Members Only Events

Upcoming Events:

Reel Tasty & Dames Who Read 2025

Our foodie film and book discussions are great ways to gather informally with members for interesting, spirited conversations. If you have questions about Reel Tasty, contact Gail Forman at gailforman@comcast.net. Questions about Dames Who Read, contact Eileen Dykes at eileendykes@gmail.com. Please consider hosting either a book or movie discussion; Gail and Eileen have lists of suitable movies and books to aid with your selection. All discussions take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Reel Tasty is via Zoom; Dames Who Read is a hybrid of Zoom and in-person.

Reel Tasty:

  • Monday, May 19

  • Monday, September 15

Dames Who Read:

  • Monday, June 16

  • Monday, October 21

Reel Tasty, Monday, June 16: 7 to 8:30 p.m: The Secret of the Grain (AKA Couscous) 2007. Original Title: La Graine et le Mulet. Winner of four Cesar Awards, including best picture and director. Slimane, the divorced head of a Franco-Arabic family living in France, pursues his dream of converting a dilapidated boat into a family restaurant that will specialize in the fish couscous that his ex-wife, Souad, prepares for the entire family every Sunday. “With sensitivity and grit, The Secret of the Grain celebrates the role food plays in family life and gets to the core of contemporary immigrant experience,” says Amazon. Available on Kanopy and Amazon. Discussion moderated by Gail Forman. Please RSVP to gailforman@comcast.net if you are planning to attend the meeting. Of course, last-minute drop-ins are always welcome.


Note: After this session, Reel Tasty and Dames Who Read will be on vacation until the fall. Stay tuned.
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3019868540

Spring General Membership Meeting: It’s time to register for our Spring General Membership Meeting to be held Monday, June 23 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. It is held virtually so all members from across the region can easily attend. This important meeting provides a glimpse into the activities of our chapter, a look at our finances, goals for the year, and how you can make the most from your membership. We are thrilled to welcome this year’s new members, present the 2025 grant recipients, review the draft budget for 2025-2026 for your approval, and more. Sign up here.

Dames Volunteer Day at Lederer Gardens, Washington, DC

Green Tables is excited to announce a special opportunity to volunteer together at a weekly veggie giveaway at one of DC/DPR’s Communal Farms, Lederer Garden, on Wednesday, June 11 from 10 am – 1pm.

Volunteers will help harvest, bag, and distribute produce, and do other farm work as needed.

In the 2024 growing season, DPR Communal Farms grew and gave away 14,000 pounds of produce to hundreds of community members in need.

Lederer Garden is located at 4801 Nannie H. Burroughs Avenue, NE. Street parking is available on Nannie H. Burroughs next to the farm.

Bring a water bottle, gardening gloves (if you have them), and a snack. Tools and extra gloves will be provided.

Space is limited to 10 participants. Members, please RSVP to Dame Danielle Cook at dcnavidi@mac.com by June 4th. If you are interested in a carpool, mention this when you RSVP. Nonmembers welcome if spots remain.

Past Events:

Sip, Savor & Socialize

Guests enjoyed a fun and delicious evening on May 20 at the National Press Club with prosecco, light bites, passed canapes and a brief discussion and sampling of cachaca, a Brazilian distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice. Peter Banks, founder and CEO of Cachacier, spoke about the spirit while attendees sipped two drinks made with it–Rabo de Galo (aged cachaca, sweet vermouth and bitters) and a Caipirinha Fizz (cachaca, lime juice, simple syrup and club soda). Thanks to Michelle Licht, Director of Events at The National Press Club, for hosting the event.

Volunteer Day at DC Central Kitchen

On April 10, about a dozen Dames swelled the ranks of daily volunteers at DC Central Kitchen’s busy Klein Center for Jobs and Justice at Buzzard Point. Mel Gold, who has served as DCCK’s director of marketing and communications for the past four years, co-directed the Dame volunteers on a pre-shift tour of the kitchens, training spaces, and resource center.

Tasks given to Dames, which were focused on creating meals for DC schools, included chopping a mountain of onions, scrambling huge trays of just-steamed eggs; prepping trays of croissants; mixing mega bowls of sweet potato hash; filling containers of salads and dressings, and more.

Mel put it best: “Food is what has brought all of us to Les Dames,” she said. “Spending the morning together chopping, stirring, and scooping up pans of veggies all while catching up and getting to know each other better was a true distillation of what this organization is meant to achieve.”

Bringing It to the Table 2025: A Day of Connection, Conversation, and Culinary Inspiration

On March 8, 2025, Les Dames d’Escoffier Washington, D.C. Regional Chapter proudly hosted its biennial symposium, Bringing It to the Table. The event brought together a vibrant community of food, beverage, and hospitality professionals for a day of learning, networking, and celebrating the impact women have had on the industry. Held at the Kellogg Conference Hotel at Gallaudet University, the symposium drew an engaged crowd of chefs, restaurateurs, writers, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, and food lovers from across the region.

The day featured thought-provoking panel discussions and interactive workshops—all led by the DMV’s most dynamic women in the industry. Topics ranged from the future of low- and no-alcohol beverages and bread making at home to navigating workforce challenges and advancing gut health. For the first time, the symposium included Table Talks over lunch—intimate, engaging conversations between attendees and speakers, paired with a menu crafted from original recipes by members of our chapter. 

This year also marked the debut of the Goody Solomon Plenary, honoring one of our chapter’s founding members, and featuring a powerful discussion on how women are transforming media, sustainability, restaurants, and advocacy in the DMV’s food landscape.

Winter Potluck, Sunday, January 26

Many thanks to Debbie Moser for opening her home for our annual winter get-together, where we catch up over great food and conversation.