2014 LDEI Annual Conference | October 30 - November 2 | Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston

The Best Begins in

BOStON

The Best really does begin in Boston this October! Dames are gathering from all over the United States, Canada, and England to attend The Best LDEI event of the year. It’s The Best of times – Dames greeting old friends, meeting new ones, networking, learning from the experts and from one another, sharing all things culinary, everything that Boston has to offer.

What a treasure trove Boston is – from the revolutionary historical sites along the Freedom Trail to “Ye Olde Boston” meetinghouses, museums, and marketplaces during Thursday’s tours. The bounty of the New England table and coastline overflows during the Dine-Arounds Thursday night and a traditional clambake on Friday. Our days will be packed with seminars, roundtables, fabulous food, a Sommelier Smackdown, the Legacy Awards Luncheon, and our annual Chapter Leadership Forum. It gets even better at The Best celebration on Saturday evening—the M.F.K. Fisher Awards Banquet.

It’s all thanks to our outstanding conference team: Co-Chairs Joan Sweeney and Judy Mattera and Program Chair Louisa Kasdon, along with Chapter President Lee Napoli and the entire Boston Chapter. They have worked tirelessly for two years, assembling over 35 leading professionals – The Best in their fields, from nearby to faraway, to help us expand our knowledge along four educational tracks – Women, Food, and Media; Culinary and Beverage; Skills Seminars; and Business and Community/Professional Development.

See you in Boston – at The Best LDEI event of the year!

Beth Allen

President

Les Dames d’Escoffier International

Partner ListingLDEI wishes to acknowledge our international business partners for their support of our organization and mission. Our partners, as of June 30, 2014, are:

Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute

American Roland Food Corp.

California Fig Advisory Board

Carolina Rice/Mahatma Rice

Escoffier Online International Culinary Academy

Kikkoman Sales, USA, Inc.

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates

Sysco Corporation

Wente Family Estates

WÜSTHOF-Trident of America, Inc.

A Warm Welcome from Your President

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On behalf of the Boston Chapter of LDEI and our unique home city, we welcome you to the 2014 Les Dames d’Escoffier International Conference. We chose “The Best Begins in Boston” as our conference theme because we truly believe it does!

Boston is a city of history and of future. Regarding history, consider that Les Dames was born here! Our chapter was the first to be given its charter by Les Amis d’Escoffier in 1959, an all-male professional organization. During a time of limited opportunities for women, our founding members were classified as Les Dames des Amis d’Escoffier (wives and friends of Escoffier) until 1991, when our Boston chapter became affiliated with LDEI.

Our city goes by many names—the “Hub of the Universe,” “Beantown,” and the “Walking City.” But Boston is also a first-rate food town, whose culinary history has evolved and thrived over the years.

From the dynamic educational programs orchestrated by Louisa Kasdon to amazing pre-conference tours and exciting evening events, this conference promises to be “wicked-awesome” (to borrow a bit of Bostonese).

Don’t delay! Send in your registration form today to experience The Best of Boston!

Boston Conference Lead Team

Chef Judy Mattera

Joan Sweeney, CFP®

Louisa Kasdon

Welcome from the Boston Chapter

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Room Rates and ReservationsThe LDEI room rate for the Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston is $209 for single/double occupancy. Upgrades to river-view rooms are available for an additional $50.

The cutoff for hotel reservations at this special rate is October 8, 2014. Rooms may still be available after that date, but on a space/rate availability basis. The conference rate may not be available after the official cutoff date. Reservations may be made by calling the hotel directly at (617) 806-4200 or via the link on the LDEI website on the Conference page.

LDEI has committed to a specific number of rooms in order to receive numerous concessions in pricing of rooms and meeting-related expenses. Booking outside of the LDEI block could hinder LDEI’s ability to meet its requirements and, in the long run, end up costing our organization money.

