An Annual Gala Culinary Celebration by British Columbia’s Leading

Professional Women in the Fields of Food, Fine Beverage and Hospitality

This Year We Honour Vancouver’s Umberto Menghi

 Vancouver, BC – On Friday, May 31, at the Four Seasons Hotel, guest of honour, chef and restaurateur Umberto Menghi, will be celebrated in a gala evening of fine food and wine. (Dame Julia Child was the Les Dames d’Escoffier 2012 gala honouree).

An international culinary icon that Vancouver calls our own, Umberto is credited with starting the gourmet food scene in Vancouver with the opening of Umberto’s, the little yellow heritage house, on the corner of Hornby and Pacific in 1973. With the closing of Umberto’s and IL Giardino April 15^th, it is truly the end of an era for many who have dined with Umberto over the years.

A champagne reception, hosted by Veuve Clicquot, begins the evening before guests are seated at a beautifully decorated, Italian inspired long table as twelve of British Columbia’s most distinguished chefs, peers and friends of Chef Menghi, create a ten course Italian inspired meal. The Master of Ceremony for the evening, the 2002 Italo-Canadian of the year, long time friend, CBC Television’s Tony Parsons.

Special guest chefs (in alphabetical order) Ned Bell, Four Seasons Hotel, Vancouver and YEW Restaurant; Dame Margaret Chisholm, Culinary Capers Catering; Rob Feenie, Cactus Club Café; Bruno Feldieson, Four Seasons Hotel, Vancouver; David Hawksworth, Hawksworth at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia; Dana Houser,  Fairmont Hotel, Waterfront; Michel Jacob, Le Crocodile; Quang Dang, West; Hidekazu Tojo, Tojo’s; with Benton Brothers Fine Cheese presentation by Vista d’Oro’s Dame Lee Murphy;  Dame Mary Mackay, Terra Breads; Dame Lesley Stowe, Raincoast Crisps and Dame Ann Kirsebom‘s “Grand Cachet’  Chocolat Noir with Grand Marnier Ganache.

Participating wineries include Anthony Von Mandl of Mission Hill Estate Winery; Werner Schonberger’s Select Wines and Spirits; Continental Importers Jose Valagao; Tony Holler of Poplar Grove Winery and Nicholas Sabanis of Vintage Corks Ltd. with Duckhorn Vineyards.

All proceeds will go to the Les Dames d’Escoffier BC Scholarship Fund, supporting the advancement of British Columbia women in hospitality and culinary fields and Outreach Programs.

Les Dames d’Escoffier, British Columbia Chapter Lesdames.ca

Les Dames d’Escoffier International Les Dames d’Escoffier International

Twitter @lesdamesbc

Les Dames d’Escoffier presents “Julia in Paris”

Saturday, September 8^th, 2012 – Four Seasons Hotel, Vancouver

A beautiful summer evening, a stunning parisienne styled formal long table set for 73 people on the roof top – pool deck of the Four Seasons Hotel.* Ten of the region’s best chefs. Ten courses all touched with a soupcon of French cuisine. A champagne reception to start, a cognac and chocolate bar to end…..This truly was Vancouver’s most elegant dinner party! Check out the pics!

Special guest chefs included (in alphabetical order) Dame Andrea Carlson (formerly of Bishop’s) with her new restaurant Burdock & Co; Bala Kumanan, Hy’s of Canada (Celebrating their 50 year anniversary); Bruno Feldeisen, Executive Pastry Chef, Four Seasons, Vancouver; Hidekazu Tojo, Tojo’s; Kerry Sear, Four Seasons, Seattle; Lee Cooper, L‘Abattoir; Dame Lee Murphy, Vista d’Oro; Les Amis du Fromage withDame Lesley Stowe, Raincoast Crisps; Dame Margaret Chisholm, Culinary Capers Catering; Ned Bell, Four Seasons, Vancouver and Yew Restaurant; Scott Jaeger, The Pear Tree with Artisan breads by Dame Mary Mackay, Terra Breads; Chocolates by Thomas Haas, Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates and Dame Ann Kirsebom’s Grand Cachet chocolate noir with Grand Marnier liqueur.

The diners raised $26,400 for scholarships, outreach – including Growing Chefs and Project Chef, both of whom we fund, as well as a donation to the Julia Child Foundation who support the Legacy Awards. Scholarships and Legacy Awards may be available for deserving candidates in your organization, or organizations you support,  we encourage you to see our Scholarship page for further information.

“Les Dames d’Escoffier is a leadership culinary organization composed of women who have not only achieved success in their professions, but who contribute significantly to their communities. Since its incorporation in 1976, Les Dames d’Escoffier has followed its mission to elevate the profession through mentoring the members and helping worthy students succeed in their culinary careers.” —Grand Dame Julia Child

“CANADA’S LARGEST DINNER PARTY”
August 15, 2012 – Les Dames d’Escoffier Chapters and culinary institutions across the world celebrated Julia Child’s 100th Birthday (August 15, 1912 – August 13, 2004). Here in BC we through a dinner party to end all dinner parties.

40 restaurants, cooking schools and culinary venues across 500 kilometers from Whistler BC, to Vancouver to Victoria,  as well as a restaurant in our neighboring Seattle, each donated a single table or cooking class  of 4 – 12 seats creating a set Julia Child inspired multicourse dinner with a printed keepsake menu. Each restaurant was then paired with a donating winery or wine agency to provide the wine to match the menu.

The dinner occurred at the same time on the same night across the Province and raised $14,800.00. All proceeds from the dinners was donated to Les Dames d’Escoffier, BC Chapter, for scholarship, “Green table” and outreach funding.

A special Julia Child birthday cake, prepared by the culinary students of PICA (Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts) was on display in the lobby of the Four Seasons August 13-15, presented at an after dinner reception at Yew in the Four Seasons Hotel.

will be Big Boost for LDBC’s Scholarship Fund

The Les Dames d’Escoffier B.C. Chapter was proud to spread the word of their organization to more than 500 food and wine lovers attending Vancouver Magazine’s Big Night on Feb. 10, 2012 and raised over $4000.00 in the process.

Les Dames, chosen as the feature organization for the event, will be raising funds for its scholarship fund through a silent auction and “wall of wine” raffle featuring almost 100 bottles of fabulous wine donated by members and valued at over $2,000.

Vancouver Magazine organizes Big Night to celebrate their Best-in-Category wines from their annual Wine Awards as well as the winning restaurants from their annual Restaurant Awards.

Big Night is always a hot ticket in the city, bringing together the Who’s Who of Vancouver’s vibrant culinary scene.