When Dames dine together, abundance comes naturally—plates circulate, glasses stay filled and conversation flows easily. At the annual Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) conference in Las Vegas, that spirit was unmistakable during an evening at Elizabeth Blau’s welcoming Honey Salt, just 20 minutes off the Strip.
In her keynote, Blau distilled mentorship to its essentials: visibility, leading by example and challenging the status quo. She truly embodies that philosophy. Throughout our evening at Honey Salt, her hospitality set the tone as dishes arrived generously—many sent out gratis by Blau herself—encouraging us to sample widely from her approachable, ingredient-driven menu.
What followed was a lively, communal meal. We shared nearly every dish, passing plates and pouring wine (Nebbiolo Ceretto, $80).
Highlights of our starters included a vibrant crudité ($20) with garden vegetables, shishito peppers, sumac chickpea hummus, baba ganoush, olive oil and papadum; Grandma Rosie’s turkey meatballs ($16) with rich tomato and caramelized onion ricotta; and chargrilled Iberico pork ribs, brightened with candied orange peel and pickled Fresno onion. Each dish invited another taste—and another conversation.
After enjoying a number of Honey Salt’s comforting entrees, we indulged in desserts that were equally spirited: Basque cheesecake with lemon curd and blueberry compote, a decadent chocolate-and-banana cake layered with mousse and ganache, and a “Brookie” topped with McConnell’s salted caramel chip ice cream. I ended with an espresso martini—an indulgent, fitting close…