Event LogisticsAbout the SonestaRoyal Sonesta Hotel Boston

40 Edwin Land Boulevard

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142

(www.sonesta.com/boston)

Located on the Cambridge side of the Charles River, the Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston is a AAA-approved, Four-Diamond upscale hotel offering guests spectacular city views, luxury accommodations, regional cuisine, and contemporary art. For the traveler looking to experience the best Boston has to offer, there are many shops, museums, and historical sites conveniently located to the Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston, known as one of the best Boston luxury hotels.

TransportationTaxi service from Boston’s Logan International Airport is approximately $25. SuperShuttle service is available for $16 one way. Visit www.supershuttle.com for complete details. If utilizing mass transit from the airport (www.mbta.com), the cost is $2.50. Follow this guide:

There is ongoing construction at one of the major stations. So, to get to the Sonesta, one would take:

1. Silver Line from Logan to South Station

2. At South Station, take the Red Line to Park Street

3. At Park Street, take the Green Line to Lechmere

4. Lechmere Station is a six-minute walk to the Sonesta

Weather and AttireBoston is at its most beautiful in the fall. The average highs in late October are in the low 60s, with nighttime temperatures dropping down into the mid 40s.

The attire for the conference is business casual. Friday evening’s event is perfect for a Halloween costume if you so desire; Saturday evening’s gala is cocktail attire.

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Conference AgendaThursday, October 308:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Registration/Hospitality

8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. LDEI Board of Directors Meeting

Optional Pre-Conference Tours (Price includes lunch, gratuity, and transportation. Tour price is not included in the conference registration fee.)

8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Tour #1: The Best of Beacon Hill Dame Judith Akerman, Tour Organizer

$85 Per Person

10-Person Minimum

Beacon Hill is an elegant and historic Boston neighbor-hood, with gas-lit streets, brick sidewalks, and Federal-style row houses. We will tour three prestigious Beacon Hill homes, and may be received at the home of the British Consul General. We’ll walk through the Bos-ton Public Garden, the “first botanical garden in the United States;” stroll by the award-winning children’s-book sculpture, “Make Way for Ducklings;” then stop at Cheers, the bar that was the inspiration for the acclaimed TV series. For lunch, we will “Go to Jail” at The Liberty Hotel, the converted location of the once-storied Charles Street Jail.

Tour #2: “Ye Olde Boston”Dame Judith Akerman, Tour Organizer

$75 Per Person

20-Person Minimum

Visit the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, site of the most important event leading to the American Revolution. “Meet” Sam Adams and the Sons of Liberty, storm down Griffin’s Wharf, board an 18th-century tall ship and dump tea overboard, then view one of only two surviving tea chests from that fateful night of December 16, 1773. At Quincy Market, visit Faneuil Hall Marketplace, doing business today as it was in 1742, when our nation’s fathers proclaimed it “The Cradle of Liberty.” Enjoy lunch at the Union Oyster House, the oldest restaurant in America, whose doors have been continuously open to diners since 1826.

Tour #3: Higher Ground Farm (Boston’s First Rooftop Farm) and Harpoon BreweryDame Beth Berardi, Tour Organizer$70 Per Person 20-Person Minimum

Tour Higher Ground Farm, a 55,000-square-foot space located on the roof of the Boston Design Center, in South Boston’s Seaport neighborhood. The farm grows fresh produce and herbs that supply Boston restau-rants and retailers. See how a green roof is built, how it reduces a building’s energy costs, and how it tem-pers the effects of urban environmental problems. Roof agriculture has the potential to be a job-producing boost to urban economies! Then it’s on to the Harpoon Brewery—Massachusetts’ first craft brewery—founded in 1986. Discover the brewer’s secrets, sample handmade pretzels and Harpoon IPA, and celebrate Octoberfest with a beer-hall lunch.

