Les Dames d'Escoffier Members

Les Dames d’Escoffier is the only organization of its kind: a world wide philanthropic society of professional women leaders in the fields of food, fine beverage and hospitality.

The by-invitation-only membership includes dames who have been working in their fields for at least five years.

Our dames are food and restaurant publicists, chefs, caterers, winemakers, restaurant owners, cooking-school teachers, writers, and bloggers.

Interested in becoming a member? Contact us via to inquire. We recommend attending a few events to get to know members who can recommend you/invite you to join.

Board Members

Patty Mitchell, President

Lori Stokoe, Treasurer

Marguarite Clark, Secretary

Cecilia Fileti, Membership Director

Melinda Kartsonis, Events Director

Melinda Morgan Kartsonis

Tina Borgatta, Philanthropy

Anita Lau, Immediate Past President

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Members By Profession

Click on each Dame's photo to be taken to her website.

Chefs, Caterers, Restaurant Owners

Geeta Bansal

Executive Chef & Proprietor of Clay Oven

Ruth Lee Bedi

Owner, Prego Mediterranean

Suzanne Beukema

Owner, Suzanne's Catering & Event Planning Co.

Peggy Dark

Owner, The Kitchen

Susan Feniger

Co-Chef, Owner Border Grill Restaurants & Socalo

Miki Hackney

Corp. Chef, Melissa's Produce;
LA/OC Board Secretary

Zov Karamardian

Owner, Zov's Bistros; Author

Maria Gomez-Laurens

Hospitality HelmsBriscoe

Jill Lawrence

Personal Chef / Catering

Evan Lewis

Owner, Evan's Supper Club

Shachi Mehra

Owner & Executive Chef at ADYA

Mary Sue Milliken

Co-Chef/Owner, Border Grill Restaurants & Truck; Bravo TV’s “Top Chef Masters” & Food Network’s “Too Hot Tamales”

Haley Nguyen

Chef, Restaurateur

Meena Pennington

Chef, Caterer, and Event Planning

Alison Leigh Robbins

Marketing Manager, Five Crowns & SideDoor

Lori Rowe

Owner, Little Onion Mexican Restaurant

Christina Xenos

Chef, Author, and Journalist

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Pastry Chefs, Bakers, Candy Makers

Mardi Balgochian

Pastry Chef, Director of Marketing & Communications Matfer Bourgeat USA

Grace Bauer

Owner, Los Angeles Classic Desserts

Natasha MacAller

Pastry Chef & Consultant

Amy Jo Pedone

Valenza Chocolatier®, Owner, Certified Master Chocolatier

Theodora Stephan

Owner, Global Gardens® specialty food & lifestyle company.

Betsy Thagard

Founder of B.Toffee

Sherry Yard

Pastry Chef

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Wine, Produce, Gourmet Products, Chef Apparel, Farmer/Growers

Mary Gonzales

Wine Sales Rep, Southern Wines

Sandra Harvey

Owner, Sandra Harvey Chef Apparel

Mireya Jones

CEO, Jones Coffee Roasters

Ida Rodriguez

Corp. Chef & Family Owner, Melissa's

Jenny Rosoff

Owner, Village Green Foods

Theodora Stephan

Founder, Global Gardens®

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Instructors, Professors, Cooking School, Commercial Kitchen Rental

Janet Burgess

Cooking Instructor, Cookbook Author

Shelby Coffman

Owner, The Hood Kitchen Space

Mitzie Cutler

Program Director at C-CAP LA

Louise Nielsen

Pastry Chef & Instructional Specialist II
Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute at Anne Arundel Community College

Joree Tamburro

Cooking Instructor & Author

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Public Relations, Marketing, Sales, Event Producers

Tracey Amernick

Dir. Special Events and Group Sales, Cohn Restaurant Group

Diane Armitage

President, The Best of Laguna Beach, Armitage Inc, Global Culinary Group

Marje Bennetts

General Manager Beach House Hotel Hermosa

Marguarite Clark

Principal, Marguarite Clark Public Relations

Barbara Eidson

Community Relations, Island Hotel Newport Beach

Nancy Eisman

Marketing, Melissa's Specialty Produce

Patty Mitchell

Owner, Culinary Promotions

Melinda Morgan

Owner, Morgan Marketing and PR

Talia Samuels

Owner, Outshine PR

Leah Smith

CMO of Veggie Grill

Pamela Waitt

Event Planner and Marketing Prof.

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Writers, Editors, Photographers, Radio, TV & Web Professionals

Alison Ashton

Owner, Content Kitchen

Tina Borgatta

Executive VP, Sauté Magazine

Barbara Fairchild

Magazine, Internet & Freelance Food Writer

Cecilia Pozo Fileti

Consultant, author food & nutrition media

Elizabeth Harryman

Travel Editor, Westways

Anita Lau

Blogger/Writer – Diary of a Mad Hungry Woman

Amelia Saltsman

Author/Journalist; Media/Television; Farmer's Market

Joy Shefter

Consultant; Food Writer; Food Stylist

Lori Stokoe

"Taste With The Eyes" Food Blog

Cathy Thomas

Food Editor, O.C. Register; Instructor; Author

Denise Vivaldo

Founder/Owner, Denise Vivaldo Group Inc.

Anne Watson

Owner/Photographer of Anne Watson Photography

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Les Dames d'Escoffier

Los Angeles / Orange County