(Press Release) CLEVELAND, February 25, 201– The application period for the fifth annual Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) Legacy Awards is now open.

This year, six LDEI Legacy Awards will be given in three categories, Culinary, Wine and Entrepreneurship. Each Legacy Award offers a one-week workplace experience under the direction of highly successful, award-winning members of LDEI. The Legacy experience is a high-energy, labor-intensive and career-expanding opportunity.

The Culinary category offers two Catering experiences, one in Seattle with Dame Lisa Dupar and one in Atlanta in collaboration with seven Dames. The Wine category offers two awards with Dame Carolyn Wente, CEO of Wente Family Estates in Livermore, Calif. The Entrepreneurship category includes a Pastry Production award with Dame Shari Carlson in Dallas, Texas, and a Farm-to-Table award on Long Island, N.Y., with Dame Ursula Massoud, of Paumanok Vineyards, and Dame Paulette Satur, of Satur Farms.

Established in 2009, the Legacy Awards are open to women in the USA, Canada and the UK who are not members of LDEI. Candidates must have at least four years of professional experience and be working currently in the food or fine beverage industries.

Travel and hotel accommodations for six nights will be reimbursed for each winner, up to US $2,000. Applications must be submitted by April 25, 2013. The winners will be announced on May 31, 2013, and the experiences must be completed by Oct. 20, 2013.

For an application, log onto www.ldei.org and click on 2013 Legacy Awards.

The Legacy Award program doubled in size in 2012 thanks to a generous donation from the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, www.juliachildfoundation.org, which was created by Julia Child in 1995 for the purpose of supporting 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. LDEI President, Dame Mary Ellen Griffin, noted that “This program is a strong means of promoting and developing women leaders, and a wonderful way for our two organizations to work together in the spirit of Grande Dame Julia Child. We are thrilled with Julia’s Foundation’s continued support in 2013.”

LDEI is an international organization of women leaders in food, beverage, and hospitality whose mission is education, advocacy and philanthropy (www.ldei.org).  It has chapters in the US, Canada and the UK.

For more information about the awards, please contact the Legacy Awards Co- Chairs, Marsha Palanci, mpalanci@cornerstonepr.com, 212-605-0370, or Toria Emas, temas@chicagobar.org, 312-554-2141.