A caterer from suburban Vancouver BC and culinary career counselor from Austin TX have won the 2009 LDEI Legacy Awards in Culinary and Wine. These one-week internships were created to give young women, who are not Dames, a firsthand opportunity to learn more about the culinary and wine professions from some of our most accomplished Dames.

Rebecca Troelstra, (left) Executive Chef at Mizuna Culinary in Langley, BC will spend a week with Dames Alison Awerbuch and Abigail Kirsch at Abigail Kirsch Culinary Productions in New York.

Erin Taylor, (right) Director of Career Services at Texas Culinary Academy in Austin, will travel to the Columbia Valley in Washington State and work with Dames Kay Simon of Chinook Vineyards and Trish Gelles of Klipsun Vineyards, for a hands-on experience in winemaking and viticulture. 

"Working hand-in-hand with Dames in the industries represented by our membership, our hope is to imbue a lasting legacy of knowledge and expertise to the lucky winners so that they will continue to grow and mentor other women in culinary careers," said Suzanne Brown, president, LDEI. "In other words, a 'lasting legacy in perpetuity.'"

Serving on the Legacy Awards Committee were Lila Gault, chair, Toria Emas and Abilgail Kirsch with Alice Gautsch Foreman serving as LDEI Board Liaison. "We had two truly outstanding candidates among the applicants", Lila explains. "It is very exciting to launch the Legacy Awards with such deserving recipients."

Rebecca and Erin will be writing about their experiences for The Quarterly.