Tour #4: Boston’s North-End, Little-Italy Market Tour with “Pranza Al Sacco” (packed lunch) Dame Michele Topor, Tour Organizer$100 Per Person 10-Person Minimum

Immerse yourself in the food traditions and marketplaces of America’s most authentic remaining “Little Italy” with a three-hour culinary walking tour. Learn how Italians eat and how their food traditions were adapted to this country. Glean insider cooking tips and hints on how to identify Italian specialty foods and what brands make the best ingredients. This classic tour includes a brief history of the neighborhood, historical insights into the North-End community, and restaurant insights. As we visit the stores on tour, each stop will have a special taste to put into your provided lunch bag to enjoy after the tour.

Tour #5: Chinatown Market Tour Dame Michele Topor, Tour Organizer$90 Per Person 10-Person Minimum

Your walking tour of Chinatown will showcase the food traditions and marketplaces of this little sliver of Hong Kong in the heart of downtown Boston. This classic adventure includes a brief history of the neighborhood, a description of the evolution of Chinese-American food, and historical insights into the Chinese community and Chinese food culture. While visiting six markets, you will discover helpful tips on how to shop for authentic Chi-nese foods, herbs, and other goods. During a delicious dim-sum lunch, your guide will share the ins and outs of ordering from the roaming carts and stationary stalls, and the unique rules of dim-sum etiquette.

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Tour #6: Verrill Farm Dame Jennifer Verrill, Tour Organizer$60 Per Person 15-Person Minimum

Journey to Concord, considered the birthplace of the na-tion, where the “shot heard round the world” for liberty and self-government was fired. Meet Dame Jen Verrill at her 200-acre family farm, where you will pick fresh produce and head to the farm stand while Jen discusses the farm’s sustainable-agricultural practices. Verrill Farm Chef and Boston Dame Guida Ponte, and Mozzarella-Cheese Maker and Dame Lourdes Smith, will conduct cooking demos in the farm’s greenhouse. Afterwards, enjoy a visit to the farm stand for the chance to pur-chase locally made products. Cap off your visit to the farm with a bagged lunch.

1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Chapter Leadership ForumThis session is for anyone who is interested in chapter operations. It is recommended for chapter presidents and incoming leaders, but all members are encouraged to attend. This gathering gives presidents and officers a chance to share their chapter issues and find support and answers.

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sommelier Smackdown 50-Person Maximum

Kick off this year’s LDEI Annual Conference with a fabu-lous Sommelier Smackdown. Corks will fly when two of Boston’s top sommeliers, Lauren Collins of L’Espalier, and Young Won of Rialto Restaurant + Bar, select the best wine pairings to accompany several courses of small bites. Participants vote for the winner of each duel. Votes will be tallied, and the winner gets LDEI bragging rights.

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Opening Reception, Royal Sonesta Hotel BostonThe Opening Reception, the traditional conference kick-off, is a great opportunity for renewing old acquaintances and making new ones.

6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Restaurant Dine-Around (optional event) (Includes transportation, taxes, gratuity, and beverage.)

Note: Changes to reservations will incur a $10 processing fee. No changes will be accepted after Monday, October 27. After that date, you should contact the venue directly to see if the special Dames’ rate is still available.

#1 Sandrine’s Bistro Dames Gwen Trost and Amy NomejkoA French-Alsatian dining experience in the heart of Harvard Square 50-Person Maximum$80 Per Person www.sandrines.com

Experience “Bistronomie,” a new dining movement in Paris, which combines the best of “bistro” and “gastronomy!” Cooking local products with an Alsatian flare in the ro-mantic setting of this Harvard-Square institution, French Master Chef Raymond Ost introduced the Bistronomie concept to Boston Proper with his partners, Dames Gwen Trost and Amy Nomejko.

#2 Harvest RestaurantDame Mary Dumont Contemporary New England cuisine focused on the region’s freshest ingredients 15-Person Maximum$90 Per Person www.harvestcambridge.com

Tucked along a cobblestone pathway in the heart of Harvard Square, Harvest provides a welcome respite from the fast-paced world, while celebrating the modern New England table. Executive Chef and Dame Mary Dumont, a Food & Wine Magazine Best New Chef in 2006 and Iron Chef runner-up, presents contemporary New England cuisine focused on the region’s freshest ingredients.

