Mamma Mia! Eataly To Celebrate Women in Food and Wine

Eataly Dallas has invited some of North Texas’ top female chefs and restaurateurs to join its culinary team for the second annual Festa Della Donna on Thursday, March 7 in celebration of International Women’s Day.

The event combines the food and talents of women including Nikky Phinyawatana of Asian Mint, Franchesca Nor of Dive Coastal Cuisine, Amber Fletcher of Fletcher’s Corny Dog, Tida Pichakron from Haute Sweets Patisserie, and more who will be serve their specialties in the more than 50 food stations posted throughout the store for this exclusive party.

In addition to fabulous food, there will be live entertainment, a silent auction featuring exclusive dining events, and culinary and wine demonstrations.

There are some very cool things happening in the area food scene that go far beyond what’s cool and Instagrammable.

Get to know Jin-Ya Huang, a Bush Presidential Center Presidential Leadership Scholars Program fellow and creator of Break Bread, Break Borders, where refugee women earn a living by cooking. Ruth Thompson, founder and CEO of Hug’s Café which provides culinary training and employment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities was recently featured on the Kelly Clarkson Show will also be there.

VIP tickets cost $125 per person and include exclusive access to the Lavazza Lounge and 6 p.m. early access to the venue. General admission tickets provide entry at 7 p.m. and cost $95 per person. You can buy them here.

A portion of the proceeds of Festa Della Donna fund grants and scholarships administered by the Dallas chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, a nonprofit organization comprised of women in the culinary, hospitality, and related fields. Each of the women featured in this event are members of Les Dames Dallas chapter, one of the largest and most philanthropic chapters of the 43 international chapters.

Since its founding in 1985, Dallas Dames have created and fully funded academic endowments at the University of Texas, Texas Tech University, University of Houston, North Texas State, Texas Woman’s University, Grayson College, and Dallas College. To learn more about the Dallas Dames scholarships, visit the website or the specific school’s scholarship site.

Other notable members of the 40-year-old organization are the legendary chef, cookbook author and television personality Julia Child, Rosewood’s Caroline Rose Hunt, and Chef Lidia Bastianich whose products are sold in Eataly. I’m not particularly notable, but I, too, am a member of the Dallas chapter.

Here’s a full list of Dallas Dames participating in Festa Della Donna:

Mallorey Atkins – Farm to Belly Catering Company
Jennifer Bajsel – Getting Saucy
Lee Bednar – Profound Foods
Dunia Borga – La Duni Baking Studio
Kess Eshun – Kess Kravings LLC
Amber Fletcher – Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs
Jin-Ya Huang – Break Bread, Break Borders: Powered by TMWF
Paula Lambert – Mozzarella Company
Andrea Meyer – Bisous Bisous Pâtisserie
Franchesca Nor – Dive Coastal Cuisine
Nikky Phinyawatana – Asian Mint and ChefNikky.com
Tida Pichakron – Haute Sweets Patisserie
Andrea Shackelford – Harvest at the Masonic
Melissa Tate – Tate Farms
Ruth Thompson – Hugs Café Inc.
Robin Tottis – Archer Roose
Hao Tran – Hao’s Grocery & Cafe and Hao’s Cho Bep (Market & Kitchen)
Fana Yohannes – Carverpark

From the moment it opened three years ago, Eataly Dallas has consistently demonstrated its commitment the community with fun, delicious events.

How will Fletcher’s Corny Dogs play as Italian food? Buy your tickets to Festa Della Donna and find out!