Les Dames d'Escoffier Leadership Awards

Les Dames d'Escoffier | Colorado Leadership AwardThank you for your generous support of Colorado’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Les Dames d’Escoffier Colorado, and of the next generation of women entering the food, beverage, agriculture, and hospitality industries. It is because of your sponsorship that our annual scholarships are possible, and more women are able to enter this field for which we all share tremendous passion.

As you know, due to circumstances beyond our control on the Auraria Campus at the time, the 2024 Big Stir Festival could not proceed as planned on April 27th. We’ve tirelessly explored multiple avenues, and despite our best efforts – and numerous non-recoupable expenses – holding the Festival in the same capacity in 2024 will not be possible. In its place, an elevated, invitation-only Reception and Awards Presentation will take place at St. Cajetan’s Chapel on the Auraria Campus on Monday, July 8th, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

All sponsors, table participants, award winners, scholarship recipients, LDEI Colorado members, and 2024 Big Stir Festival ticket holders are invited and encouraged to attend the reception, in addition to media and influencers. We anticipate 75 to 100 guests. 

Reception will include:

  • Guest Speakers:
    • Giovanna (Gigi) Mondavi of CK Mondavi and Family
    • Carrie Baird, Partner & Culinary Director of Culinary Creative Group
  • Ceremony honoring the 2024 Les Dames d’Escoffier Leadership Award winners — Colorado women who are change-makers via their philanthropic, inclusive, educational, and environmental efforts
  • Announcing the winners of the 2024 Les Dames d’Escoffier Colorado scholarships
  • Social time before the ceremony for attendees to enjoy bites, libations, and our popular Bottles Under Wraps
Gigi Mondavi

Giovanna (Gigi) Mondavi

The youngest of Marc and Janice’s four daughters, Giovanna (Gigi) grew up following in her sisters’ footsteps. After graduating from the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University in Boston, she pursued a career in finance working with MFS Investments, a global asset manager. She relocated with the company to Denver, continuing her work as a Regional Consultant. She is inspired to learn as much as possible to one day bring back to the winery and her family legacy. Don’t be surprised to find her out in the market hosting wine dinners and supporting distribution and sales for C. Mondavi & Family.

Carrie Baird

Chef Carrie Baird has made a name for herself over the last two decades leading kitchens in some of the most highly-regarded restaurants in Denver, Colorado. Baird’s signature style fuses locally-sourced ingredients with healthy twists on classic and innovative, new dishes.  Baird competed on Season 15 of Bravo’s “Top Chef” where she quickly became a fan favorite and was a top 4 finalist. In the spring of 2019, Baird was a contestant on Food Network’s “Beat Bobby Flay” and beat him handily with her Pork Green Chili Huevos Rancheros. She was an All-Star judge on “Top Chef” Season 18, judging 8 episodes of the season. 
Baird has earned numerous accolades for her work as Executive Chef of Bar Dough including being a semi-finalist for the James Beard Award, Best Chef Mountain in 2019. Bar Dough was named one of the 25 Best Restaurants in Denver in 2017, 2018 and 2019 while Baird was the executive chef. Most recently, she was the winner of the 2021 Real California Dairy macaroni and cheese competition. 

Baird is currently the Culinary Director for The Culinary Creative Group in Denver where she oversees four Tap & Burger concepts and has a new project in the works, slated for Spring 2022.

Carrie Baird

The 2024 Les Dames d’Escoffier Colorado Leadership Award Winners

AGRICULTURE LEADER

Kena Guttridge, Farmer, Ollin Farms, Longmont

Kena Guttridge is co-owner and founder of Ollin Farms, a diversified produce farm in Longmont, providing nutrient dense food to the local community for more than 17 years. Kena is the education and community outreach coordinator, where she is passionate about connecting youth to the natural world through hands-on learning, healthy eating, and ecosystem restoration. Her youth summer classes for students, ranging in age from preschool to middle school, are aimed at empowering kids to develop healthy minds and bodies while also developing a respect and relationship with Mother Nature. Kena manages the farm-to-table events at Ollin Farms, coordinates scholarships to bring more diversity into the farm’s paid high school internship programs and develops learning and food access programs with local schools and early childhood education centers.

