News 12’s Samantha Crawford is in the Alert Center profiling women who are making a difference in the Hudson Valley.

First as a journalist, and now as a cook - Leslie Lampert has always been a woman who loves to serve.

Lampert is the founder of Ladle of Love.  They have multiple locations in the area and all focused on creating healthy, delicious meals from local farms for people in need, local organizations like the Mount Kisco Boys and Girls Club, and those who just want to watch what they eat.

She opened shop 18 years ago, making Ladle of Love the first locally sourced takeout option nearby.

It may be hard to switch careers, but her advice is to go for it.  "That's a lesson I want to tell a lot of people. For anyone who is contemplating starting a business, whether in the food business or something else, if it matters to you, it is going to matter to somebody else," advises Lampert.

If you'd like to check out what's cooking in the Ladle of Love kitchen, click here.