bits Ice Cream, with the goal of offering seasonal ice cream with mix-ins for every flavor, featuring as many local ingredients as possible. Having worked at one of the best farm to table restaurants in Austin, Dai Due, I hope to take the same ethos I learned there with me as I forge my own path in the frozen goods market. In the short term, my goal is to begin selling ice cream at the farmer's market as well as selling through local vendors. My longer term goals will be to offer the product to larger markets via grocery stores, such as HEB and Whole Foods, as well as more local vendors. This scholarship will help me attend the Penn State Ice Cream Short Course. This course has been attended by many successful professionals, such as Jeni Britton, and I hope to follow in their footsteps by attending this course as the first step on my way to similar success. This course will benefit me so that I can understand more of the science behind ice cream manufacturing, so that I can make a better product and expand my offerings, as well as learn how to scale the manufacturing when the time comes.
Megan (Ken) Kennedy - Beverage (2023)
Barista, Sales, machine technician, fulfillment, production management, roaster, customer service representative, and Coffee Education Specialist - These are all of the titles I've held within my almost 14 years in the coffee industry. But every one of these positions I had to fight for. Every class and workshop came directly out of my pocket. I want to work to open the gates to an industry that rarely rewards grit and self-starters. I want others to have the opportunities and knowledge that I was not handed, but took. Instead of helping hand out the keys, I want to blow down the gates entirely. And as a new parent, it's more important than ever for me to begin creating the more equitable world I want my child to see.
With this scholarship, I want to gain even more knowledge. Then I want to redistribute it. My goal is to become a coffee educator offering classes at a sliding scale and even free in some cases. I've already accepted a position overseeing an education program for a local coffee
company. However, I want to be able to offer and build my own classes and curriculum as opposed to relying solely on outsourcing from those set on maintaining their prices and ceilings.
The majority of my the funds would go to a series of courses that otherwise, I would be unable to take. There, I will have a seat at the table. I will sit amongst those who work to keep the knowledge.
Every single human deserves learning opportunities. I plan to do what I can to bring equity to the coffee world with those opportunities which I receive.
Anna Claire Eddington - Beverage (2023)
My name is Anna Claire Eddington and I own a small beverage business in Austin, TX. I founded Open Eye Beverage Co. in 2021 as a farmers market business - it was the perfect combination of my personal interests and dream of running a business that supported a sustainable food system. My background has seen me working on farms, researching agriculture education, and volunteering at farmers markets. I wrote my undergraduate thesis on the Farm Bill and spent my master’s degree researching indigenous food systems. And for the last year and a half, I’ve been brewing and slinging chai across Austin.
My intermediate goals for my professional career are to build a brand and business that supports me financially while also supporting small farmers and my community. I believe we can build a better food system through our commitment to top-tier ingredients, sustainable production, and our community. I would like to see this brand hit $1 million in revenue in the next 5 years while staying committed to our ethics. The more high-quality chai I sell, the more money I can direct towards small farmers and more plastic I can divert from landfills, and the more likely the business is to be acquired.
My long term professional goals build upon the success of this individual business. I would like to one day sell Open Eye Beverage Co., and then use the profits from the sale to invest in women-owned businesses that are innovating in industries like food & beverage, agriculture,
climate change, and CPG. I hope that with my own experience in agriculture and entrepreneurship I am able to support other women tackling the issues that I care & know most about.
This educational scholarship will fund my attendance for the first time at a national trade show. While at face value this may not seem educational, Expo West is the most popular event for retail and wholesale buyers to interact with small emerging brands like Open Eye. It is also home to the most concentrated number of seminars and sessions on copacking, ingredient sourcing, and industry trends- all things that until this point I have taught myself, but that at this point require a more formal training. Attendance at Expo West is fundamental to the eventual growth and development of my business, and being able to attend this year would give me an incredible jumping off point for growth and innovation in my business this year.