#3 City Table at The Lenox HotelDame Nina Senatore Sample the Best of Boston 10-Person Maximum$90 Per Person www.lenoxhotel.com

In the heart of Boston’s stylish Back Bay, the legendary Lenox Hotel boasts a chic neighborhood eatery, City Table. Experience the beautiful architecture of The Lenox Hotel while enjoying City Table’s delicious craft cocktails and comforting New England seasonal fare in a relaxed, yet energetic setting amidst original pop art.

#4 Rialto Restaurant + BarDame Jody AdamsRegional-Italian cuisine using local ingredients30-Person Maximum$105 Per Person www.rialto-restaurant.com

Experience exceptional Italian hospitality from James Beard award-winning Chef and Dame Jody Adams, who combines products from local farmers and vendors with regional Italian culinary traditions at Rialto in Harvard Square. Chef Adams has not only competed on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters, but also leads culinary-focused bike tours through her favorite parts of Italy. 6

#5 ScampoDame Lydia ShireEclectic Italian dining 10-Person Maximum$85 Per Person www.scampoboston.com

At Scampo, the stunning contemporary restaurant lo-cated in The Liberty Hotel (the old Charles Street Jail!) in Boston’s Beacon-Hill neighborhood, multi-award-winning Chef and Dame Lydia Shire showcases an eclectic Italian-inspired menu that borrows flavors from both the Medi-terranean and Middle East. Don’t miss the Mozzarella Bar and house-made breads from the tandoori oven.

#6 The Northeast Chapter’s Green-Tables Grazing EventDame Victoria Taylor A networking reception with local food samples from 25 Northeast-Chapter Dames$60 Per Person www.ldeinortheast.com

What makes the Northeast Chapter different than most is its strong Green Tables-centric contingent! Guests at this fun, networking event will meet at the state-of-the-art kitchen and classrooms located at the Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE) and enjoy tapas-style tastings from more than 25 Northeast-Chapter Dame-member chefs, artisanal food producers, farmers, and fisherwomen.

Friday, October 317:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Registration/Hospitality

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Opening Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. General Session Welcome Beth Allen, LDEI President

8:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Women in Whites: Where Would the Food World Be Without the Women? Sara Moulton, Chef, Television Personality, and Author

Sara will share her candid personal re-flections on the complex issue of why women food professionals receive less media attention than they deserve.

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. A Roundtable on Women, Food, and the MediaSara Moulton, Chef, Television Personality, and Author

Dame Jody Adams, Chef, Rialto Restaurant + Bar and Trade

Dame Lydia Shire, Chef, Scampo, Towne Stove and Spirits

Dame Tanya Holland, Chef, Brown Sugar Kitchen

Dame Lisa Ekus, Principal and Owner, The Lisa Ekus Group

Laurie Donnelly, Executive Producer, WGBH-TV Boston

Dame Marlo Fogelman, Principal, Marlo Marketing and Communications

An LDEI first: A classic New England-style town meeting on the interplay between the media and public percep-tion of women in the food world. How can we help el-evate the profile of the women responsible for the food we grow, cook, buy, and eat? An open conversation on how we change the media paradigm.

10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Networking Break

11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Concurrent SessionsSession #1: Seafood & Sustainability: The New England Case Kim Libby, Owner and Business Manager at Port Clyde Lobster Tours and Founder of Community-Sup-ported Fisheries, Maine

Jared Auerbach, Chief Executive Officer and Owner, Red’s Best

Moderator: Dame Leigh Belanger, Deputy Director, Let’s Talk About Food LLC

The U.S. has among the best-managed fisheries in the world, yet Northeast fisheries were recently declared a federal disaster. How did this happen? We’ll talk with a Community-Supported Fisheries founder; a wholesaler committed to transparency in the supply chain; and an advocate for sustainable fisheries who takes social, eco-logical, and economic factors into consideration when charting a way forward for New England fisheries.

