TORONTO — Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) has welcomed 17 delegates from Ontario as founding members of the newly established Ontario chapter.

LDEI is a philanthropic organization of women leaders in the fields of food, fine beverage and hospitality. The by-invitation membership, composed of more than 2,400 members in 44 chapters in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France and Mexico, is highly diversified and reflects the multifaceted fields of contemporary gastronomy and hospitality.

Founding members of the chapter include chefs, authors, scientists, restaurateurs, food marketers, event planners, wine agents, sommeliers and educators. A second round of candidates will be submitted for membership in the fall and a formal induction is planned for November 2019.

Ontario chapter officers include:

  • president — Liz Palmer, a wine journalist, author and founder of UPSocial Wine and Spirits Agency
  • vice president — Doris Miculan Bradley, chef, sommelier and professor at George Brown College
  • treasurer and counsel — Heather Zordel, partner, Gardiner Roberts LLP
  • secretary and PR director — Cheryl Appleton, president of Stragentium and founder of Canadian Women in Food

LDEI create a supportive culture in their communities, by applying their knowledge and expertise to efforts that benefit their communities, most notably through providing scholarships, grants and mentoring women who are entering or re-entering the field.

“I want to thank Liz Palmer for her significant support and commitment to the opening of the Ontario chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier,” says Marc Trouyet, Consul General of France in Toronto. “This chapter will cultivate relationships with industry leaders and strengthening the local industry network.”

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