The San Francisco Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International Awards the 2025 Karola Saekel Craib Excellence in Food Journalism Fellowship to MacKenzie Chung Fegan
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, October 29, 2025 — The San Francisco Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI-SF) is pleased to announce MacKenzie Chung Fegan as the 2025 recipient of the Karola Saekel Craib Excellence in Food Journalism Fellowship. This philanthropic organization of women leaders in food, fine beverage, and hospitalityawards this fellowship annually to a promising Bay Area woman or nonbinary food journalist who has worked fewer than 10 years, full time, in the field of food journalism. The $5,000 award, named in honor of the former San Francisco Chronicle reporter who helped lead the way for women journalists in the Bay Area, is presented as an acknowledgement for good works and as encouragement to continue writing and to remain in the field of journalism.
MacKenzie Chung Fegan became the restaurant critic for the San Francisco Chronicle in 2024. Previously, Fegan was a senior editor at Bon Appétit, and her writing on the intersection of food, drinks, culture, and politics has appeared in GQ, Playboy, Vice, Paper, and Wine Enthusiast. Her profile of chef Brandon Jew for Resy appears in the 2021 edition of “The Best American Food Writing,” an annual compilation of the year’s top food writing, published by Harper Collins. Fagan also won the 2025 James Beard Foundation Award for “Emerging Voice in Journalism.”
“I’m so grateful to be recognized by Les Dames d’Escoffier, and I’m honored to be joining the ranks of current and former Chronicle journalists Esther Mobley and Soleil Ho as a recipient of this fellowship,” said Fegan upon hearing the unexpected news.
"For fifteen years now, the Karola Saekel Craib Excellence in Food Journalism Fellowship has recognized and supported women food journalists chronicling critical food industry issues, the evolving world of food, wine, restaurants, and hospitality, and dramatic shifts in food culture," said Kara Nielsen, president of LDEI-SF. "Supporting these vital and informative voices is an honor for Les Dames d’Escoffier-San Francisco. We thank Karola’s family for this enduring legacy and its impact, along with many generous donors among our chapter and community. In 2025, with new threats to free speech and freedom of the press, we are especially proud to support MacKenzie Chung Fegan, a newspaper reporter with a unique and nuanced analysis of the Bay Area’s food world.”
The review committee, which includes journalists and Les Dames d’Escoffier membersJanet Fletcher and Margo True, as well as several past recipients, evaluated each nominee. The selection process is by confidential nomination, and nominees are anonymous except to the committee and reviewers. Not even the journalists know they have been nominated. Since there is no application process, evaluations are based on published works. The goal of the monetary award is to make a difference in the recipient’s career by providing support, acknowledgment, and incentive.
Confidential nominations for the fellowship are received throughout the year, reviewed in the summer, and awarded in the fall. For more information about the fellowship, its nomination process, and past recipients, please visit lesdamessf.org/Fellowship.
About Les Dames d’Escoffier International
LDEI is an international organization of women leaders who support excellence in the food, beverage and hospitality fields. To this end, 2,600 members in 42 chapters worldwide provide leadership, educational opportunities and philanthropy within their communities. For more information, visit LDEI.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. More information on The San Francisco chapter of LDEI can be accessed at lesdamessf.org. Follow the San Francisco chapter activities on Instagram.
Media Contacts
Announcement Queries
Tara Blazona
SF Chapter Communications Committee Member
415-519-1182 / tara@quotedpr.com
General Fellowship Queries
Roberta Klugman & Jennifer Newens, Co-Chairs, Karola Saekel Craib Excellence in Food Journalism Fellowship
510-928-1446 / rklugman@robertaklugman.com
415-845-5798 /jennifernewens@sbcglobal.net
General SF Chapter Queries
Carrie Tillie
Chapter Communications Chair
carrie@carolyntillie.com
