libi | ליבי | my heart

The Libi Project is a mission-driven culinary community and creative studio uplifting early-stage entrepreneurs, creatives, and farmers.

We foster meaningful connections across the food and beverage industry through storytelling, thoughtfully designed programming, and spaces that celebrate craft, culture, and community. Our work creates opportunities for learning, collaboration, and alternative career pathways in food and beverage, supporting those who want to carve out a sustainable future beyond the traditional hospitality and restaurant model.

Culinary Industry Nights are the heart of The Libi Project. This quarterly event series brings together over 170 food and beverage professionals and more than 20 culinary brands. It creates space for chefs, culinary creatives, and farmers to connect, collaborate, and build community. From urban farmers and pastry chefs to food stylists, restaurant managers, cheesemongers, and fermentation fanatics, Culinary Industry Nights celebrate the diversity and depth of our industry.

Rooted in peer-to-peer learning and cross-disciplinary exchange, Culinary Industry Nights strengthen the food world from the inside out by building meaningful relationships and sharing knowledge. We spotlight innovative, purpose-driven work across the diverse F&B landscape and champion new paths forward for the industry.

Our Work

While these industry nights are central to our work, The Libi Project also collaborates on design-driven culinary events, career-driven workshops, and taste education experiences centered around food culture that uplift the craft, expertise, and creativity of food professionals.

Photography is also a vital part of The Libi Project’s work, documenting the stories of food and beverage professionals. Through visual storytelling, we celebrate brands rooted in food traditions, sustained by memory, and carried forward by community. By capturing the people, processes, and gatherings that shape this vibrant and evolving industry, we honor and amplify the voices driving it forward.

Team

  • Carli Gordon

    Founder

    My career sits at the intersection of food and community. I’m Carli, a Chicago native who made my way back to NYC by way of Italy, where I earned a master’s in World Food Cultures and Mobility from The University of Gastronomic Sciences. It was there that I deepened my understanding of the cultural, political, and social intersections shaping our global food system. These insights continue to guide my work today.

    In 2021, I returned to New York City to advance my career in the city’s vibrant food and beverage industry. After gaining experience in brand, operations, and events at leading organizations such as Eataly, BentoBox, Hot Bread Kitchen, and Resident Hospitality, I knew my ultimate goal was to carve out my own path and create a mission-driven food community space. I realized there weren’t enough opportunities for F&B professionals to connect, collaborate, and build partnerships in an intentional way. There also weren’t enough resources for early-stage entrepreneurs to find the support and guidance they needed to grow.

    That realization inspired me to start The Libi Project. At its core, I created industry nights to give back to the F&B professionals who work day in and day out to create beautiful culinary experiences for our communities and who want to build sustainable careers outside of a traditional restaurant & hospitality role. These professionals continue to shape our local food culture, often with limited opportunities for mentorship, career development, stability or even the chance to slow down and simply be supported. It’s also a space created for those like myself who are trying to carve out their own path in this industry that we all love and build something sustainable, meaningful, and personal.

    As I dove deeper into this work, I also began supporting early-stage entrepreneurs through First Course, a comprehensive starter pack that combines strategic insight, branding, and photography. The goal is to empower culinary creatives and help them build strong brand foundations that reflect the passion and creativity they bring to their craft.

  • Omer Kaplan

    Photography Director

    With a background in portraiture, Omer brings his intuitive approach to capturing the essence of chefs, restaurateurs, and culinary entrepreneurs. Whether working on editorial projects, brand campaigns, or documenting the behind-the-scenes of the culinary space, Omer's photography highlights the creativity and passion driving the industry.

    His work was featured in international magazines such as a photo essay in Vogue Italia, New York Magazine, French Fries Magazine, Exposure Haaretz, Wul, and Flanelle.