Serena Quintana-Patterson - Beverage (2023)
Calling the Rio Grande Valley home, I grew up immersed in myriad flavors, deep cultural traditions, and warm hospitality. After graduating as valedictorian from The Culinary Institute of America, I spent time in kitchens throughout the country–my experiences, accolades, and projects showcased in articles, magazines, and international competitions. Driven by a fervent curiosity of the connection between food and beverage, I transitioned into front of house roles and made the move to Austin to eventually lead the wine program at June’s All Day. I am currently a Sommelier and Wine Education Lead at Jeffrey’s, and greatly enjoy participating in the lively Austin wine community. I am actively in pursuit of reaching the goal of becoming a Master Sommelier, hoping to blaze new paths in the world of wine education and culture.
The wine industry is a vast, powerful mark on the world’s culture, however, there is a noticeable degree of a lack of diversity and misrepresentation amongst professionals that have been included in the wine club. Despite challenges, adversity has not prevented me from exposing myself to some of the most insightful and expansive wine programs and wine leaders in Austin, Texas. Since 2019, I have had the luxury of working directly under two master sommelier candidates developing world class wine programs, benefitting from various tasting and hands-on learning opportunities between service and trade events.
I currently operate as the sommelier responsible for educational programming for two concepts within the MML hospitality portfolio. I assist with helping hourly employees understand the value that each winery and their respective leaders pose to the progress we look for in quality wine representation.
I joined The Court of Master Sommeliers and have completed my Introduction Exam and will be testing in Houston, Texas this upcoming May for my Certified Sommelier Examination. Support from this scholarship will greatly contribute to my growth and professional access, which will eventually allow me to open more doors for others.
Brooke Croft - Beverage (2023)
When I realized college was not for me, I had absolutely no clue where I would find passion in a career. I started serving tables outside of Washington DC with a national brand that also happened to produce their own beer. I was lucky over the next eight years to have managers who nurtured my interest for art,science and camaraderie to blossom into a love of craft beer. Eager to get my start, I took the first opportunity, moved to Texas and joined their packaging team. In April 2021, Pinthouse gave me the opportunity to brew. I've been able to grow exponentially and experience opportunities I never saw for myself, like winning a medal at a national competition. My passion for craft beer comes from the people within and surrounding the community, and I couldn't be more grateful to be on the Pinthouse team.
Receiving this scholarship and attending the Siebel Institute empowers me to continue to expand my knowledge and push the boundaries of what is possible for not only myself, but those who come after me. I have a passion for sharing my story and cultivating an approachable, inclusive culture for anyone who shares my passion and commitment. I look forward to sharing what I learn to help in their journey to loving craft beer and the brewing industry.
Sophie Stuart - Travel (2023)
Hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma, I moved to Austin, Texas to study art at the University of Texas. After graduate school and college I spent years working in galleries, museums, and eventually for SXSW managing arts-focused programming for the event. Through visits to local wineries and lots of independent study and WSET courses, I fell completely in love with the food and wine world and mostly the community around it. So much so, I completely switched my career to follow my passion. For a little over three years now I’ve been working in hospitality in Austin. Most recently I was the Wine Manager of Salt & Time and currently, I am the Service Director of Birdie’s where I get to talk with guests every day about my love for wine and food and see their faces light up with joy as well!
As the Service Director at Birdie’s, one of my intermediate goals is to work towards a General Manager position and continue to grow with Birdie’s as the restaurant evolves. One thing that drew me to Birdie’s is the forever changing wine and food menu. I’m challenged each day with new wines and menu items, and am tasked with educating the larger dining room team on the menu changes. Education is something I care deeply about and am working to create a detailed wine training for our restaurant that begins with basics like how to taste wine, etc. and will end with a focus on regions that are heavily represented on our wine list. I am certain working a harvest first hand would lead to more impactful and informative trainings for our team.
Emily Morrison - Travel (2023)
Emily Morrison is the co-founder of and tea buyer for The Steeping Room. Emily has spent most of her working hours since her teens in the food and beverage industry. From waiting tables through high school and college to managing at Austin's iconic East Side Cafe, Emily honed her service skill and style for years before eventually partnering with Amy March to form The Steeping Room in 2007. She was the General Manager of the two TSR locations for over a decade before transitioning to full time management of The Steeping Room's retail and wholesale tea sales as well as its educational program.
