Women Leaders in Food, Drink and Hospitality
An affiliate chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International
2025 Events Calendar >
18th February. 18:30 Annual Meeting
26th February. 19:00 Book Club – online and in person
4th March. 18:00 International Women’s Day
8th April. 18:30 How to Get Your Cookbook Published – online event
Welcome to the London Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International
LDE London (Les Dames d’Escoffier London) is a dynamic group of forward-thinking and successful female leaders in the food, beverage and hospitality industries. Located in the best city in the world, LDE London is a chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI), a non-profit organisation which supports its communities through grants, scholarships and mentorship.
Visit our events page to learn about our events, which are open to members and many also to the general public.
Mission:
We are founded on the principle of creating a supportive culture within our community through:
- Sharing knowledge
- Supporting our members
- Providing leadership, educational opportunities and philanthropic events for the community at large
Letter from the President
Hello and welcome to LDE London.
For those visiting us for the first time, we hope you gain an insight into our Chapter, affiliated with the larger organisation, Les Dames d’Escoffier International.
Please take time to see what we do, get to know our membership here and consider how you can be involved in our welcoming community. We look forward to hearing from you or seeing you at one of our events!
Tea towels for good
Say hello to our new fund-raising tea towel featuring artwork by artist Dame Elisabeth Luard.
Printed on high-quality 100% cotton, it features a beautiful full-colour image of a tasty bunch of Chard and will make a gorgeous gift for anyone, including yourself!
All profits fund our Scholarship Programme, supporting women entering the food and hospitality industries.
Shipping to UK addresses only.
Edible Tours 2025
The London Chapter welcomes our fellow Dames to some amazing culinary adventures this May – in London, Cork and Scotland.
Edible Cork – May 7th – 11th
Edible London – May 14th – 19th
Edible Scotland – May 19th – 23rd
Our bookings are now open – see here for more details.
How to get your cookbook published
8th April 18:30-20:00 GMT
Online
How is a cookbook put together?
If you’ve thought about gathering your own recipes together for publication, join us for an informal session of LDE London Live online for advice and insight on getting published and what it takes to become a published cookbook author.
An expert panel will be on hand to share their experience, top tips and answer your questions.
Panellists: Stephanie Jackson (Publishing Director DK); Anne Dolamore (Grub Street Publishing); Jenny Hammerton (Silver Screen Suppers and Substack).
Moderator: Hermione Ireland (Publisher, Académie du Vin Library)
Get your ticket here
Olive Chocolate Tapenade
This super quick recipe from Dame Chantal Coady adds a new ingredient to the classic Mediterranean dish of Tapenade.
Dames Give Back
Continuing our Dames Give Back initiative, Dame Clare Donovan invited us to spend time with her and her devoted team at Cooking Champions. Clare founded this food support, education and training charity, offering a wealth of resources for people in the Enfield area to meet significant need.
Dame Cathy Sloman and Dame Stephanie Teekaram, visiting London from the New York chapter, headed up to north London to help out.
Dames Gift Guide
Our Dames are a creative lot and there are lots of ways we can support those who make delicious cheese, chocolates and beverages as well as book publishers, cookery teachers, caterers and more.
Our Dames pour their heart and souls into everything they do, so why not make your gifts extra special by shopping from their businesses.
Where Dames Eat
As a group of women who’ve made food, drink, and hospitality our business, you’d think we’d take a break now and then from obsessing over where to eat next. But nope, we’re always at it.
From street food to fine dining, we love eating out just as much as cooking, and we’re constantly swapping tips about where we’ve been and where we should go next.
So, we thought we’d share our favourite spots with you. Whether you’re visiting London for the first time or you’ve lived here forever, here are some of our go-to places. Move over Michelin Guide, watch out Time Out – this is Where Dames Eat, brought to you by LDE London.
Support us
Donations go towards our beneficiaries – these range from food charities to educational funds for women entering the worlds of culinary arts, fine beverage or hospitality.