LDEI Cleveland Announces Scholarship Winner

By Paris Wolfe

Gabrielle Shipta
LDEI Cleveland Scholarship Recipient

Gabrielle Shipta, 25, received the 2020 Culinary Scholarship, sponsored by the Cleveland Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI). She will use the $2,000 prize to help with tuition as she pursues an associate degree in Hospitality Management with a focus on Culinary Arts at Cuyahoga Community College.

Gabrielle has long been interested in nutrition. “I started getting really into it in middle school,” says the Seven Hills resident. “My mom taught me to read food labels and we ate pretty healthy. I became more interested in nutrition and cooking thanks to a home economics class. The passion derived from there in wanting to keep improving my own health and eating.”

That led her to the dietetics program at Ohio University. Like many students she changed direction her junior year. She says, “I had an epiphany and realized that I like a hands-on approach. I liked cooking and food science.”

And so, Gabrielle shifted focus to culinary nutrition. “I learned a lot and worked more in a kitchen setting. I realized then that I didn’t want to be in a clinical setting, but in a kitchen.”

She received a Bachelor of Science degree in applied nutrition from OU in 2017. She immediately took a job as a part-time sous chef developing culinary medicine in the Center for Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine at The Cleveland Clinic. There she works with Chef Jim Perko and helps patients learn more about food as medicine.

Working at The Cleveland Clinic expanded Gabrielle’s worldview and her desire for culinary skills. Thus, she enrolled in the two-year program at Cuyahoga Community College. Resistant to new student loans, she works two jobs – at The Cleveland Clinic and at Little Birdie Wine Nest in Parma – to earn tuition money.

“I really enjoy hospitality and being creative in the kitchen,” says Gabrielle. “I get pleasure out of serving others and what you can make and present. I like the busy-ness of it.”

During the COVID crisis, classes are online and work has changed. Gabrielle says she spends much more time at a desk. “I’m itching to get up and prep and cook. I miss the craziness and the hustle and bustle of the kitchen.”

Like a true millennial she eschews the idea of a favorite cookbook and prefers social media to inspire her personal cooking. “I use Pinterest,” she says. “I look on Instagram and watch videos. Then I’ll tweak ideas how I like them.”

When she finishes her culinary degree, Gabrielle, wants to work full time at The Cleveland Clinic. Long term she’d like to lead the Culinary Medicine Program and/or become an executive chef. “I want to make a difference in people’s lives through food. Whether it be demonstrating knife skills and cooking skills for an elderly couple wanting to live longer, or teaching quick, easy, healthful meals for a mom developing cooking memories in her children’s lives,” she says, “food is the driving force in my life.”

The LDEI Cleveland Chapter $2,000 scholarship is used to assist and promote women in the professions of food, wine and hospitality. “The award is based on academic accomplishments, career goals, culinary experience, professional and personal references, and financial need,” says Carol Hacker, chair of the Cleveland Chapter’s Scholarship Committee. “Gabrielle is an ideal winner.”

Reasons to Celebrate

By Elaine T. Cicora

Our annual LDEI meeting has become not only a time to plan for our chapter’s future, but a time to reflect upon the accomplishments of the past year. On that score, the 14 members who gathered at Toast, on Sept. 23, had much reason to feel proud.

At the top of the list, of course, was SummerDine19, which proved to be our most successful fundraiser ever, adding nearly $4,000 to our grants and scholarship fund and fully funding next year’s awards. Other highlights included the successful Dinner in the Dark with Dames fundraiser in June, which raised nearly $3,000 for our grants and scholarship fund; our first-ever $2,000 culinary scholarship award, made to Melissa Holden; and our $2,000 2019 Green Tables grant, made to Cleveland Roots. (If you wish to learn more about Cleveland Roots, be sure to register now for our Nov. 4 meeting, which will be held at the facility!)

In between our business meeting and the delicious dinner prepared for us by Toast chef-owner Jillian Davis, we took time to mark our ongoing commitments — to the chapter, to our mission and to each other — by taking part in our chapter’s first (but not last!) “pinning ceremony,” which saw each member receiving a lovely enamel membership pin. Membership chair Marcie Barker began the ceremony by pinning new member Jenn Wirtz. President Beth Davis-Noragon then introduced each of the other members in attendance, shared some kind words about them, and pinned them as well; fittingly, the first pins went to founding members Crickett Karson and Bev Shaffer. And finally, vice president Britt Horrocks pinned Beth Davis-Noragon. The board looks forward to making this a part of every annual meeting from now on, as a way to welcome new members and reinforce our commitments. (And who doesn’t love a little LDEI bling?!)

We also marked the occasion with our annual chapter photograph, taken by photographer Dame Beth Segal, on Toast’s patio. (You can see it on our Facebook page.) Thanks, as always, Beth, for your artful eye and generous support!

Beth Davis-Noragon closed the meeting by issuing a challenge, asking each member of the chapter to recruit and sponsor at least one new member in the coming year.
A doubling of our numbers would surely be something to celebrate in 2020!

LDEI Cleveland Chapter Announces Winner of the 2019 Culinary Scholarship

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Meet Melissa Holden!
Winner of the 2019 Culinary Scholarship

Sponsored by the Cleveland Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International

“A natural born leader.” “I trust her unconditionally.” “Consistently a team leader.” “Passionate.” “Truly deserving.” “Melissa doesn’t wait to be told who to help. She sees a need and takes action.” — excerpts from Melissa Holden’s 2019 letters of recommendation

Chef, community activist, mother of three college-aged children, and full-time student at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio – where she holds down a 3.85 GPA – Melissa Holden is winner of the 2019 Culinary Scholarship, sponsored by the Cleveland Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International.

This scholarship is awarded by the Cleveland Chapter of LDEI to a woman student enrolled in an accredited culinary program, who has permanent Ohio residency. The award is based on academic accomplishments, career goals, culinary experience, professional and personal references, and financial need. Awarded scholarship money goes directly to the school or institution in which the recipient is enrolled and must be used for tuition only.

Melissa’s victory was announced on April 20, 2019. As winner, she will receive $2,000 from the Cleveland Chapter to help support her culinary studies at Hocking College, where she is enrolled in two associate degree programs. She’ll earn her Culinary Arts degree in May; in December, she will complete her studies for a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management.

Melissa is also deeply committed to grassroots programs that improve food access. Beyond volunteering at food banks, she has been involved in projects for Live Healthy Appalachia and Local Matters Columbus. And as founder of Community Share, a community-based volunteer group that comes to the aid of families facing food insecurity, Melissa has been consulting with renowned Columbus restaurateur Cameron Mitchell to transition her organization into an official nonprofit.

In the past, Community Share volunteers have done everything from delivering holiday meals to families in need to manning a series of pop-up kitchens in some of Columbus’ neediest neighborhoods. Once her studies are complete, and the organization has attained its nonprofit status, Melissa aims to become Community Share’s Executive Director and transition full-time into nonprofit food-related programming.

Meantime, Melissa says, she is honored to have been chosen for the award.

The 49-year-old chef, who has been working in professional kitchens since 2006, says the scholarship application process gave her a chance to take hard look at her career path. “It really motivated me think about what I want to do with my future,” she says. “I love being a chef, but I am also ready for a new culinary challenge. This process has catapulted me into examining my goals and to really understanding that this can be a new start.”

Plans are underway for Melissa to meet our chapter membership in person sometime over the summer, and to receive a certificate reflecting the scholarship honor. Please keep an eye on our website’s Events page for more information.