Our philanthropic organization of women leaders in food, beverage and hospitality, Les Dames d’Escoffier New York (LDNY), awards scholarships every year to help empower women pursuing careers in the culinary, hospitality and beverage industries.

The last time we added everything up—quite a few years ago—we had awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to over 1,000 recipients since 1977. This year we presented $86,000 of scholarships to 23 students through nine partner programs, including a brand-new entrepreneurial scholarship in my name.

I was thrilled to meet my first recipient, Kayla Fulmore. If you’d like to help us continue supporting these talented women, please consider donating to the Les Dames d’Escoffier New York scholarship fund.

Following our reception at the Institute of Culinary Education, a group of Dames made our way to Del Frisco’s at Brookfield Place. We settled in for what turned into an evening of nonstop conversation, a table full of appetizers and, naturally, a few glasses of wine. Our choice was the 2024 Ernesto Catena Padrillos Malbec, an easy-drinking red that paired nicely with just about everything we ordered.

Our wonderful server, Albi, kicked things off with warm pretzel bread that was so fresh from the oven it almost burned our fingers. We didn’t care—it was delicious. We happily worked our way through light, crispy calamari ($19), two flatbreads—the roasted tomato-pepperoni and the fig, prosciutto, arugula, blue cheese crumbles $20–21)—plus grilled artichokes ($22) and ahi tacos ($21 for four). We added a Cobb salad ($18) and a classic wedge ($16), but the real star of the evening may have been the conversation.

Good food tastes even better when shared with good friends.

Del Frisco’s Grille
Brookfield Place
230 Vesey St
New York, NY, 10281
(212) 786-0760
 delfriscosgrille.com