Equality in the hospitality industry has long been a hot topic, but women in world-leading bars and restaurants are starting to see positive change. In the third and final instalment of our content series for International Women’s Day, we asked the women at the top of the industry for their views on the changes that are taking place behind the scenes – and those that still need to happen
Frances Elizabeth Fago, Employees Only, US: I’m the first woman to earn bartender status, along with the coveted white jacket, at Employees Only New York. This came with its fair share of hardships and doubt, but I had the support of a community of strong women and our EO bar family, who stood behind me every step of the way. However, there is a lot of work still to be done on behalf of our community. We all experience different hardships, whether we are men, women, nonbinary, etc., but the most powerful tool we have is to continue to show each other love, support and empathy.
Garima Arora, Gaa, Thailand: The only way forward is to create a healthy and thriving working environment for everybody, both women and men. We have to ensure that everyone has equal opportunities to be there and take care of the ones they love. For example, a man should be entitled to maternity leave as much as a woman is.
Manoella Buffara, Manu, Brazil: Women are increasingly conquering space in the hospitality sector for valuing and being able to show their feminine attributes in their careers, such as sensitivity, flexibility, intuition, ability to work as a team and manage adversity. The changes in recent years have been significant, and with this dedication and respect for people, we have managed to conquer our space more and more and show our strength.
Manoella Buffara
Patricia Lozano Peral, 28 HongKong Street, Singapore: I appreciate the bar industry because it has always felt inclusive to me. I have not yet faced a barrier for being a woman; being a strong bartender has always been enough. In 2020, I hope we are now past discrimination in the industry. But if society isn’t there yet, I’m proud to be a member of an industry that sets a positive example.
Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, US: I love hearing chefs like Rasmus Kofoed of Geranium talk about how they too look for balance between work life and family life. This used to be a question only reserved for the ladies, which is just stupid. There are male chefs out there talking about taking care of their children and having nights off to be with their partners. This is progress because it means that the old-school ‘macho chef’ attitude of working a million hours a week and working your team to death is out of style. Balance and flexibility – something most women have had to understand since forever – are finally coming to the forefront. I want restaurants around the world to keep an open mind. You can be a career-driven woman, you can be a family-driven man, neither is better than the other. Create a work environment where humans can be free to pursue the culinary arts without having to fit into an outdated mould.
Clare Smyth, Core by Clare Smyth, UK: There are many more young women now in kitchens at the top level. We need to make sure that we support them, so that they can fulfil their ambitions.
Clare Smyth
Pía León, Kjolle, Peru: In the kitchen, as in any other industry, it should be assumed that a job is earned by the skills you have and not by gender. Being the best we can be, men or women, is what can generate positive change in today's world.
Helena Rizzo, Maní, Brazil: We’ve come a long way as women, after so many scandals around the world, the #MeToo movement, the fight for equal rights and respect. Restaurant kitchens are still a sexist environment, but I feel that everybody, men included, are much more aware of that. Equal pay is extremely important, and we take that very seriously here at Maní. We also have a zero-tolerance policy towards abuse. Gone is the time when harassers could get away with it. We’ve had it. It’s unacceptable.
Ana Roš, Hiša Franko, Slovenia: I see more and more women in kitchens and especially in top positions, not only in Hiša Franko, but also in other restaurants. There are a lot of strong, motivated young girls out there. This is a sign of a big shift. And these are beautiful girls who can express their feminine side, but still remain very professional and respected. The younger generations are already talking about how to make our lives in the kitchen easier and make our profession one we can pursue in the long term. Now, these changes need to spread to the older generation of chefs.
Ana Roš
Elena Reygadas, Rosetta, Mexico: At Rosetta, we follow a principle of gender parity. Over 50 per cent of the people who work here are women – and many of us are in key positions.
Mia Johansson, Bar Swift, UK: Women have always played a huge role in hospitality, not just in the bar world as we know it today, but from the very start. Landladies, geishas, German beer maidens, the list goes on – but in the modern cocktail scene, people regard it as a new thing. It’s down to us as operators to make sure we promote properly and hire with confidence. A variety of people and genders is the spice of life, and I couldn't be more for it.
Carolina Bazán, Ambrosía, Chile: Every time I publish a job vacancy, whether in the kitchen, bar or dining room, more and more women come for an interview. In the past, you were lucky of one came... I think this is because it has been demonstrated and made visible that women can also go far in this area and that it’s not impossible to combine work and family.
Carolina Bazán
Camilla Bosatelli, 1930, Italy: It’s important that bars and mixology’s reference points, both national and international, have a woman within their staff who is perfectly integrated with colleagues and customers. I hope this can be an example to all those bars that can’t see the point in having a woman behind the counter.
Kamilla Seidler, Lola, Denmark: The fact that 50 Best started publishing photos of restaurants and food instead of just chefs is a step in the right direction. I see things like that happening now. And there are a lot of events with a focus on equality, but as much as I encourage them, there is a tendency that these may become female-only events, which is not the best way to go about it. It seems that organisers spend a lot of time googling female chefs, rather than choosing participants through criteria such relevance and skill.
Vicky Lau, Tate Dining Room, Hong Kong: The social value of how chefs are viewed in Asia is not very positive. The older generation may view a kitchen job as unskilled or not academically challenging – it would not be a career chosen by choice. But nowadays, with better working condition in kitchens, more women are comfortable with this environment. And with the increasing profile of chefs, more awards and recognition over the past few years, more female chefs are no longer afraid to join.
Vicky Lau
Liana Oster, Dante, US: I've been incredibly lucky to work in such a supportive environment during my career, especially at Dante where a number of our managers and owners are female. Having more and more women behind the bar and in leadership positions is a must for our industry to highlight the ongoing support for diversity, inclusion and progression.
Elena Arzak, Arzak, Spain: The number of female chefs is increasing all the time. There are also more family-friendly policies that help balance work and family life. At Arzak, we don't just apply them to women but to men as well. I consider this to be a step in the right direction.
Bee Satongun, Paste, Thailand: From my guest chef experiences, I see greater equality in the kitchen. We are all here to support each other in our creative pursuits. If your ideology says that a man can lead better or cook better, that’s just not rational thinking. Correct perception is true freedom.
‘50/50 is the new 50’ is a content series created by 50 Best and supported by S.Pellegrino with the shared aim of promoting equality, inclusivity and balance in the hospitality sector and beyond.
Read part one and part two of the International Women’s Day series, in which the world’s best female chefs and bartenders shared the advice that helped them succeed and their tips for the next generation. Follow 50 Best on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube for the latest news, features and videos.