Session #2: The Boston Tea Party: How to Brew the Perfect Cup!Dame Cynthia Gold, Tea Sommelier, L’Espalier

What could be more prototypically Bostonian than a tea party? Join nationally acclaimed Boston Dame, Author, and Tea Sommelier, Cynthia Gold, for a teaching and tasting session on tea, tea brewing, tea cocktails, and tea etiquette. Cynthia is one of only a handful to have

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brought what she calls, “a culinary approach to tea,” to the United States after her enlightening excursions into the tea fields of China and Sri Lanka.

Session #3: Social Media 3.0: What You Need to Know NOWDame Lynne Viera, President, Rival Marketing/How2heroes

Social media can be an overwhelming chore, and the necessity for a brand to keep up can be paralyzing. Join Dame and Digital Strategist Lynne Viera as she hosts an up-to-the-nanosecond discussion on what channels to use and how to achieve digital goals and objectives without keeping you up at night wondering if you should be tweeting instead of sleeping.

12:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Partners Showcase LuncheonOur international business partners will be on hand to serve a bountiful array of their fabulous products and display their wares. This is an informal “grazing” lun-cheon to showcase our partners and to give Dames the opportunity to meet them and learn more about their products and services and how they might be benefi-cial to you or to your clients. It’s also an opportunity to thank them for their support at our annual conference and throughout the year.

2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Concurrent SessionsSession #4: Waste Not, Want NotAshley Stanley, Founder/Executive Director, Lovin’ Spoonfuls Food Rescue

Emily Broad Leib, Deputy Director, Harvard Law School, Food Law and Policy Clinic

Dame Edith Murnane, Director of Food Initiatives, City of Boston

Currently, almost half of the food we grow goes to waste. Much gets lost in transit from field to consumer. And manufacturers, restaurants, grocery stores, and consum-ers also toss a large proportion of good, edible food. In a society with so much food insecurity, what can Dames do to stem this disturbing tide?

Session #5: Tasting Craft: New England Cider, Spirits, and BeerModerated by Dame Brandy Rand, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Richer Pour Wine Company; Co-Founder, Thirst Boston; Freelance Writer

The artisanal-beverage alcohol boom follows in the foot-steps of the farm-to-table movement, and New England

distillers and brewers are finding success with small-batch products. This panel of pioneers in the craft-bever-age movement will educate and inspire you on the art of making beer, cider, and spirits. Belly up for a tasting and round of storytelling moderated by Dame Brandy Rand.

Session #6: DIY Food Photography: From Pinterest to ProfessionalNina Gallant, Food Photographer, Nina Gallant Pho-tography

Denise Drower Swidey, Food Stylist/Television Culi-nary Producer at Simply Ming and Contributing Food Writer at The Boston Globe

These days, social-media success and brand manage-ment are propelled by striking images, especially when it comes to food! During a live photography demonstra-tion, Nina and Denise will present the anatomy of a food shoot, following one dish from the lush photo landscape of Instagram to a precise and elegant packaging shoot. Bring your camera phones and your curiosity!

Session #7: A Tutorial on Molecular GastronomyTony Messina, Chef, Uni Sashimi Bar

Monica Glass, Pastry Chef, Clio

Beyond the foams, gels, and powders inherent to mo-lecular gastronomy, what can we learn from two experts about how to reinvent the texture and appearance of our food and drink? Our instructors will turn a meeting room into a science lab and share secrets you can bring to your professional and personal culinary practice.

7:00 p.m. Buses Depart for Prudential Center Skywalk Observatory

7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Spirits, Soul, and SeasonDame Donez Cardullo-Tavilla

Our Harvest Halloween Celebration will be held at the Skywalk Observatory, which is located on the 50th Floor of the Prudential Center. Enjoy panoramic, 360-degree nighttime views of the Boston skyline, Charles River, and Harbor Islands. Meet Paul Revere and other important Revolutionary-period characters, tarot-card readers, and psychics! The menu will feature a traditional New-Eng-land Clambake overflowing with the region’s bounty—clam chowder, oysters, shrimp, steamers, lobster, and chicken—plus all the trimmings. Capture the “spirit” of the evening by coming in costume, or wear one of the festive masks provided at the event!

