Category: Scholarships & Fundraising

Les Dames d’Escoffier Chicago Chapter held a champagne reception on May 14 to present the 2013 awardees in their annual scholarship program.

Seven female culinary students from five local schools were introduced to a group of 40 members and guests. Not only will each student receive financial aid from our Scholarship fund, but they will each be awarded a one-year mentorship by being paired with one of the local members to share activities, experience and expertise.

The recipients are: Rachel Dau (College of Dupage), Chantiyanna Thigpen (Washburne), Danielle Welch (Kendall), Stephanie Kochanczyk (Triton), Vivian Proano (Kendall), Crystal Chui (French Pastry School), and Anshaunti Hillery (Washburne).

Thanks to Kendall College and Boisset France for making the evening a great success.

 

 

After a long intensive process of reading, rating applications, and interviewing semifinalists, the 2013 Les Dames d’Escoffier Scholarship Committee narrowed the field to seven. Based on need, merit and potential, these highly motivated, passionate culinary students stood out from the rest to earn this year’s Les Dames d’Escoffier Chicago Scholarships.

Recipients are students at College of DuPage, Kendall College, The French Pastry School, Triton College, Washburne Culinary Institute. $22,500 in scholarships were awarded.

Rachel Dau is a baking and pastry student at College of DuPage and intends to continue school toward her Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism and Hospitality management.

Her enthusiasm, passion and commitment caught the eye of her instructors, including former Dame Nancy Carey, who asked her to become a teaching and research assistant. Her fellow students elected her to the COD Hospitality Club and an entire page in her application indicates how she participates in a wide array of community and college activities. In fact, she immediately caught the attention of the Scholarship Committee on our visit to the college when she enthusiastically conducted a tour of the campus for us.

From her application, I paraphrase these words: It makes such a difference when I cook and make those who will be eating the food happy. You can taste the difference. Food makes people happy. When this is the case, work and school do not feel like a chore but a never ending adventure.

She dreams of becoming a teacher and hopes a mentor will give her multiple influences in the industry and guide her in balancing this career with family life.

She has been awarded a scholarship in the amount of $5000 toward her dream.

Chantiyanna Thigpen is a beginning baking and pastry student at Washburne Culinary Institute whose plan is to receive a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality.

Her sparkling personality and ability to work with people came through to us in her application and her interview. Her instructor stresses her dedication, drive, passion, consistency, professional behavior and also her willingness to volunteer for every event that comes along.

Chantiyanna has been a customer service agent for several years and is currently a math tutor which she says provided skills she is transitioning into the skills that will help her to become successful in the culinary field.

In her essay she told us that “..every day, when I wake up, I am mis en placing for my life”

Her hope is to find a mentor who will fairly critique her so she can learn more, and introduce her to the culinary field beyond her own community. She is looking for a connection in any field who will recognize who she is and help her continually improve by sharing with her what they have learned.

We are pleased to announce that Chantiyanna has been awarded a $5000 scholarship. Continue reading “2013 Scholarship Recipients” →

The 2012 Les Dames d’Escoffier Scholarship applicants all hold the promise of leading Chicago’s culinary scene sometime in the future. Seven highly motivated, passionate culinary students stood out from the rest to earn this year’s Les Dames d’Escoffier Chicago Scholarships.

Applications were received from students at College of DuPage, DePaul University, Elgin Community College, The French Pastry School, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago, Kendall College, Lexington College, Robert Morris University–Institute of Culinary Arts, Triton College, Washburne Culinary Institute – and $30,000 worth of scholarships were awarded.

Please meet the 2012 Les Dames d’Escoffier Chicago scholarship winners:

Raynise Arrington, a student at Washburne Culinary Center, was awarded a $5,000 scholarship. She described culinary as “creating art that is edible,” that “brings joy to everyone.” The different foods are “like a big box of crayons.” Her earliest memory in the kitchen was baking cakes with her grandmother, where her job was to “sift the flour into a big mountain on the table.” Raynise’s unbridled passion was contagious as she described networking with culinary professionals at school and in the community, as well as when she explained a non-profit program she and friends from Continue reading “2012 Scholarship Recipients” →

Dames Gretchen Homan, Jean True, Patty Erd, Nancy Siler, Mary Abbott Hess and Judith Dunbar Hines attended the 14^th Annual Washburne Culinary & Hospitality  Showcase Dinner, May 3^rd, to honor Chicago Chapter scholarship recipients and Washburne students Raynise Arrington and Ashley Tezeno. 

2011 Scholarship winner Kristine White, thanked Les Dames for their support in her student address during the Awards Program.

Scholarship Committee Members Jean True and Gretchen Homan with this year’s Washburne Scholarship recipients (front row, l-r) Raynise Arrington and Ashley Tezeno. Kristine White, a 2011 Les Dames scholarship winner, is in the back row.

Congratulations!

 

Erin Winston Silva, a 2011 Les Dames Chicago scholarship winner is featured in The Pioneer Local. She and her husband Jonadab Silva recently opened Hota in Evanston, a fine dining establishment. They met a few years ago when the restaurant was Jacky’s on Prairie.

Read more about her journey and her recipe for Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Mousse Tart.

 

 

Seven highly motivated, professional and committed culinary students stood out from applicants for this year’s Les Dames d’Escoffier Scholarship Program. Applications were received from all the Chicago Culinary programs– Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago (formerly Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago), The French Pastry School, Kendall College, Lexington College, Robert Morris University–Institute of Culinary Arts, The Illinois Institute of Art, Washburne Culinary Institute – and a total $25,000 in scholarships were awarded.

Please meet the 2011 Les Dames d’Escoffier Chicago scholarship winners:

Ashley Marie DiBella, a Bachelors of Hospitality Management student at Robert Morris University, was awarded a $5,000 scholarship. This 20-year-old is extremely driven, taking both a train and bus to get to school, then working 30-40 hours a week for Il Poggiolo Italian Ristorante in Hinsdale. She already has earned three restaurant certificates. Ashley Marie and her 3 younger Continue reading “Scholarship Recipients – 2011” →