Meet the 2026 Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Cohort
Photo: ELL Creative
Mon, August 17, 2026
Today, we are excited to announce the 2026 cohort of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) program. WEL, a flagship initiative of the JBF Institute, is an eleven-week virtual program that provides advanced educational, training, and networking opportunities for owners or co-owners of brick-and-mortar food or beverage businesses in the United States.
This September, 21 participants will work to refine and articulate their goals and vision for their business(es), identify solutions to improve operations and internal systems, develop sustainable strategies to create a long-term strategy for growth and success, improve their leadership skills, and create a network of support with each other and the broader WEL community.
The 2026 WEL cohort overview:
21 women
Represent 14 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin
Own 34 businesses collectively
Report an average 2025 business revenue of over $4.2M; $90.2M collectively
Employ over 770 people collectively
Serve an average of 99,631 covers a year; 1.9M covers a year collectively
The 2026 WEL Cohort
Abbie Byrom-Botello
Truth BBQ
Houston, TX
Veronica Contreras
Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen
Tucson, AZ
Evelia Davis
Latha Restaurant & Bar, Griot Foods, and Soko
Phoenix, AZ
Maria Esquivel
XICA
San Francisco, CA
James Beard Award Semifinalist®
Patricia Estorino
Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar
Waltham, MA and Cambridge, MA
Evelyn Bernstein Fellow
Aimee Henkle
Echelon Wine Bar and Lost Creek Winery
Leesburg, VA
James Beard Award Nominee®
Rashida Holmes
Bridgetown Roti
Los Angeles, CA
Stephanie Kennedy-Mell
Church Street Family Hospitality
Huntsville, AL
Sabine Langer
Global Café and Farm Burger
Memphis, TN
Lisa Lee
James Beard Award Nominee®
Agnes and Sherman
Houston, TX
James Beard Award Semifinalist®
Cecelia Lizotte
Suya Joint
Boston, MA and Providence, RI
Annemarie Maitri
Bloom Bake Shop and Lallande
Madison, WI
James Beard Award Semifinalist®
Trinh Nguyen
Ramie, Ba Sa Restaurant, and Pho T&N
Seattle and Bainbridge Island, WA
Chef Bootcamp Alum and James Beard Award Semifinalist®
Kayla Pfeiffer
Bicyclette Cookshop, Heyday Cookshop, and Thank You Kindly Cookshop
Naples, FL
Zoemi Romero
Cencalli Taqueria and Agaveria
Littleton, CO
Gacia Tachejian
Laidrey Coffee Roasters
Tarzana, CA
Evelyn Bernstein Fellow and James Beard Award Nominee®
Ayesha Thapar
Cal-India Collective
Palo Alto, CA
Vy To
James Beard Award Semifinalist®
Almanac
Ogawa Sushi & Kappo
Philadelphia, PA
Samantha Weiss
Ayu Bakehouse
New Orleans, LA
Hannah Welton
James Beard Award Nominee®
Weltons Tiny Bakeshop
Charleston, SC
Courtney Zentner
James Beard Award Nominee®
Merci and The Drifter
Charleston, SC