Most immediately, I want to dive more deeply into providing an excellent and heartfelt tea experience for our online customers. There are many tasks that will need my attention to reach this goal, but I think where I can really make a difference is by providing many learning opportunities for those who are interested in developing their skill with tea. I will be expanding my blog and video content about the many ways to enjoy, appreciate, evaluate, use, store, prepare, and age teas and I will continue to offer in person and online tea classes. Being a Tea Educator, in addition to being a Tea Merchant, has really pushed me to feel more comfortable as a subject matter expert, but also to get a sense of the specific orientation towards tea that I have to offer. I want to help people feel comfortable with tea.
My longer terms goals for my professional career include traveling to origin more frequently; establishing relationships with more tea producers; learning more about the social, cultural, and economic functions of tea in different parts of the world; and of course continuing to develop and expand The Steeping Room’s market and brand.
Receiving this travel scholarship would allow me to really make a dent in both my immediate and long terms goals. Being able to travel to Sri Lanka and visit AMBA Estate, Forest Hill Tea Gardens, and Kaley Tea Gardens would be transformative for me as a teacher and tea merchant. Being able to be with tea producers at the gardens and seeing how their teas are made and enjoyed is extremely impactful and energizing.
I am specifically interested and excited about these Sri Lankan growers because they are making tea and impacting their communities in highly novel ways. Sri Lanka is a powerhouse tea exporter, but nearly all of the tea they produce is based on the old colonial plantation model of production. These three tea gardens have each adopted abandoned tea plantations and are rehabilitating the land, making artisanal teas, and providing real economic opportunity for the people that live in their community. These are exactly the kind of tea makers that I want to learn from and then share that experience with others as they start to develop or deepen their relationship to and appreciation of tea.
Nicolette Dotson - Travel (2023)
My name is Nicolette Dotson, I am a born and raised Austinite. I am currently in my last year at Austin Community College completing my associate degree in Culinary Arts. Also pursing an associate degree in Culinary Arts Entrepreneurship. With a fervent for not only food itself but also the feeling of elation when I get to share a meal I have created with others. I remember as a 5-year-old; my abuela making homemade tortillas from scratch and watching her move throughout a very small modest kitchen with ease composing delectable meals from very little ingredients. I was in complete awe of her and still to this day even though she has passed. In my adult years I realized that culinary was always my place to explore and create; it’s home. Through Austin Community College I was able to land a chef position at Untamed Wine Estates here I have the best of both worlds culinary and viticulture.
My intermediate goal is to became an Executive Chef at Untamed Wine Estates and build a culinary experience currently not in the central Texas wine country. Long term I have several goals that I am working towards, opening a small intimate restaurant, launch an all women chefmeal prep business that gives back to the community by the way of "a meal for meal" program. Providing healthy meals to kids in the summer when school is out. Write a cookbook, I currently reading 'Will Write for Food' by Dianne Jacob. This a great resource for navigating culinary writing.
Nathia Williams - Travel (2023)
My name is Nathia Williams, I’m a recent graduate of Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. I’m a DC native with over 13 years experience ranging from Hostess to Chef, never once having questioned if this was the industry for me. My passion for food and travel stem from my parents who worked as Line Cooks and taught me how to cook and the importance of exploration. My father is from Sierra Leone and my mother is from Alabama, making our dinner table the epitome of the African diaspora. Growing up, we often took cross country trips, igniting my nomadic spirit. I've traveled the world and nothing holds my heart like my father’s homeland, Sierra Leone. I hope to travel here solely for the purpose of becoming a student of the food culture and developing an understanding of the essence of Sierra Leonean cuisine to share with others.
