The work that LDNY has done in the past years is remarkable. To keep our organization in the forefront, we seek socially-conscious sponsors to partner with us as we support the emerging young women in our industry through scholarships, education, and networking. We are excited to now include farmers and other grass-roots food producers to our organization as they help us round out our distinguished membership. We look forward to reaching our goals with the support of our members and partners.
Barbara Sibley was born and raised in Mexico City. An anthropologist, she collected traditional, rare, and ancient Mexican recipes, following the traditions of the Mayoras, the women leaders of Mexican kitchens. Her extensive experience led her to open La Palapa Cocina Mexicana in 2000. La Palapa has been awarded the “Disctinctivo” by the Sabores Autenticos de Mexico Foundation. In 2022 she was named Operator of the Year by the Industry Excellence Awards at the Food and Restaurant Expo and La Palapa was Gender Equity Restaurant of the Year by One Fair Wage and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. She is a member of James Beard Foundation Women Entrepreneurial Leadership program. Sibley co-authored the cookbook, Antojitos: Festive and Flavorful Mexican Small Plates and is a featured contributor to many cookbooks.
Jill Kreutzer Orent is an expert in the Home Products industry, specializing in Product Development and Marketing of Small Kitchen Appliances. She started her career in retail at Bloomingdale’s in merchandising and buying roles, before moving to the watch industry. Jill honed her skills as Sr. Vice President of Marketing at Cuisinart, Vice President at Groupe SEB (makers of All-Clad, Krups and T-fal brands), and currently as Vice President, Global Small Appliances at The Cookware Company, makers of GreenPan, GreenLife and Blue Diamond brands. Jill is known as a trusted leader, with extensive experience in brand growth, business strategy and product innovation. Jill has served as co-chair of the Mentorship Committee and Scholarship Committee.
Wanda Mann, Jen O’Flanagan, Jenifer Lang, Sharon Franke, Joan Brower, Linda Lawry, Margaret Happel Perry, Melanie Young, Beth Allen, Deborah Mintcheff, Mary Ellen Griffin, Shelley Clark, Emily Snyder, Alison Awerbuch, Lila Gault, Jan Turner Hazard
Each vetted LDNY member is a respected professional in her area of specialization, from longstanding thought leaders to rising stars and change-makers. As our membership, collective expertise and inclusivity continue to grow, our organization embodies the many professions and skills of today’s culinary industry as a whole.
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Pat Cobe is senior editor at Restaurant Business, a B2B publication for the restaurant industry. She covers the menu beat, writing about food, beverage and restaurant trends, the research and development behind menus, and profiles of chefs and restaurateurs. Pat also co-hosts Menu Talk, a weekly podcast that covers a wide range of menu topics through interviews with chefs and operators. Previously, Pat worked at Hearst Magazines as an executive editor for special publications. As a freelancer, she wrote articles and developed recipes for the consumer media, including Ladies’ Home Journal, Redbook and Woman’s Day. She started her career at Good Housekeeping in the test kitchen, then moved on to Scholastic Magazines as a food editor. Pat is also the co-author of the Mompreneurs series of books as well as two cookbooks—The Kosher Gourmet and The American Heart Association’s Kids’ Cookbook. Pat graduated from Cornell University and earned a Masters in Journalism from Boston University. She has served on the Les Dames d’Escoffier Board for both the New York and Chicago chapters and has co-chaired the Scholarship Committee and Membership Committee. She also serves as a longtime judge for the James Beard Media Awards.
