James Beard Award-winner and Relais & Châteaux chef Barbara Lynch will be the featured guest speaker at the Center for Women & Enterprise's (CWE) 2021 virtual fundraiser and celebration: Celebrating Women Who Lift Up the World. Held annually, the event recognizes the clients who have worked with CWE over the years to start and grow successful businesses.

Barbara Lynch first connected with CWE when she was the featured Keynote at the 2016 Women Business Leaders Conference (WBLC). One of our most popular keynotes, she shared her inspiring story about growing up in South Boston and her journey to becoming a world-renowned chef and entrepreneur. Following that event Barbara attended the 2017 Auction & Gala where she generously auctioned off not one, but two dinners for 8 at her home.

Barbara started her career at age 13 as a cook at a local rectory. From there, she remained in the hospitality field, working with and learning from some of Boston's most recognizable culinary talents, including Todd English. Barbara's interests then took her to Italy, where she became intimately acquainted with the country's cuisine by working with local women. Then, in 1998, Barbara opened her first restaurant, the acclaimed No. 9 Park in Boston.

Now regarded as one of the world's leading chefs and restauranteurs, Barbara is the owner of The Barbara Lynch Gruppo, a successful collective of 7 establishments in the Boston area: B&G Oysters, The Butcher Shop, Drink, Menton, No. 9 Park, Sportello, and Stir.

Barbara's restaurants have received accolades from Bon Appetit, Esquire, the Boston Globe, AAA, and the Forbes Travel Guide. She is also an award-winning author and in 2017 was named as one of Time magazine's "Top 100 Most Influential People of the Year."

Read more about Barbara here.

CWE's virtual fundraiser will take place on June 17, 2021 from 6:30-8:00 PM. Registration is free and open to the public. Click here for more information about the event.