Talia Haykin
Ollin Farms

ALCOHOL BEVERAGE LEADER
Presented by Pernod Ricard USA

Talia Haykin, Founder/CEO, Haykin Family Cider, Aurora

In 2017 Talia, along with her husband Daniel, founded Haykin Family Cider in Aurora, Colorado. Their cider journey began in 2013 as hobbyists in their living room. As they learned more about the rich history of apples and hard cider in the United States their cider became strongly focused on single varietals and family farms with whom they have personal relationships. In addition to her work with their cidery, which encompasses all business areas, Talia is a writer and social media strategist. She formerly was the CMO of large non-profits and worked as a freelancer, prior to managing the cidery (and family) full-time. Talia and Daniel have three children (who fight over who gets to ‘run the cider house’ one day), and their fluffy pup Soba Schnoodle.

Talia Haykin
Haykin Cider

BAKERY LEADER

Chef Thoa Nguyen, Owner, Bánh & Butter Bakery Café, Aurora

My life revolves around food. I studied baking and pastry arts and traveled to France to continue my education. It was one of the best experiences in my life where I found my independence and discovered a deeper meaning for food. It has a way of connecting me to people, culture, art, memories, stories and experiences. I hope to bring the same connection through Bánh & Butter Bakery Café and to share the love and passion to those around me. My journey started with the love of art. Being part of the art district on East Colfax in Aurora, has given me the opportunity to give back to my community. I believe in supporting people who work hard with strong ambition. All it takes is one person to believe and recognize each person’s true value and purpose.

Thoa Nguyen
Banh & Butter

CHEF LEADER

Caroline Glover, Owner, Annette and Traveling Mercies, Aurora

Caroline Glover has won numerous national awards for her talents as a chef. Two most notable honors are having her restaurant Annette selected as a semi-finalist in the James Beard Foundation “Best New Restaurant” category in 2018 and later then chosen the 2022 James Beard Foundation award winner in the “Best Chef: Mountain” category. She founded restaurant, Annette in 2017 and has been on 5280 Magazine’s list of Denver’s 25 best restaurants each year since it opened. Caroline is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After school, she worked for two years at The Spotted Pig in New York City. She later spent several years working on farms in Pennsylvania, Vermont and Colorado, experience that informs her cooking to this day. Caroline founded Traveling Mercies – Cocktails & Oysters in the fall of 2023.

Caroline Glover
Annette
Traveling Mercies

COMMUNITY LEADERS
Presented by Applejack Wine & Spirits

Megan Moore and Serena Sakkal, Project Managers, Pueblo Food Project, Pueblo

Megan, is a native of Pueblo, Colorado has been working with the Pueblo Food Project four years as one of two program managers. She is a graduate of Colorado State University Pueblo, is a certified Colorado Master Garden, and a certified Local Food Leader. During her last semester of college, Megan stumbled upon an internship with the Pueblo Food Project, which ultimately changed her ideas for the future. She found great passion and connection to the world of food systems through the Pueblo Food Project and cannot imagine working in another field. Megan has maintained several avenues of programming for Pueblo Food Project including: an entrepreneur development program, the fooducates youth council, a community meal prep class, a community garden and sustainability program, and a community pantry.

Serena transplanted from her home state of Florida to Pueblo, Colorado in July 2022. She graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Ag & Natural Resource Management and Soil & Water Science. Though a lifelong lover of delicious and colorful food, Serena realized her passion for food systems work in her previous job as sustainability manager at the University of Florida’s dining program. She is a program manager at the Pueblo Food Project, and finds so much joy in serving the community. Her favorite part of working with the project is witnessing people, particularly children, foster a deeper connection with their food. Serena is an herbalist, yogi, lifelong traveler, mother of a cat and many plants, and lover of anything that bridges the connection between food, medicine, and planetary wellness.

Megan Moore
Serena Sakkal
Pueblo Food Project

FOOD JOURNALIST LEADER
Presented by B Public Relations

Patricia Kaowthumrong, Food Editor, 5280 Magazine, Denver

Patricia Kaowthumrong joined the 5280 Magazine’s staff in July 2019 and oversee all of the publications dining coverage. As a writer and editor, she is dedicated to spotlighting minority-owned businesses and nurturing and diversifying the magazine’s network of contributors. A proud Colorado native, she graduated in 2010 from the University of Colorado Boulder with degrees in journalism and psychology. In her spare time, Patricia enjoys cooking Thai and Chinese dishes with her mother and hopes to write a cookbook someday. She also loves spending time with her husband, Gavin; son, Jack; and cocker spaniel, Teddy Roosevelt. Her other loves include anchovies, tequila, and fried chicken.

