Women Leaders in Food, Drink and Hospitality
An affiliate chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International
2025 Events Calendar >
8th January. 18:30 Substack Webinar
15th January. 19:00 Book Club – online and in person
18th February. 18:30 Annual Meeting
6th March. 18:30 International Women’s Day
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.
Save the Dates in 2025
Our 2025 Edible Tours have officially been announced at the LDEI Conference in Phoenix.
These tours are open to our sister Dames within north America and Europe, but there will be events available to our members – plus opportunities to volunteer as chaperones.
Edible Cork – May 7th – 11th ~ Edible London – May 14th – 19th ~Edible Scotland – May 19th – 23rd
Our bookings will open later this year once our itineraries are complete
Olive Chocolate Tapenade
As entertaining season draws close, this super quick recipe from Dame Chantal Coady adds a new ingredient to the classic Mediterranean dish of Tapenade.
LDEI Conference Report
Dames Kate Howell & Catherine Sloman
We were delighted to represent our Chapter and Board at this year’s conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
Even the locals had been finding the weather unbearably hot just a couple of weeks before, so we were relieved that it had “cooled down” a little by mid-October.
Dame Kate Howell officially appointed to the LDEI Board
Dame Kate Howell, LDE London Board member was appointed Third Vice President of the LDEI Board at the LDEI Phoenix conference. This position, covering the international brief, is for a strategic communications expert specialising in food, markets and community inclusion. Kate is passionate about how food can bring people together and her commitment to LDE London and LDEI are driven by her belief in equity in the food industry and a personal commitment to supporting other women in the industry.
*NEW* Dames Gift Guide
Not just for Christmas!
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.
Follow the link below to see what’s on offer.
Christmas Social Report
Christmas Social Report
A group of London Dames descended on Divertimenti to share some festive good cheer and some wonderful food courtesy of Dame Valentina Harris and the cookery school team there.
The sparkly lights of Brompton Road got us in the mood. Valentina cooked up a storm and served us so many treats, including her luscious risotto. It was great to catch up with old chums and to meet some of our newer members and welcome them on board! The Secret Santa recipe exchange was a huge success – so heartwarming to hear the stories of these much loved family favourites.
Thank you to Valentina and the team at Divertimenti for working so hard to make it a memorable evening and to everyone who came for being such delightful company!
And it was a joy to see Dame Elizabeth’s beautiful tea towel design in real life, way too gorgeous for the drying of any dishes…
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.