Sex in the Kitchen - Restaurant Management Resource for Restaurant Owners, Chefs, Managers & Staff

A recent article written by Drew Sterwald regarding the emergence of female chefs appeared in the News Press in Fort Myers. He suggested that women make up about 24 percent of chefs and head cooks in the United States (according to the National Restaurant Association). He also went on to say that their numbers have increased 44 percent from 49,000 in 2000 to 71,000 last year. Maureen Ryan, a spokeswoman for the NRA suggested the following… "I think that increase reflects the growing professional opportunities in the industry, more culinary school graduates, as well as ownership opportunities,

The article when on to state that "From magazines to television to restaurants, more women are seen running kitchens and creating dishes and getting the credit. Half of the contestants on Bravo TV's "Top Chef" reality show are women."

I am all for women becoming chefs, but I can't help asking the question – "Where are all these female chefs? More to the point, where are all the female executive chefs?"

I quickly scanned the Open Table List in my market because they do include the names of almost all of the executive chefs of their member restaurants. Out of 283 listings, I found less than ten female executive chefs. This is a far cry from the figure of 24% no matter how unscientific my survey happened to be. Even without a quick study of Open Table, I go into lots of kitchens, and I simply don’t see a significant number of female chefs.

I'm not sure what this means, but I have to wonder if this article is somewhat misleading. If women are not getting a fair shot at executive chef positions, it would be wrong to paint a rosy picture regarding the opportunities for women in our industry. Based on the numbers, would it be possible to suggest that this figure of 24% really translates to the fact that most of these women are really cooks and perhaps in positions such as pastry chefs? I don't know that, but apparently they are not executive chefs and to my way of thinking, that is the issue.

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Comments

Anonymous: As a woman in the industry, it's extremely difficult to get behind the expo station-we're mostly relegated to hosting and FOH management. The few women I see in kitchens are either pantry or prep. I was fortunate enough to pay my way through culinary school as a the only female hot line cook at a very well known seafood restaurant here in Atlanta-I'm now the General Manager at a $3M concept in midtown, and it's been a hard road to get here.
I think the article is being a little too optimistic-the only "exec" positions I see the majority of women in kitchens holding is pastry chefs-not that they aren't good at it-they wouldn't be receiving their recognition if they weren't. There's still a glass ceiling in kitchen operations, and we have a long way to go.

Anonymous: I'm not sure where the original data came from in the initial article but, in my neck of the woods, Northern Minnesota woods, I can think of many small eatings establishments that are owned, operated and worked by women. I guess that makes them executive chefs, pastry chefs, line cooks, wait staff, maintenance personnel, sous chefs, CEO, etc. I am one of them, put me in any slot you wish, I love it and will do it as long as possible. I think the small operators need to counted, not just the large, impersonal operations as a means of making generalizations and/or statements of "fact" about the industry. I'm not familiar with an Open Table List, but I'd bet there is not one to cover our area, an area larger than many states in our country.

Anonymous: Hey Jamie as a chef and restaurant owner in Perth, Australia, i also have been vice president of the Australian Culinary Federation (WA)what i have noticed over the years, yes there has been an increase in the number of female chefs, but as they finish there apprenticeships (training period) a lot of then start to drop out over the next few years as a result of getting married and raising children along with chasing better working our to fit in with the social times of their partners. i do have a very dedicated female chef in my restaurant who has been qualified now for almost two years and is talking about finding it hard to meet a partner due to the hours we work. i guess it mat only be a matter of time till she fall victim as well.

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