My immediate goals for my career consist of attaining education to accurately depict and introduce the diverse cuisine of Sierra Leone. My long-term goals include creating a trusted platform where I can share my understanding and interpretation of Sierra Leonian cuisine. I am currently building a brand centered around the cuisine of West Africa. As I work to establish this, I hope to create connections in my local community that have a positive impact on the community in Sierra Leone. There is already a direct impact from West Africa on what we consider to be American soul food and I hope to be amongst the pioneers educating and bridging that gap. Being able to travel to Sierra Leone and list the various regions will give me a familiarity with the land, cuisine, and people. I hope to learn more about my culture from the community and tribal techniques and incorporate this into my current knowledge of food. This will be a unique experience because I will have the opportunity to curate my own experience through exploration, as there are no established cooking schools for Sierra Leonian cuisine; however, there are endless street food vendors, restraints, and bakeries.
Jessica Santiago - A La Carte (2023)
I work part time at a woman owned coffee co-roasting space called Rising Tide Roast Collaborative. I am a Production Assistant at RTRC and I am working towards learning how to roast coffee using large industrial roasters. I have been a home roaster for 3 years and that has taught me to depend on my senses to determine where I am with the roast so I know this experience will come in handy. I have been in the coffee scene for almost 10 years, I have taken classes in Seattle in hopes to one day make this roasting dream come to life!
My intermediate goals are to seek education in coffee in every aspect possible. I would not only love to learn how to roast, but I would love to learn about the growing and farming as well. I would love to visit women owned coffee farms and volunteer so I can learn about the process of picking, washing and prepping coffee to ship. Working with the women at Rising Tide Roast Collaborative is showing me what it takes to have your own co-roasting space and what it means to be a head roaster of your business as a woman in this industry.
Long term I would love to be able to have my own micro roasting business that supports women in this industry. As a Latina, I found it VERY difficult to try and get into the coffee world, as quickly as I tried to open one door, it slammed in my face just as fast. We do not see many female roasters, or females in coffee period. I would like to change that, to show and inspireother females, especially Latinas that we can do this, and we can do a hell of job doing it too. This scholarship will help me open a bunch of those doors and provide me with the education needed to move forward with my coffee career in roasting and learning everything there is to know about farming and processing coffee. I also hope to really inspire other females in the process that are interested in being in the coffee industry.
Juanda Powell-Bergquist - A La Carte (2023)
I grew up in Smithville Texas as the youngest of five siblings. Discipline enabled me to graduate at the top of my high school class and move to Austin to attend college — every summer, fall, and spring consecutively. Graduation rewarded me with roles of administrator, manager, and adjunct faculty. In 2004 I married and relocated to Elgin and worked alongside my husband. Culinary arts studies in 2019 was an extension of my deep love for art, science, and math. Prior to and post COVID I have worked as a personal chef as a small business owner. My cottage industry niche is based on artisan chocolate with senior living facilities being my major client. My other passions revolve around visual arts, church, and being devoted to the care of my aging mother and mother-in-law. For me, gratification rests in seeing the twinkle in the eye of someone that feels helped by me.
Eleanor Jones - A La Carte (2023)
Books. Tea. Pretty pictures of England. Dogs. Pretty pictures of dogs. Thrifting... Anytime I can work in as many of those things as possible into my weekend, I consider it a job well done. I count vintage cars, crocheting, cooking, and Lawrence of Arabia as a few of my odd obsessions, and when I really need to concentrate I have been known to blast some opera. A deep love of the ocean comes from my teenage years spent living in Charleston, South Carolina, and my leather jacket collection is ever-growing. Currently, I am the Buyer & Inventory Manager at Antonelli's Cheese, but I've held several positions during my five plus years with the company. Apart from high-level accounting, I have worked in every department of the business at least once. I am a Certified Cheese Professional, and have passed the Introductory Course of the Court of Master Sommeliers America.
As the Buyer for a business that is dedicated to telling the story of the producer and strengthening the bond between producer and purchaser, this apprenticeship will give me the knowledge and experience to make responsible and intentional selections for my company. My long-term goals include my own establishment that keeps the tie between the "local" and the "locals" healthy, and this scholarship will enable me to find the local products that maintain that tie, wherever I find myself. Honey is a product that is often faked in some way, whether displaying labels that sound good but don't mean anything, or flat-out lying about the origin of the honey. Some honeys on the market today are artificially sweetened, some comb is fake, and some are labeled "raw" when they have clearly been processed. The legalities surrounding the production and sale of honey are lacking, so it is up to the purchaser to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Since it is quite literally my job to know exactly what it is I am buying withthe intent of reselling to people who trust us, I believe this scholarship will enable me to make the kind of educated purchasing decisions that our customers and clients come to us for.
