What Les Dames d'Escoffier Int'l does

Les Dames d'Escoffier International (LDEI) is a 501(c)(3) philanthropic membership organization founded in 1976 by Dame Carol Brock in New York City and headquartered at P.O. Box 4961, Louisville, Kentucky. The organization serves women leaders in the food, beverage, and hospitality industries, with 2,800+ members organized into 40 chapters across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Its core product is the membership itself, which provides access to networking, mentorship, scholarships, awards, and chapter-level community programming.

LDEI's product surface spans awards programs (Grande Dame Award, Woman of Purpose with YETI, Legacy Awards with the Julia Child Foundation, M.F.K. Fisher Prize, and the newly launched Chapter Awards and Ambassadors program), scholarship initiatives (Scholarships for Impactful Change with The Wine Group, $5,000 each), digital and in-person publications (the feast quarterly magazine via Issuu, The Nibble newsletter), annual conferences (2026 Las Vegas, 2027 Chicago), the M.F.K. Fisher Symposium, Table Talks, and the LDEI Live Online webinar program launched January 2025. Technology is a standard nonprofit SaaS stack: Association Management Online (AMO) at members.ldei.org for member management, Zoom for webinars, Issuu for the magazine, and Google Analytics for the public website. PR is outsourced to Proof PR, and strategic/operational support to Powered by Professionals.

Revenue is generated through membership dues (recurring subscription), annual conference registration fees, advertising in the feast (member tier $100–$400; non-member $150–$500 per insertion), and donations plus event sponsorships. Distribution is hybrid: decentralized chapter-based membership acquisition, a self-serve member portal, and event-driven engagement (annual conference, symposiums, webinars, Table Talks). The organization is governed by an annually elected International Board of Directors, with Stephanie Jaeger serving as President from November 2024 and Marilyn Freundlich appointed President for 2026.

Name

Les Dames d'Escoffier Int'l

Legal name

Les Dames d'Escoffier International

Website

https://ldei.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Les Dames d'Escoffier International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization serving 2,800+ women leaders in food, beverage, and hospitality across 40 chapters in 5 countries. It delivers networking, mentorship, scholarships, awards, and an annual conference, funded primarily through membership dues, sponsorships, and advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Federated Giving Organizations (e.g., United Way-type) (BPAGAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Professional women membership
• Culinary industry networking
• Hospitality leadership awards
• Nonprofit professional association
• Food industry mentorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Women leaders in food, beverage, and hospitality join through local chapters and pay membership dues. Members gain access to the member center, networking events, mentorship programs, scholarships, and awards.
2. Advertising - the feast Magazine: LDEI generates revenue through advertising sales in its quarterly publication 'the feast.' Ad space is sold to members and non-members at tiered rates (1/8 page, 1/4 page, 1/2 page). Members receive discounted rates.
3. Annual Conference Registration: The organization charges registration fees for its Annual Conference, which offers educational sessions, networking, chapter recognition, and programming for members and attendees.
4. Donations and Fundraising: LDEI accepts donations through its website and conducts fundraising activities including online auctions to support its Relief Fund, scholarships, and community initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Les Dames d'Escoffier International (LDEI) is a philanthropic nonprofit membership organization that provides women leaders in the food, beverage, and hospitality industries with access to networking, mentorship, scholarships, awards recognition, and educational programming. The organization operates through 40 chapters across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Italy, serving over 2,800 members through annual conferences, publications (the feast magazine, The Nibble newsletter), digital webinars, and multiple award and scholarship programs.

Product overview

Les Dames d'Escoffier International (LDEI) is a philanthropic membership organization of women leaders in food, beverage, and hospitality. The organization operates a portfolio of programs including membership with access to networking and resources, annual conferences, publications (the feast magazine, The Nibble newsletter), awards programs (Grande Dame Award, Woman of Purpose Award, Legacy Awards, M.F.K. Fisher Prize), scholarship initiatives (Scholarships for Impactful Change), and digital programming (LDEI Live Online webinars, Table Talks, Mentoring Network). The organization also manages Relief Fund and Community Initiatives for member and community support. LDEI comprises 40 chapters across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., and Italy with over 2,800 members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• the feast: Online publication magazine for LDEI members.
• LDEI Live Online
• M.F.K. Fisher Symposium
• Scholarships for Impactful Change
• Table Talks

Products and services

• LDEI Membership Professional membership for women leaders in food, beverage, and hospitality industries, providing access to networking, mentorship, scholarships, awards, and educational programming across 40 chapters globally.
• LDEI Annual Conference

