Les Dames d’Escoffier International is honoured to introduce its new board president, Jennifer Goldman, and board leadership, which were installed on October 22, 2022, at the organization’s annual conference in New York City. At the same conference, the organization voted to add a chapter in Tuscany, Italy, its 44th chapter and third on the European continent.

Board president Jennifer Goldman earned her degree from Johnson and Wales University and began her career as a pastry chef before co-founding Patrick Properties Hospitality Group (PPHG), a Charleston, South Carolina-based hospitality company. As COO she built and led the teams in both the front and back of the house to produce and exclusively provide all food and beverage for as many as six hundred events per year and created company internships for the College of Charleston.

She served as a brand ambassador representing PPHG as well as the City of Charleston hosting events, festivals, international conferences, and national media companies such as The Food Network and The James Beard Foundation.

Jennifer brought her tourism skills to San Antonio where she became a Certified Tourism Ambassador and consulted for the San Antonio Cocktail Conference as well as a boutique hotel group before returning to her roots in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she resides and is an Associate for HelmsBriscoe.

In addition to serving as president of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, Jennifer is a member of the Cleveland chapter and former president of the Charleston chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, a member of The James Beard Foundation, the Court of Master Sommeliers and is a stem cell donor for Be The Match.

In her role as president of LDEI, Jennifer will oversee the management, philanthropy, and growth of the organization of women leaders whose mission it is to create a supportive culture in their communities to achieve excellence in the fields of food, beverage, and hospitality. The organization currently has 2,400 members in 44 chapters in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. Its mission is to provide leadership, educational opportunities, and philanthropy to its members and the community at large.

First Vice President Kathy Gold is an investment banker turned chef who attended Le Cordon Bleu. She owns and operates In the Kitchen Cooking School, an event space and cooking school in

Haddonfield, NJ. She is a published food writer and recipe developer. In her role, Kathy will assist President Goldman, develop strategic partnerships, and prepare to take over as president in October 2023. Kathy is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International’s Philadelphia chapter.

Second Vice President Anita Lau is an accomplished food journalist. Originally from Hong Kong, Anita has written for some of its top publications and is currently the author of Mad Hungry Woman, an award-winning food, travel, and lifestyle blog. In her role, Anita will oversee the production of all LDEI’s print and electronic publications. Anita is a member of the Los Angeles/Orange County chapter of LDEI.

Third Vice President Kersten Rettig is a food and travel writer and operates a boutique public relations and marketing firm. Her experience includes overseeing public relations for Rosewood Hotels and Resorts and owning and operating three units of PDQ, a Florida-based fast casual dining restaurant. In her role, Kersten will manage public relations and social media for the organization. She is a member of the Dallas chapter of LDEI.

Barb Pires of the Atlanta chapter of LDEI will serve as Secretary of the international board.

Stephanie Jaeger of the British Columbia chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International will serve as Treasurer.

The board is rounded out with three Chapter Board Liaisons who work directly with chapter presidents to maximize opportunities to engage members, raise funds, and create programming that reflects LDEI’s mission. Those new Chapter Board Liaisons are Erin Byers Murray, from Nashville; Marilyn Freundlich, from St. Louis; and Irene Moore from South Florida.

Deborah Mintcheff of New York City serves as the Immediate Past President of LDEI.

Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) is an international organization of women leaders who create a supportive culture in their communities to achieve excellence in the fields of food, beverage, and hospitality. The organization’s 2,400 members in 44 chapters in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy provide leadership, educational opportunities, and philanthropy. LDEI chapters raised and donated more than $525,000 to community non-profits and philanthropic organizations in 2021. For more information, visit www.ldei.org and follow on Instagram and Twitter @lesdamesintl and Facebook Les Dames d’Escoffier Int’l.