Bethany Andree - A La Carte (2023)
I am a degreed fine artist, a desk clerk turned restaurateur, and now an in-need-of-training beverage professional. In 2009, I was given the opportunity to open Snack Bar on South Congress because my “day job” was a desk clerk at the Austin Motel. I literally had no restaurant experience, but I had a passion for hospitality and design. The owner of the motel, who inherited it from her mother, believed women could do anything if they tried. My all-day scratch café had ups and downs but made it until the property was sold in 2016.
In 2021, after three years of setbacks including cancer and a global pandemic, I opened Bobo’s Snack Bar - a “community tasting room” to promote progressive Central Texas producers, like a gallery owner works for artists. However, to really excel, I need beverage education, the language and background, to discuss and promote our producers properly. I will persue my WSET education with scholarship.
Cherie Gu - Student (2023)
I am currently a student at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Austin. Though I am new to the industry, my interest in the culinary field stems from my upbringing in a 'tricultural family' from France, China, and the United States. Growing up I had the privilege to travel and experience many different food destinations and picked up cooking as an early teen. Before starting at Escoffier, I was previously an instructor of French at Sarah Lawrence College in New York. I have an MA in Gender Studies and a double BA in International Relations and French Literature. Having lived in both France and China, culinary arts and food history have been an important part of my life, even prior to starting culinary school. My interest in the Les Dames organization combines my passion for cooking as well as my interest in championing women’s leadership in male dominated fields.
Upon graduating from Escoffier, I would like to pursue further education in a specialized field i.e. pastry arts or sommelier training. Along with working as a professional chef, I hope to incorporate my love for academic research as a food writer and historian.
My ultimate goal for my culinary career would be to own and operate a farm that could both educate and inspire people to learn more about food history and how different methods of farming and cooking can be more sustainable. This project is inspired by my high school experience volunteering at Sprout Creek Farm in Poughkeepsie, NY, a teaching farm run by the Society of the Sacred Heart. This is where I learned how to milk a goat, make that milk into cheese, and then package and sell it at the farm’s shopfront. Working on that farm as a teenager taught me so much about how our food in America is produced, as well as skills in cooking that I still use today. This is also fueled by my passion for environmental justice where I believe all people deserve access to clean foods.
Dana Ellis - Student (2023)
I am a career educator who operated a successful custom bakery specializing in weddings and corporate events for a decade before moving to Austin. Desiring classical pastry training, I enrolled in Austin Community College’s baking and pastry program. I have also caught the culinary bug and am pursuing a culinary arts degree as well. I am still fine tuning the trajectory of my second act while finishing my degrees, but hope to incorporate my education background with my culinary training in some capacity and also benefit vulnerable populations whom I serve through volunteering. I am passionate that those in need should also be given dignity and respect through the food they are served, both quality and eye appeal. It is my hope to return to my baking roots and teach others classical pastry and cooking techniques while building sustainable revenue streams to continue supporting our city’s homeless and transitional residents.
I have also seriously considered pursuing a PhD in cultural anthropology focusing on food history, publishing my work in the form of a cookbook and/or auto-ethnography. I would like to interrogate the linguistics of how we talk about food in the West depending on its country of origin and social status. For example, Japanese foods are given their proper names when referring to “gyoza, or mochi” yet with Chinese foods, many different dishes are all called “dumplings.” I want to research and explore diasporic foods in the United States and Western Europe in a comparative study with modern cuisines from their countries of origin in Asia.
I believe that food has always played a crucial role in history and could even forecast trends in social movements. These evolutions in cuisine often directly reflect changes in political climates, environmental resources, and even fashion trends. I believe that the history of Les Dames as an organization reflects this type of social change linked to food that I have identified.
With the help of Les Dames’ scholarship money, I will be able to save funds for tuition, towards financing my future projects, and pursue more specialized study in the culinary field. This money will also help fund special Farm to Table events hosted by Escoffier in different locations around the country, where we are given the opportunity to learn from master chefs, farmers, and local artisans about their craft.