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Saturday, November 17:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Registration/Hospitality

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Global Culinary Initiative (GCI) Breakfast 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Serving Up the World! Kara Nielsen, Culinary Director, Sterling-Rice Group

Understanding global cuisines and food culture can more than enrich your person-al knowledge—it can impact your career and business. Food and Beverage-Trend Analyst Kara Nielsen, culinary director at Sterling-Rice Group, a Boulder, Colorado-based brand-building firm, will discuss how she taps into food happen-ings and news from around the world to better understand the forces and flavors that will influence trends. She will share some of the tricks and tools she uses to track and analyze trends, and share her global perspective in fore-casting the hot trends of tomorrow.

9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Creating Strategies for Success in Business and in Life Allison Rimm, President and Chief Executive Officer, Management Consultant, Coach, and Award-Winning Educator, Allison Rimm and Associates

Allison Rimm, author of The Joy of Strategy: A Business Plan for Life, inspires individuals and organizational leaders to create breathtaking visions and plans to make them come to life. She will share her Business of Life™ workshop series to set us on an organized path of self-discovery in our professional and personal lives.

10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Networking Break11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Concurrent SessionsSession #8: Shooting Cold Dame Ellen Callaway, Owner/Founder, Callaway Photo

Sunny Ricks, Food Stylist

Verne Cordova, Prop Stylist

Ellen, Sunny, and Verne will share the “chilling” chal-lenges of photographing frozen delights—everything

from ice cream to granitas! Through this hands-on ex-perience, discover the secrets industry professionals use to make frozen desserts look real in photos. A live shoot will demonstrate how the world of frozen is transformed with lighting and props.

Session #9: Exploring and Cooking With Ancient Wheat Varieties— Emmer, Einkorn, Spelt, and Kamut Dame Maria Speck, Award-Winning Cookbook Author and Food Writer

Before the rise of high-protein, modern-day wheat, there were ancient varieties such as emmer (a.k.a., farro), spelt, kamut, and einkorn. How are they different from modern-day wheat and are they really more suitable for gluten-sensitive individuals? Dame and Ancient-Grains Expert Maria Speck will discuss the unique characteris-tics, textures, and flavors of each variety of wheat, and demonstrate the best ways to cook with them.

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Concurrent SessionsSession #10: Feeding Our Kids at School and at Home Sally Sampson, Founder and CEO, ChopChop Magazine

Dame Lynn Fredericks, Founder, FamilyCook Productions and LDEI Green Tables Initia-tive Co-Chair

Ann Cooper, a.k.a, the “Renegade Lunch Lady,” Chef and Bestselling Author

Many of us think about the problems of feeding school kids the right way, but get overwhelmed by the road-blocks and the enormity of the task. We can fix the school-lunch program, take back the family dinner table, and, in the process, reclaim good food for the next generation. Join three nationally acclaimed and mission- driven activists and leaders on child nutrition as they present successful models and strategies to make change happen in your own community.

Session #11: Where Do You Go From Here? We are all always at a crossroads professionally. Do we redouble our efforts and grow our brands, or is it time to reinvent? Session #11 offers sequential sessions on next steps. Growing Your Brand will help you think about strategies for expanding. Exit Strategies and Reinvention will help you craft the next steps on a path that may lead to an uncharted professional destination.

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Growing Your Brand Dame Mary Ann Esposito, Ciao Italia

Dame Ilene Bezahler, Publisher/Editor, Edible Boston

Dame Simone Williamson, President and Chief Execu-tive Officer, Be Our Guest

How do you take a successful personal or professional brand and make it soar? During this conversation and workshop, three imaginative and well-versed profession-als will present their personal stories of how they took their brands from good to great! There will be ample time for questions from the floor to help you put their experience into your personal plan.

