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News Briefs

Icons of Female Food World to Receive Grande Dame Award from Les Dames d’Escoffier International

Paula Lambert is the founder of the Mozzarella Company in Dallas, Texas. Bev Shaffer is a Cleveland-based chef, recipe developer, author and culinary instructor. These talented women will receive the Grande Dame Lifetime Achievement Award by Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI).

The Grande Dame award recognizes extraordinary lifetime contributions within the food, beverage and hospitality industries. LDEI’s 2,400 members in 43 chapters around the world vote by nomination on who should receive the awards.

“LDEI’s Grande Dame Award is one of the highest honors for a woman in food, beverage and hospitality,” said LDEI President Deborah Mintcheff. “We are extremely proud to celebrate these two successful, inspirational women. Their accomplishments are nothing short of phenomenal.”

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About Paula Lambert

Paula Lambert (Dallas Chapter) founded the Mozzarella Company in Dallas, Texas in 1982. Lambert is an internationally renowned, award-winning artisanal cheesemaker, teacher, philanthropist and cookbook author. She is one of the Top 50 Cheesemakers in America in 2021 by “Food & Wine” magazine. The James Beard Foundation also featured Lambert in their, “Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America.” Lambert is a sought-after cheese expert and speaker. Food Network and multiple other media outlets featured Lambert as well. She is the author of two books on cheese: “The Cheese Lover’s Cookbook and Guide” and “Cheese, Glorious Cheese.”

About Bev Shaffer

Bev Shaffer (Cleveland Chapter) is a chef, instructor, recipe developer, author and entrepreneur. She opened “What’s Cooking?,” a kitchen store, cooking school and catering company in Cleveland in 1984. Subsequently, Shaffer led the Cooking School and Market Kitchen and Bakery at the Mustard Seed Market & Café, Ohio’s largest retailer of natural and organic products. There, she authored the first of six cookbooks under her name. With weekly food columns in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Bev brought her expertise to home cooks throughout the region. Bev also served as Corporate Chef and Manager of Recipe Development at Vitamix World Headquarters from 2011 – 2016. Bev also works tirelessly to find a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, to which her husband succumbed in 2021.

Both women will be honored on Oct. 22 at the LDEI Annual Conference in New York City.

Les Dames d’Escoffier International

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 is named after Auguste Escoffier, and his philosophy, accomplishments and philanthropic deeds serve as inspiration to culinary professionals today. The organization has 2,400 members in 43 chapters in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and France. They provide leadership, educational opportunities and philanthropy. LDEI chapters have raised and donated more than $525,000 to community non-profits and philanthropic organizations in 2021. For more information, visit www.ldei.org. Also, follow them on Instagram! There, you can stay up to date on all the awards.

Want to read about other women doing incredible things? Read our article Women in the News This Month!

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