Mia Valdespino - Student (2023)
Aspiring baker from El Paso, Texas seeking knowledge and experience in the ever-changing culinary world. I hope to spread kindness and make a difference one confection at a time. As a 19-year-old Hispanic woman who recently moved to Austin on my own to study at Escoffier, I have ambitious dreams for my career in the food industry. With the help of the Les Dames d'Escoffier Austin scholarship, I believe I can turn these dreams into reality and make a meaningful impact in my community.
My intermediate goal is to graduate from Escoffier with my Associates of Applied Science in Pastry Arts and work my way up to becoming a lead baker on the AM shift of my current full-time job. I understand the value of hard work and the importance of showing up every day, even when the work entails waking up at 2 AM to start a daily bake-off. I chose to see each day as a new opportunity to learn and grow from my mistakes as a novice baker, never backing down from a challenge and striving for knowledge and connection.
Looking further into the future, my long-term goal is to own my own bakery or a food truck that specializes in fresh-made confections that merge my love for savory and sweet. Beyond just creating delicious food, I aspire to make a positive impact in my community by making sustainable choices, reducing food waste and even giving back to fellow food service workers by collaborating with nonprofit organizations like The Giving Kitchen. My abuelita, who immigrated from Mexico at 18, taught me the value of service through her 30 tireless years as a lunch lady. Like her, I hope to acquire the skills necessary to give back to my own community in El Paso and bring warmth to every person who eats my food.
As I evolve in my craft, I draw inspiration from fellow Hispanic pastry chefs like Mariela Camacho, the owner of Austin's Comadre Panaderia. Her mission to spread kindness and awareness in the community resonates deeply with me. I believe that food has the power to unite people across cultures and backgrounds and it has allowed me to connect with my peers at Escoffier, as well as pushed me out of my comfort zone to experience a diverse array of dishes.
McKenna Wiltbank - Student (2023)
I am a student at August Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in the Pastry and Baking program. I grew up in the Portland, Oregon area, and moved to Austin to attend school. I have always loved baking and cake decorating, and even won a cake decorating contest in the Oregon State Fair when I was 12 years old. Baking was something I would do during my free time for friends and family. I realized my love of pastry after I completed a Bachelor's degree in exercise science, and once the pandemic started I looked deep in myself to discover my true passion was baking. Since then I have been baking at high end pastry shops in Oregon and Texas, gaining necessary skills in my art and leadership in the process. Recently I have been awarded first place in a gingerbread house competition in Florence, Texas. I currently work as a baker at Paige's Bakehouse in Round Rock, where I am helping with the opening of a food truck.
After I graduate from Escoffier, I plan to work in the field to gain as much knowledge as I can. I aim to increase my skills, attention to detail, and creativity. While looking for locations to complete my externships, I am paying attention to where I can learn from the best pastry chefs, as well as diversify the environments those will be in be it a fast pace hotel, or a small specialized bakery. I plan to use the knowledge I am gaining to one day open my own establishment, focusing on classic techniques and recipes, specifically for French pastry.
Receiving this scholarship would give me more time to focus on those goals, rather thanworking extra non- pastry-related jobs. Having the financial burden lifted frees me up to hone in my craft and become the absolute best baker I can be. I can better plan for my future as I enter my professional career, as every little bit counts in living expenses.
Liz Drabik - Honorable Mention (2023)
Liz is a Whole Foods Market wine team member with energy and drive to further her wine accreditation classes. She is a creative artisan entrepreneur whose interest is rooted in wine and spirits.
Monica Paredes - Honorable Mention (2023)
Monica is an award-winning writer, astrologer, herbalist, pastry chef, yoga teacher, and photographer. Her goal is to lead health and wellness retreats utilizing her skills and experiences.
Palak Sadarangani & Kristin Simpson - Honorable Mention (2023)
Palak and Kristin are the founders of The Cultured Carrot, a line of unique dressings that have probiotics aimed to nourish and feed your healthy gut bacteria.