Exit Strategies and Reinvention

Dame Trish Karter, Co-Founder and Former Owner, Dancing Deer Baking Company

Dame Mary-Catherine Deibel and Deborah Hughes, Former Owners of UpStairs on the Square

How do you make a successful shift from your primary career to a second or third act? Panelists Mary-Catherine and Deborah will discuss their experiences as co-owners of UpStairs on the Square, which closed in 2013, af-ter 31 years in business. Trish, co-founder and former owner of a national baking company with a strong social mission, will discuss the challenges she faced when she needed to move on, and the particular issues women professionals face in career strategies.

12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Legacy Awards LuncheonPrepare to be inspired by the 2014 Culinary, Wine, Entrepreneurship/Pastry, Farm-to-Table, and Food-and-Wine Journalism Legacy Award winners as they share per-sonal experiences of their Dames-hosted externships and the ways their experiences have impacted their respective career paths.

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. LDEI Council of Delegates (COD) Meeting During our annual business meeting you will gain impor-tant insights into how our organization works. Delegates representing each chapter have the opportunity to craft LDEI policy. Non-delegate Dames are also welcome and encouraged to attend.

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Optional Activities Please visit the Hospitality Suite to obtain additional information and to make a reservation for the following Saturday-afternoon activities!

#1 Walking Tours—Information and maps provided in the Hospitality Suite.

#2 The Best of Neiman Marcus. . .and You!—Enjoy a complimentary makeup session from Neiman Marcus makeup artists, as well as a preview of holiday fashions!

#3 Chair Massage—Enjoy a relaxing chair massage given by the professionally licensed massage therapists from Sea Grass Therapies ($10 for 10 minutes).

#4 Chiropractic/Wellness Session—Chiropractor, Nutri-tionist, and Wellness Coach, Dr. Deborah A. Fudge, D.C., will discuss ways to optimize your health from the inside out, followed by a question-and-answer period.

6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. LDEI’s M.F.K. Fisher Awards ReceptionEnjoy the magnificent sunset on the Charles River with sumptu-ous hors d’oeuvres and a sip of bubbly in preparation for LDEI’s prestigious M.F.K. Fisher Awards for Excellence in Culinary Writing. The annual chapter photos will be taken during this event.

7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. LDEI’s M.F.K. Fisher Awards BanquetDames Gwen Trost and Judith Fabre McDonough

Be a part of LDEI history in the making as the first grand-prize winner of our now-annual M.F.K. Fisher Awards is fêted. Twelve judges concurred, and Nina Mukerjee Furstenau, a journalism teacher at the University of Mis-souri, won LDEI’s fifth award for excellence in culinary writing. For the first time, excerpts from a book scored tops in the contest, entered by more than 100 women journalists. Take home a banquet booklet containing the text of the three category winners, including the grand-prize entry from Biting Through the Skin: An Indian Kitchen in America’s Heartland—described by one judge as, “A candid, brilliantly written account of both the joy and the heartache that comes of growing up Indian in the American Midwest.”

Born in Thailand to Indian parents, Nina grew up in Kan-sas, served in the Peace Corps in Tunisia, and founded a publishing company with her husband, an American man whose grandparents hailed from Germany and Sweden. Their lives are a living example of LDEI’s Global Culinary Initiative! Nina and LDEI’s M.F.K. Fisher Award Chair, CiCi Williamson, will speak during the lavish, four-course banquet in the main ballroom of the Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston with a surprise “Sweet Caroline” Boston finale!

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LDEI 2014 Conference Registration Form

Send Registration

Name

Chapter

Company Name

Title

Address

City

State ZIP

Phone

Email

Spouse/Guest Name

_____ Check here if first-time attendee

Payment

Check Enclosed _____

Mastercard _____ VISA _____ American Express _____

Account # _______________________________________________

Expiration __________ Security Code __________

Signature Required

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Total Due $ __________

Cancellation Policy Full refund, less $50 processing fee if cancelled by October 24, 2014. No refund after October 24. All refunds are processed after the conference.

