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By Dr. Evangelia (Lia) Marinakou: Have female chefs chopped their way to the top?
Barriers for success
The challenging working conditions and the entrenched occupational culture in commercial kitchens pose significant barriers for women pursuing careers in the culinary field. Recent movements, such as #MeToo, have brought issues like sexual harassment to the forefront, revealing the pervasive gender-based discrimination within the sector. Professional kitchens remain predominantly male-dominated, with only a few women managing to break through the barriers and gain recognition as top chefs. The hospitality sector is facing chef shortages in the UK with a 21% vacancy rate, leading food businesses to diversify their recruitment strategies. Nevertheless, in the UK, the number of women leading kitchens at Michelin-starred restaurants is notably low, highlighting the ongoing challenges they face in achieving such prestigious roles. Interestingly, of the 250,000 chefs in the UK, only 46,000 (18.5%) are women. The first women to achieve a Michelin star were Eugenie Brazier and Marie Bourgeois in 1933. Other female chefs have followed, but still are few (only 10) among the 130 Michelin-star chefs worldwide.
The ‘glass ceiling’ phenomenon refers to a metaphor for the barriers preventing women from reaching higher levels of professional success.
Societal barriers refer to conditions or factors that hinder people from functioning within a certain context leading to lack of advancement or exclusion. We could say that gender is something we think, something we do, and something we make accountable to others. Studies propose that gender, gender roles and gender identity are negotiated through social interactions, rituals, practices found in a specific context including professional kitchens. Male chefs are seen as the creators whereas female chefs are in a state of ‘being’ in the kitchen. In an interview a NYC chef, Camille Becerra stated “I decided to take some time off from restaurant life for two years. During my kitchen sabbatical, I focused on food styling, writing, and teaching”. The power dynamics between the genders are shaped by societal perceptions of masculinity and femininity, which create an environment in professional kitchens where women are often confronted with the assumption of male dominance. These gendered expectations shape the rules and norms women must navigate to succeed in such spaces. Social interaction, linguistic acts, social rituals, symbols and practices are abundant in kitchens. Therefore, gender roles determine how individuals will interact and who will dominate the group in this case, men!
Organizational barriers are linked to the occupational and organizational culture. Kitchens have traditionally been male dominated, demonstrating similarities to those of the military in terms of operations and hierarchy. The macho culture in kitchens makes this working environment hostile and intimidating for women where misogynist language and behavior are evident, including incidents with drugs, alcohol, harassment and physical toughness. Female chefs being interviewed claim that “it can be very difficult to prove yourself as a female chef. Often it feels like you need to exceed the performance of your male peers in order to get recognised. The industry is improving on this, however there is still a way to go to ensure female chefs are pushed to the forefront to get the representation and exposure they deserve”.
Women in the culinary industry often adopt masculine traits or behaviors to assert their toughness and prove their ability to succeed, as they strive to break into leadership roles and gain acceptance in the kitchen hierarchy. For example, they may embrace the tattoo culture, or the masculine leadership style which can be blunt to be ‘one of the guys’. Often, they adopt a communication style that includes yelling, cursing and making sexualized jokes, hence ‘acting like a chef’. Interestingly, there is a shift nowadays where women harass other women which is a step backwards.
Male chefs on the other hand use such jokes and teasing to test whether their female colleagues could earn a position in the team. Another female chef said “and I learned to stand up for myself with quick, witty comebacks”. Such behaviors and workplace cultures can foster toxic environments, where discrimination and biased corporate policies prevail. In these settings, men are often perceived as more productive, capable leaders, and more committed to their work. Conversely, women are unfairly viewed as physically and mentally incapable of handling the demands of the kitchen, with assumptions that they lack leadership abilities and the necessary business and management skills.
Personal barriers are linked to work-life balance and personal commitments and obligations. Female chefs often face the challenge of balancing demanding work schedules with their personal lives to achieve and sustain success. The long hours, late nights, and weekend shifts typical in professional kitchens can be particularly difficult to manage, especially for women with children, as these demands often conflict with family responsibilities. Female chefs often slow down while having children, although studies propose that this is not a significant obstacle to women’s career advancement.
The way forward
Female chefs have found ways to break the glass ceiling either by setting up their own businesses, where they use their preferred leadership and management style or remain in the sector but use a leadership and management style which is more inclusive, open, offering more flexibility and support to their teams. Chef Helene Darroze reported that she has received more job applications from women than men, however she tries to maintain some gender balance and nurture talent than exercising female prerogative which could also be considered tokenism and discrimination.
But how can we break the glass ceiling in kitchens? We would all agree that a kitchen is a tough environment for anyone regardless of their gender. The first step is to acknowledge the issue and then other strategies or ways can be proposed. Entrepreneurship has been a solution to toxic kitchen culture. In response to the challenges they face in traditional kitchens, many female chefs have chosen to start their own businesses, where they can create and manage a more inclusive and supportive culture. These establishments often prioritize diversity, embracing all genders and sexualities. For example, they implement flexible working conditions, such as schedules that accommodate family obligations, a curfew for guests to be out by certain time, hence the team may have enough rest time or a 5-day week operation, closing for 2 days a week. All of which offer a more balanced and respectful environment for their staff, hence balance work with life and contribute to employees’ wellbeing. Such empathetic environments allow minorities and underrepresented individuals to thrive.
Although, there is lack of female chefs in the media, the rise of accomplished chefs provides some role models for the younger aspiring chefs. Chef Julia Child and chef Clare Smyth for example inspire younger generations as they learn by studying those chefs’ footsteps. Chef Dominique Crenn for example, appeared at the Next Iron Chef and Iron Chef in America and won against Chef Michael Symon. She even consulted the makers of Ralph Fiennes’ character in the film ‘The Menu’.
Inclusive recruitment practices are vital, i.e. female chefs should be promoted faster to even out the gender inequality. We should demolish the stereotype that women have to be ruthless and competitive to be perceived as a competent leader.
Technology has also been a tool for female chefs to showcase their craft and connect with a global audience. They have built and promoted their personal brand hence they have managed to develop a unique culinary identity. At the same time, culinary schools and apprenticeship programs should emphasize the training on improving the kitchen environment and cultivating work ethos.
An imbalance in genders is problematic in all professions. Gender balance in kitchens contributes to business efficiency and success. Nurturing female talent should be at the core of recruitment and selection for hospitality and restaurant managers. Some recent initiatives include the inclusion of more female chefs in the Roux Scholarship competition with changes in the process. Compass actively supports female talent by offering development and training programs designed to help female chefs fully capitalize on opportunities for growth and career advancement. Through mentorship and resources, they empower women to shape and propel their careers in the culinary industry.
Source: Giousmpasoglou, C., Marinakou, E., Zopiatis, A. and Cooper, J. (2024). Managing people in commercial kitchens. A contemporary approach. Routledge, ISBN 9780367749231