Patricia Kaothumrong
5280

FOOD MANUFACTURING LEADER
Presented by Connect for Health Colorado

Beth Conrey, Founder, Bee Squared Apiaries, Berthoud

Beth Conrey is the owner and the beekeeper of Bee Squared Apiaries, a chemical-free honey company with 200 colonies located along the Front Range from Denver to Wellington. Our tagline is “We BEE Exponentially Better” and it is reflected in the following: a four-time Good Food Award winner, a Certified B Corporation, a member of 1% for the Planet, plastic neutral certified by RePurpose Global and has a “Snail of Approval” from Slow Food Boulder County. We donate 2% of our sales to environmental non-profits primarily those working on pollinator health. She is past-president of the Western Apicultural Society, the Colorado State Beekeepers Association and the Northern Colorado Beekeepers Association, a co-founder and current board member of People and Pollinators Action Network, the treasurer of the Pollinator Stewardship Council.

Beth Conrey
Bee Squared

MIXOLOGIST LEADER

Saydee Canada, General Manager, Williams & Graham, Denver

Saydee Canada was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. She has been in the food and beverage industry more than 12 years, 10 of which at Williams & Graham. The intermingling between chemistry and imagination to present a delicious beverage has always been an intriguing concept. Although she is in the role of general manager of Williams & Graham, her true passion is still bartending and she’s delighted this job allows her to still entertain that portion of her interests. Most of what she has been working on lately are drinks that remind her of food and working with savory flavors in a cocktail setting. The next venture is to continue striving for reusability of ingredients, eliminating waste as much as possible, and finding new and fun ways to present these drinks.

Saydee Canada
Williams & Graham

NON-ALCOHOL BEVERAGE LEADER
Presented by Nestlé Premium Waters

Frewyni Beyene, Founder, Endless Grind Coffee, Aurora

Frewyni Beyene has had a lifelong passion for coffee. She fondly remembers coffee ceremonies from her childhood in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Coffee is the 2nd largest commodity in the global economy and originated in Ethiopia.

Coffee is embedded within our culture. The coffee ceremony is enjoyed every day, multiple times of the day, no matter what time of the day with family, friends, and guests in your home. Since our opening in 2017, she has been committed to uplifting our community. She host a number of community events throughout the year, invigorating the community with local arts, culture, and so much more.”

Frewyni Beyene
Endless Grind Coffee

SOMMELIER LEADER

Sally Stewart, Co-Owner, Denver Wine Merchant, Denver

Sally was born in Pennsylvania and grew up in Houston. She worked in restaurants since age 16 holding positions from line cook to sommelier. After graduating from the University of Houston, life took her out west where she met Steven Washuta, who became her life and business partner. In 2015 they set up a seasonal guest house in Casablanca, Chile, where they hosted travelers from nine countries. After moving back stateside, they spent time in Portland, Oregon and then ended up in Telluride, Colorado. In Telluride they worked full time as sommeliers for a resort. In 2016 they moved to New York City, where Sally was a sommelier at Michelin starred Babbo and Cut by Wolfgang Puck. In 2018 she passed the Advanced Sommelier exam. In 2019 she was diagnosed with ALS, a progressive and terminal nerve disease. She and Washuta relocated to Denver in 2020, where they embarked on their greatest adventure of owning Denver Wine Merchant where they curate fine wines.

Sally Stewart
Denver Wine Merchant

Presenting Sponsor

The Culinary Creative Group

VIP Sponsors

Connect for Health Colorado
Nestle Premium Waters

Gold Sponsors

Applejack
B Public Relations
Pernod Ricard USA
The Well Table

Silver Sponsors & Patrons

Barolo Grill
Constellation Brands
Dim Lights Hospitality
The Fort
The Fort
Frasca Hospitality Group
Le French
Nimrod Wines
Prairie
5280 Magazine

Dimond Family Foundation

Ellen Daehnick

Our Impact: LDEI CO provides a minimum of $5,000 in scholarships each year to future women leaders in our industries. Funds raised through the Big Stir Festival will enable our chapter to dramatically expand our philanthropy and make a greater impact in our community.

Les Dame d’Escoffier is a 509 (a)(2) non-profit organization. The Colorado chapter’s signature event, The Big Stir Festival, is a fundraiser to raise money for scholarships for local women pursuing degrees in food, beverage, and hospitality.

Les Dames d'Escoffier

Contact the President of the CO Chapter of Les Dames: megan@localtabletours.com

Website by HeyDay Creative