In February, the Michelin Awards were presented in Glasgow, Scotland in the United Kingdom and Ireland section. However, there was a massive gender disparity among the winners, only one of whom was a woman.
The lack of women chefs is apparent in the incident at the awards ceremony, where the sole female Michelin winner, Emily Roux was given a male chef’s jacket to wear. According to Mike Daw of The Standard, she said, “Mistakes happen, but I was the only woman on the stage and they could have made an effort.”
This gender gap is not just an issue in the UK and Ireland, but rather a worldwide issue- why aren’t female chefs being recognized at high levels such as the Michelin awards? According to WorldChefs’ Clare Crowe Peterson, “A study conducted in 2022 found that of the 2,286 Michelin-starred restaurants spanning 16 countries, just 6% were led by women.”
This study shows what is abundantly clear, women are severely underrepresented at the highest level of the restaurant industry- the Michelin Guide.
It isn’t the lack of women in the industry, because according to Molly Codyre of Foodism, “56% of people who work hospitality are female,” but rather the challenges of staying in it, marked by sexual harassment and inappropriate comments, that hold women back from getting to the highest level of cooking.
In an open letter to The Telegraph, 70 bold female chefs rebutted a claim made by a recently interviewed restauranteur that sexism wasn’t an issue in his kitchens, saying, “Sexism has been and remains a pervasive issue in [the restaurant] industry, shaping the culture of our kitchens in ways that diminish the potential and contributions of countless talented women. From inappropriate comments and behaviours to unequal opportunities for advancement, these experiences hinder not only individual careers, but the growth and innovation of our industry as a whole.”
Gender diversity in the restaurant and hospitality industries should not be an issue- women should be leading, working and cooking in the kitchen, and recognized for their work in it.
Being a chef wasn’t really a career path for women in the past, CCHS food truck sous-chef Joe Guerrero says, “and I think having been a male-dominated industry for such a long time, we’re behind [other industries in gender diversity].
“I think that women cooks and chefs have to work three or four times harder just to prove themselves; these chefs grind night and day and they sacrifice so much of their personal life to get these [Michelin stars] so [that everyone] can feel comfortable in the kitchen,” Guerrero also said.
This shows that the few women who are in high levels in the restaurant industry should be elevated, encouraged and respected for their hard work.