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 77,000 students have received fully funded culinary experiences through the Hawaii Culinary Education Foundation, led by a LDEI member
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 July 2025LDEI and the Institute of Masters of Wine partnered to award scholarships for the Vinitaly Wine Ambassador Certification program. Two women received scholarships to become future Italian wine ambassadors, supporting education in the wine industry.
• YETIcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 June 2025YETI partners with LDEI for the Woman of Purpose Award, providing a $10,000 prize to the award winner, a customized YETI prize package featuring the LDEI Woman of Purpose logo, and supporting the award ceremony at the LDEI Annual Conference. This partnership enhances visibility for both brands in the outdoor and culinary/lifestyle spaces.
• Powered by Professionals (PBP)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 May 2025Powered by Professionals works closely with the LDEI Board to build a stronger and more visible brand, explore new sponsor opportunities, and provide strategic business-focused support while easing operational pressure on the LDEI board.
• Proof PRcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 December 2024Proof PR is LDEI's public relations agency, managing media inquiries, interview requests, brand assets, and spokesperson coordination on behalf of the organization. They are a nationally recognized communications agency specializing in food, beverage, and lifestyle brands.
• The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and Culinary ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2024The Julia Child Foundation supports LDEI's Legacy Awards program, providing curated industry experiences designed to enhance the careers of women in food, beverage, and hospitality. This partnership honors Julia Child's legacy while advancing women's leadership in culinary arts.
• The Wine GroupcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 April 2023The Wine Group, one of the world's largest wine producers, partners with LDEI on the Scholarships for Impactful Change program. The collaboration provides $5,000 scholarships to four women annually pursuing degrees in food, beverage, and hospitality industries. The Wine Group's support reflects their commitment to advancing women and fostering diverse leadership.
• ChefWorksminorOthersChefWorks is a 2026 conference sponsor. With over 30 years of experience, they are the largest and most trusted provider of culinary and hospitality apparel, providing uniform needs for foodservice and kitchen environments.
• Meat & Livestock AustraliaminorOthersMeat & Livestock Australia is a 2026 conference sponsor. MLA delivers marketing, research and development on behalf of cattle, sheep and goat levy payers, working in partnership with the Australian Government and the red meat industry.
• Prestige Wine / Mezza CoronaminorOthersPrestige Wine is a 2026 conference sponsor representing Mezza Corona Winery, one of the most modern and dynamic wineries in Trentino, Italy, producing harmonious, fragrant and elegant wines.
• Melissa's ProduceminorOthersMelissa's Produce is a 2026 conference sponsor. As the largest distributor of specialty produce in the United States, they operate out of a 330,000 square foot facility in Los Angeles with conventional and organic fresh fruits and vegetables.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA): The principal US trade association for the lodging industry, with membership, advocacy, and education programs — overlapping with LDEI's hospitality-industry member base, though not women-specific and operating at much larger scale.
• National Restaurant Association: The largest US trade association for the restaurant industry, providing advocacy, education, and the NRA Show — broadly overlapping with LDEI's food/hospitality member base and event programming, but not women-specialized.
• James Beard Foundation: A larger, more broadly scoped culinary nonprofit with awards, scholarships, and programming across the US food industry — overlapping with LDEI's awards and scholarship mandate but operating at a significantly larger scale and broader audience.
• Society of Wine Educators: An international, member-based organization for wine and beverage educators offering certification and conferences — comparable in professional-membership and beverage-education programming, overlapping with LDEI's beverage focus.

Direct peers

• Women Chefs & Restaurateurs: A national professional membership organization for women in the culinary and restaurant industry, providing networking, mentorship, and scholarships — directly comparable in mission, target member, and program mix to LDEI's membership and scholarship activities.
• International Women's Forum (IWF): A global membership organization of accomplished women leaders across industries with chapters, leadership programming, and awards — directly comparable in federated-chapter structure, member-profile, and recognition programming.
• American Culinary Federation: The largest professional association for chefs and culinary professionals in the US, offering certification, education, and chapter-based networking — a direct structural and operational peer to LDEI's chapter-driven model.
• Women for WineSense: A professional organization supporting women in wine and the broader beverage industry through chapters, education, and networking — a tight peer within LDEI's beverage/hospitality mission.
• International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP): A global, member-based association of food media, culinary, and hospitality professionals offering conferences, awards, and networking — directly comparable in scope, member profile, and programming cadence.

Emerging players

• SommFoundation: A nonprofit focused on wine and hospitality education through scholarships and grants — a smaller, more narrowly scoped peer whose scholarship programming parallels LDEI's Scholarships for Impactful Change.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LDEIdamesdescoffier
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/les-dames-d-escoffier-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/lesdamesintl
• Xx.com/lesdamesintl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Les Dames d'Escoffier Int'l