Carla Briggs & Mina Seck to be Honored
Les Dames d'Escoffier International New Orleans will honor the achievements and work of community leaders Carla Briggs and Mina Seck at the 2025 Leading from the Heart Awards Breakfast.
This event, which will take place on March 25, Tuesday, at Alma Cafe's Mid-City location, honors their contributions for promoting hospitality, service, community empowerment, and local charities for the wider New Orleans community.
Les Dames d'Escoffier International New Orleans is an international organization focused on philanthropy from women leaders in the food, beverage, and hospitality industries. The organization is dedicated to organizing food-related events and providing scholarships to women pursuing or advancing careers in the culinary arts across its 44 chapters. Through their Leading from the Hearts Awards Breakfast initiative, proceeds from the event support their mission to further their goals in the hospitality sector and foster a culture of excellence and community service within the industry.
About Carla Briggs
Carla Briggs is the founder of Viola's Heritage Breads, a bakery dedicated to honoring the contributions of people of color in the culinary world. Born and raised in New Orleans, Briggs was inspired by the women in her family who cooked and baked in well-revered kitchens and bakeries, often without recognition. She pursued formal training in baking and pastry arts at Johnson & Wales University and has over 20 years of professional experience in the field.
About Mina Seck
Mina Seck serves as the Community Food Director at SproutNOLA, a nonprofit organization focused on developing an equitable community food system by supporting small-scale growers in New Orleans. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Seck developed a passion for cooking and fresh foods from a young age, influenced by her family's love for gardening and cooking.
After earning a bachelor's degree in communications from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Seck traveled to France and Spain to work on farms, deepening her understanding of food production and biodynamic farming. She honed her culinary skills at esteemed establishments such as Commander's Palace, Angeline, and Carmo. She also launched her own pop-up and catering company, BeetsNThyme, which combined her love for gardening with culinary arts by offering gardening workshops, menu planning, and cooking classes.
At SproutNOLA, Seck leads initiatives related to community food systems, including managing the community garden, Truck Farm Table, and providing resources like plants, seeds, and tools to local farmers. She also engages in urban agriculture programming and collaborates on local partnerships and policy work aimed at enhancing food accessibility and sustainability in the region.
Her $2,500 grant will fund new community classes focused on the arts, herbalism, and cooking, including teacher stipends, materials, and supplies for the next generation of cooks and young entrepreneurs.
More Info
With doors opening at 9 a.m., anyone can join in on honoring these community leaders provided they reserve a seat with a ticket in order to enjoy the occasion and a extraordinary plated breakfast and bar for all to enjoy. Tickets cost $55 and include the plated breakfast.
