Les Dames of London

Welcome to our 2011-2012 Members page.  If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact Sue Carter (sue@lesdameslondon.org) or send a message via our contacts page.

Valentina Harris  (President) 

is an established author and broadcaster, specializing in Italian food.

She runs culinary

tours in Italy and France, and organizes large scale

culinary events; producing and organizing chef’s theatres for

food

exhibitions and food festivals. She also works as a private chef,

as a food stylist and food journalist. Website

Jacqui Pickles (Vice-President) Private chef and consultant since 1986 having trained in France and in London at Le Gavroche with Albert Roux. Event management worldwide, cookery school teaching and consultancy work in food retail and production have supplemented her essential work as a freelance chef for both corporate and private clients

Sue Carter (Treasurer and Secretary) co-founded The Cellar, a fine wine store in Austin Texas until 2001, then became Wine Coordinator for the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival. She was promoted to Festival Director in 2007. She relocated to England in 2009 where she continues to write about wine and blog about restaurants.

Joanne Cooke runs the popular supper club, the Pimlico Table, and has worked with the likes of Valentina Harris, Franco Taruschio, GianCarlo and Katie Caldesi, Richard Bertinet, Sophie Grigson and many more established chefs.  Website 

Catherine Gazzoli  is CEO of of Slow Food UK Trust.  She leads Slow Food UK, a not-for-profit organisation, with key charitable objectives of educating the public in British food heritage from production to food skills, promoting healthy eating, British agriculture and artisan food products, and championing biodiversity. She is also a keen home cook & baker.  Website

Ailana Kamelmacher  set up Story PR in 1998 to specialise in working with premium food and drink brands. Her clients range from hand crafted artisan spirits to innocent drinks. Working across all media platforms and increasingly with social media, her team works to create inspiring stories that capture the imagination and deliver business results  Website

Marianne Lumb - A classically trained chef with wide experience in all aspects of the food industry (both freelance and employed) in the UK and internationally including: cooking in professional kitchens (Michelin) and private houses; teaching; recipe development for companies; menu development for restaurants and also a best-selling book on kitchen knife skills. Expert media skills gained through participation in Professional Masterchef followed by varied appearances on live TV and radio. Website 

Sancha Starkey -  Encourages everyone to cook seasonal and local foods to the best of their ability, to ensure they get the best produce and value for money.  With a classical training and long experience of home cooking she likes to share how achievable and affordable good home cooking can be and how with a few simple flourishes entertaining becomes easy. Most recently working with Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall at River Cottage.

Orietta Bartalini - Olive oil producer, importer and retailer of oil and other delicacies, holder of olive oil masterclasses, organising and holding cookery lessons/holidays and food events.

Naina Bhedwar - Teaches lesser known aspects of Indian cookery to the Western kitchen, in sharing her passion for cooking the food of the Parsis of India. Originally from Ancient Persia this community’s food combines spices with dried fruits, meat and vegetables. Teaches in the home or at cookery schools.

Clare Marriage - Founder and CEO of a farm based food company, specializing in gourmet and special diet cereal based foods. Director of Slow Food UK, Director of Bucks Berks & Oxon Food Group CIC & Honorary Life Member of the Soil Association. Served FFB & Defra in the establishment of organic food standards and past Chair of the SA Food Processing Committee.

Yael Rose - An event organizer, specializing in food events. Currently runs The Chocolate Festival in London Southbank Centre twice a year, and in Brighton and Oxford once a year. The Cheese & Wine Festival and Tea & Coffee Festival run twice a year in London Southbank Centre. The events aim to showcase and promote fine artisanal produce as well as educate people about processes, and share the best recipes using the products on show.