Featured Speaker for February 3rd, 2010

Elizabeth Marcotte is co-owner of five Let’s Dish! locations in Maryland and Virginia. She opened the first meal assembly stores in both Loudoun and Fairfax counties starting with the Ashburn location in 2005.

Under Ms. Marcotte’s leadership, Let’s Dish! has revolutionized the way busy families put dinner on the table. At any of the five store locations across Maryland and Virginia, customers make a month’s worth delicious and nutritious, freezer-ready meals in just two hours or less. Customers can also simply order meals online, and have them made (even shipped across the region!) by the Let’s Dish! dinner experts.

Over the past 5 years, Let’s Dish! has made mealtime a snap for over 90,000 area families. With a new menu each month, many customers return regularly to stock up on such favorites as Shrimp Scampi, Marinated Flank Steak, and Lemon and Dill Salmon or more exotic fare such as Moroccan Chicken with Cous Cous or Fusion Pork Tenderloins. The stores regularly offer special events including monthly date night, parent/kid sessions and more. Each year the company teams up with the local public school systems to provide area teachers with generous discounts and added food items for free. Through the annual October Pink Dish Campaigns, the company has donated hundreds of free dinners to local families who are impacted by breast cancer.   

The company currently employs over 200 people in Maryland and Virginia. Most of who work part-time, flexible schedules so they can manage home and family responsibilities.  Let’s Dish! won Product of the Year from the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce in 2007 and was voted Best Family Friendly Company by Families Magazine in 2009

Ms. Marcotte began her career as a banker on Wall Street, where she worked for Merrill Lynch Investment Banking. She has a degree in Managerial Economics from Union College and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

A decade ago, Ms Marcotte learned that she carries a genetic mutation that causes breast and ovarian cancer. She opted to undergo a prophylactic mastectomy, oopharectomy and reconstruction at that time, and is now known as a cancer “pre-vivor”. Having faced her own diagnosis head-on, Ms Marcotte regularly speaks out to encourage women to pro-actively manage their health care.

For her many efforts in the community, Ms. Marcotte was awarded 2008 Neighbor of the Year by Neighbors International.

Ms. Marcotte has been married for 16 years and lives in Great Falls with her husband and two children.