The Legacy Awards, supported by The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, were established in 2009 by Les Dames d’Escoffier International with one goal in mind: to provide targeted career-accelerator opportunities for professional women in the food, beverage, and hospitality industries. The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts generously supports our Legacy Awards program.
A Week with a Dame
Each Legacy Award winner earns a career-accelerator experience of approximately one week working alongside accomplished LDEI members. The competition is open to professional women from the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Italy who are not current or past members of LDEI but have a minimum of four years’ experience working in their industry.
Each Legacy Award includes roundtrip transportation from the Awardees’ closest major airport to the chapter destination, lodging (moderate hotel, guest house, or in a Dame’s home), and a stipend for meals. The local chapter covers the cost of local transportation, tours and fees, and chapter dinners.
In 2026, distinguished members of LDEI are hosting six experiences including Vertically Integrated Farming: From Pasture to Plate Experience, Restaurant Ownership/Hospitality Experience; Roots & Revenue: The Big Island Agriculture Experience; Kentucky Spirits: From Grain to Glass Experience; Harvesting Knowledge: A Sustainable Food Experience and Food Product Innovation: From Concept-to-Shelf Experience.
The final application deadline is March 31, 2026 at 11:59 m. EDT