The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) will celebrate women chefs and restaurateurs tomorrow at the 2015 Augie Awards leadership dinner. The event takes place at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Funds raised through ticket sales, sponsorships, and an online auction support scholarships for CIA students.

The CIA was founded by two dynamic women—Frances Roth and Katherine Angell, who opened the school to train returning World War II veterans in the culinary arts. Today, 50 percent of the college’s student population is female.

Created in tribute to famed French chef Auguste Escoffier, the Augie Awards celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of the foodservice industry's best chefs, visionaries and entrepreneurs. The 2015 recipients are:

·         Elena Arzak, chef and co-owner of Restaurant Arzak in San Sebastián, Spain.

·         Lidia Bastianich, chef, restaurateur, author, philanthropist, and television personality at New York-based Tavola Productions.

·         Dominique Crenn of San Fransisco-based Atelier Crenn. Crenn is  the first woman in America to receive two stars in the Michelin Guide.

·         Susan Feniger, chef, restaurateur, philanthropist, TV personality, author and winner of the California Restaurant Lifetime Achievement Award. She operates Border Grill, Mud Hen Tavern and others in Los Angeles.

·         Barbara Lynch, chef, restaurateur, philanthropist and author. Lynch is part of Grand Chef Relais et Châteaux, and was named Outstanding Restaurateur by the James Beard Foundation in 2014.

·         Chef and restaurateur Anne-Sophie Pic. Pic took over Maison Pic, her father’s restaurant in Valence, France, with no culinary training and gained its third Michelin star.

·         Nancy Silverton is a baker, chef, entrepreneur and educator. She was also named the James Beard Foundation’s Chef of the Year 2014. She operates Los Angeles-based Mozza Restaurant Group.