The Nashville chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) has long been recognized as a standout among the global group, which brings together professional women in the culinary world to support fellow artisans in the industry. The umbrella group must also love Nashville, the city, because it has chosen Music City to host its first M.F.K. Fisher Symposium for Women in Food & Storytelling, which is scheduled for April 4 and 5.
The two-day event will honor iconic food writer M.F.K. Fisher, who is also the namesake of a major award for culinary literature. (Local Dame Erin Byers Murray was the recipient of the award for her 2014 essay “Sense of Self.”)
The symposium will take place in various venues around Nashville, including the Nashville Public Library downtown, and will feature topics ranging from the economic realities of freelancing to digital storytelling. Special sessions on writing cookbooks and pitching to agents and publishers are also on the docket.
Other highlights of the agenda include a conversation between renowned American food writer Toni Tipton-Martin and legendary NYT food critic Ruth Reichel, as well as a retrospective on the career of recently departed Southern food expert Nathalie Dupree. Of course there will also be eating during opportunities for attendees to network with other women in the field. I imagine some local restaurateurs might be a tad nervous having all of these talented food writers in town at the same time, but I’m confident our food community will show off well!
Scholarships are available to help offset the cost of attendance, and applications are currently being accepted for these three opportunities:
- The Toni Tipton-Martin Scholarship, with the support from the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts
- The Joan Reardon Scholarship, sponsored by Les Dames Chicago
- Susan Kornblatt Idell Sonoma Chapter Scholarship for Bay Area Women, sponsored by Les Dames Sonoma
Registration is now open at the event website with discounted pricing for LDEI members. Get ready to welcome this august group with open arms and full plates, Nashville!
