Meet the Team behind Diner en Blanc New York
Diner en Blanc New York returns for its 14th edition on October 1, bringing thousands of guests together for another unforgettable evening in white. Behind the tables, the spectacle and signature New York energy come from a dedicated team of leaders, collaborators, and production professionals who make the seemingly impossible happen. At the helm are Elizabeth Ashe and Sandy Safi, two experienced producers whose very different worlds come together to create one extraordinary evening.
Meet Elizabeth Ashe
Elizabeth Ashe is a television showrunner whose career has taken her to more than 30 countries, producing everything from international adventure series to culinary extravaganzas. Along the way, she has worked with celebrated chefs, motorcycle enthusiasts, musicians, stunt performers, athletes and assorted people who probably should not have been given access to heavy machinery.
She joined Diner en Blanc New York in 2025 as a producer and co-host, quickly becoming part of the team responsible for wrangling the countless moving pieces behind a dinner party for a few thousand people in the middle of New York City.
When she isn't producing large-scale events and television, Elizabeth's interests include cooking, motorcycles, horses, dogs of questionable provenance and financially dubious European real estate deals.
Meet Sandy Safi
Sandy Safi is President and owner of Diner en Blanc International, the Montréal-based company behind one of the world's most iconic dining experiences. She leads a global brand spanning 60 cities and a community of more than 2 million members, overseeing the logistical puzzle of bringing thousands of people together in secret locations to create extraordinary evenings in a matter of minutes.
An entrepreneur, connector and enthusiastic solver of logistical puzzles, Sandy loves turning ambitious ideas into reality and, even more, the people she meets along the way. She has been lending her savoir-faire to Diner en Blanc New York since its inaugural event
Her latest obsession is building a global community for food lovers who are willing to travel for an unforgettable meal or experience. When she isn't working on a concept she is still perfecting, Sandy can usually be found chasing great food, interesting people and beautiful beaches. She believes the best ideas usually start around a table, preferably with Champagne.
And behind them, a team that makes it happen
Of course, an event of this scale never comes together with two people alone. Working alongside Elizabeth and Sandy are Head Leaders Darielle Hertz and Jim Rosario, whose leadership and experience help bring the many moving pieces together.
Darielle Hertz
Darielle joined Diner en Blanc New York as a guest in 2015, and nine editions later, she has passionately taken every volunteer seat at the table and became Head Leader in 2024. She loves turning strangers into one joyful dinner party.
A native New Yorker and real estate broker, she thrives on connecting people with places where memories are made. Her goal is for every guest to feel at home.
Jim Rosario
Jim has participated in 13 Diner en Blanc events over the past 14 years, and it's been incredibly rewarding to bring his professional training and leadership experience to teams in both my hometown of New York City and my adopted city of Washington, DC. Outside of Diner en Blanc, Jim is passionate about helping people on their wellness journeys, planning our next overseas adventure, and being perpetually, and happily, bossed around by my dog, Pugzilla.
From production and logistics to guest experience, communications, volunteers and the many collaborators working behind the scenes, Diner en Blanc New York is powered by a team that knows how to turn an ambitious idea into a few extraordinary hours.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
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2026 Theme: Une Soirée Parisienne - La Belle Époque
