CLEVELAND, Ohio – Finalists have been announced for the 2026 pitch competition for women food and hospitality entrepreneurs.
The Cleveland chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International has announced the three women-led Northeast Ohio businesses that will compete for $6,000 in prizes at the Cleveland Garlic Festival on Saturday, Aug. 29.
Related: Garlic ice cream, Pop-Tarts, more coming to 17th Cleveland Garlic Festival
The competition supports women entrepreneurs in Northeast Ohio’s food, beverage, hospitality and related industries.
The finalists – representing businesses in Cleveland, Akron and Canton – will take the stage during a live pitch competition at the festival in Shaker Square. Each will have 15 minutes to present their business plan.
2026 finalists Saidah Farrell and Adenike Harper of KneadED
The cooperative bakery and cocoa café was created to provide cottage and home bakers with a collective space in Shaker Heights to sell goods year-round. The business also offers baking classes for adults and youth. If they win: Farrell and Harper would use the money to buy five additional mixers, enabling more students to participate simultaneously.
This year, KneadED was named one of five grand-prize winners of the 2026 Big Dreams Grant.
The grant is funded by online insurance platform Simply Business in partnership with nonprofit business accelerator Sky’s the Limit, which supports early-stage entrepreneurs. The grant recognizes standout small businesses with bold ideas and ambitions, providing funding, mentorship and resources.
KneadED was chosen from more than 6,500 applicants nationwide. The business was recognized for its innovative approach to community building, helping aspiring food entrepreneurs and local teens build futures.
Nicole Watters of Nicole’s Café
Watters owns Nicole’s Café inside Akron Municipal Courthouse. With downtown Akron continuing to rebuild, Watters sees an opportunity to expand the café’s reach beyond its weekday operating hours. If she wins: She would purchase two refrigerated vending machines to allow the café to serve customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Lindsey King of Walkie Talkie Espresso and Coffee
The neighborhood coffee shop is housed in a renovated 100-year-old former service station in Canton. King’s restoration of the building earned recognition from the Canton Preservation Society. Walkie Talkie is rooted in its neighborhood, reinvesting through partnerships with nonprofits and local artists. The shop is known for King’s inventive menu of seasonal coffee drinks. If she wins: She would buy a commercial glass-door refrigerator for expanded grab-and-go offerings and a new pastry case.
The competition will award $3,000 to the first-place winner, $2,000 to second place and $1,000 to third.
Finalists receive mentorship and support from Les Dames members, giving the entrepreneurs access to professional networks of women leaders across food, beverage and hospitality industries. The Cleveland chapter supports women in the region through education, mentorship, philanthropy and opportunities.
Dining and Cooking