If you require special accommodations to participate fully, please attach a written statement of your needs. The hotel is fully ADA accessible, but we need advance notice for off-site locations and transportation.

RegistrationFull registration includes all conference materials, meals, and events scheduled Friday and Saturday except optional tours and the Thursday-evening Dine-Around. To be eligible for the early conference registration fee, registration form must be postmarked by September 22, 2014.

# Member # Spouse/Guest

Early Registration 495.00 N/A

Regular Registration 520.00 N/A

Opening Reception Included 40.00

Friday Breakfast Included 40.00

Partners Showcase Luncheon Included 50.00

Friday Evening Event Included 125.00

Saturday Breakfast Included 40.00

Legacy Awards Luncheon Included 50.00

M.F.K. Fisher Award Reception/Banquet Included 175.00

Friday Day Pass (includes all Friday events) 295.00 N/A

Saturday Day Pass (includes all Saturday events) 295.00 N/A

Total

Optional EventsBoth members and guests are welcome to attend any of the optional events below.

Tour 1: The Best of Beacon Hill 85.00

Tour 2: Ye Olde Boston 75.00

Tour 3: Higher Ground Farm and Harpoon Brewery 70.00

Tour 4: Boston’s North-End, Little-Italy Market Tour 100.00

Tour 5: Chinatown Market Tour 90.00

Tour 6: Verrill Farm 60.00

Dine-Around 1: Sandrine’s Bistro 80.00

Dine-Around 2: Harvest Restaurant 90.00

Dine-Around 3: City Table at the Lenox Hotel 90.00

Dine-Around 4: Rialto Restaurant + Bar 105.00

Dine-Around 5: Scampo 85.00

Dine-Around 6: The Northeast Chapter’s Green-Tables Grazing Event 60.00

Total

Fee # of Total Tickets

Concurrent Sessions(Select ONE session from each group)

Group A: ____ Session 1 ____ Session 2 ____ Session 3

Group B: ____ Session 4 ____ Session 5 ____ Session 6 ____ Session 7

Group C: ____ Session 8 ____ Session 9 ____ Session 10 ____ Session 11

Pre-Conference Sessions (Please select all that apply)

____ Chapter Leadership Forum ____ Sommelier Smackdown

By Fax:

Greg Jewell 502.456.1821

By Mail:

Greg Jewell LDEI P.O. Box 4961Louisville, KY 40204

Further questions?

Contact Greg Jewell at 502.456.1851 x1 or info@ldei.org

(Registration is also available online at www.ldei.org)

PRESORTEDFIRST CLASSUS POSTAGE

PAIDNEW ALBANY, IN

PERMIT #62

Les Dames d’Escoffier InternationalP.O. Box 4961Louisville, KY 40204

AtlantaAustin

BirminghamBoston

British Columbia, CanadaCharleston

ChicagoClevelandColorado

DallasHawaii

HoustonKansas City/Heart of America

LondonLos Angeles/Orange County

MiamiMinnesota

Monterey Bay AreaNew York

NortheastPalm SpringsPhiladelphia

PhoenixSan Antonio

San DiegoSan Francisco

SeattleSt. Louis

Washington, D.C.

NEW THIS YEAR: The Smartphone App, Guidebook!

For the first time at our annual conference, LDEI will use Guidebook, a smartphone app that allows the conference organizers to easily share materials with event attendees on their mobile devices (iPhones, Android devices, iPads, Blackberries, etc.). Attendees can create their own schedule of events with personalized reminders, view a map of the venue, and a listing of exhibitors. They can contribute to the event buzz on Twitter and Facebook, create personalized to-do lists, and rate the sessions they attend. All of the information contained within a guide is accessible offline as well, keeping users in the loop wherever they may be! Attendees can create a user log-in account to make a virtual business card to share with other attendees as well as check in at events.

Guidebook is also supported on Amazon Kindle, Android tablets, web-enabled devices such as Windows phones, and desktop computers.

The Best Begins in

BOStON