Les Dames d'Escoffier International Press Kit
About Les Dames d'Escoffier International
Les Dames 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 2,800 members in 40 chapters in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Italy provide leadership, educational opportunities, and philanthropy. Since its incorporation in 1988, Les Dames chapters have raised and donated more than $10 million to educational, community non-profits, and philanthropic organizations. For more information, visit www.ldei.org and follow Les Dames on Instagram @lesdamesintl and Facebook @Les Dames d'Escoffier Int'l.
Leadership bios
Marilyn Freundlich, President
An entrepreneur at heart, Marilyn Freundlich has spent her career helping build beloved brands that bring people together through joy, hospitality, and food. As the first hire at Build-A-Bear Workshop, she played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s culture—one rooted in creativity, connection, and spreading “teddy bear happiness” to kids and adults alike.
In 2007, Marilyn and her husband founded POPtions! Popcorn, delighting popcorn lovers across St. Louis and nationwide until the business closed in 2019. That same year, she launched Inclusively Yours Ceremonies, where she serves as a professionally trained wedding officiant and ordained Universal Life Minister. Specializing in weddings, Marilyn works with couples of all cultures, orientations, and belief systems, creating meaningful, inclusive ceremonies that honor each couple’s love, traditions, faiths, and rituals. Positioned at the intersection of the hospitality and wedding industries, she is deeply committed to celebrating every couple she has the honor of working with.
Marilyn’s passion for community, hospitality, and women-led leadership led her to Les Dames d’Escoffier, where she has been actively involved at both the chapter and international levels. Within the St. Louis Chapter, she served as Fundraising Chair for four years, participated on the GCI committee, and held the role of Chapter President from 2019–2021, completing a two-year term.
She currently serves as President of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, advancing the organization’s mission to support women in food, beverage, and hospitality through scholarships, grants, and impactful programming. Marilyn is especially passionate about LDEI’s fundraising efforts and its thoughtful, food-centric educational programs that engage members and enrich the broader community.
Kate Howell, Third Vice President
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As Third VP of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, Kate Howell is a UK-based communications advisor and NED, specialising in food, communities and markets. For 12 years, she was Director of Communications and Engagement at Borough Market, where her work was driven by a strong belief in the central part that food can play in creating communities and driving the sustainability agenda.
Kate was responsible for building the market’s worldwide brand, developing its printed, digital and in-person communications, increasing engagement, and ensuring that the thoughts of the institution were regularly heard through the national and international media. She helped shape the responses to some extremely challenging circumstances, including the 2017 terrorist attack, Brexit and the Covid pandemic, as well as playing a key role in overhauling the strategic development of London’s oldest market. This includes the formulation of the market’s first ever food policy and 2030 strategy.
She sits on the boards of The Mayor of London’s Markets’ Board and Better Bankside, the business improvement district for London’s Bankside district. She is a passionate advocate for equality in the industry and is a proud member of the London Chapter of Les Dames Escoffier, a philanthropic organisation supporting women in hospitality and is Co-Chair of Better Bankside’s Women’s Network.
Brand media assets
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Media contact
Madeleine Nasch