Rachel Mueller: Leading Les Dames d’Escoffier with a Lifelong Commitment to Service
Many of you know Rachel Mueller as a familiar face in our community—whether from her 18 years of volunteer work with I-HELP, her homemade meals at St. Dunstan’s, or her leadership in local food and wine events.
As board president of the local Les Dames d’Escoffier chapter, Rachel continues to champion the organization’s mission of supporting women in the culinary arts. Under her leadership, the chapter remains actively engaged in the community through events like the Carmel Bach Festival and MEarth Day, always with an emphasis on hospitality and showcasing Monterey County’s best in food and wine.
Rachel’s path to this role is anything but conventional. A trained dancer who became a successful investment firm manager, then a retail business owner, she eventually found her way back to what she learned as a child—that giving back is simply part of life. As the daughter of an Episcopal priest, she grew up helping in church kitchens and setting extra places for homeless guests her father brought home.
“I grew up poor… But it was never really about money, it was always about helping other people,” she says. “There are so many people who hurt. It doesn’t take much to change that.”
Click Here to read the full story behind Rachel’s remarkable journey at Monterey County Weekly.
Original reporting by Dave Faries, Monterey County Weekly (June 11, 2026)
Photo by Daniel Driefuss