Recipes for Female Flambé

Fearlessly Beardless and Lighting Kitchens on Fire

It was only a year ago that TIME Magazine bothered a good deal of readers when they published a November cover story bowing down to their image of the global “Gods of Food.” As the title foreshadowed, goddesses were not a focus – albeit two women were mentioned for their pastry prowess.

After angry letters to the editor, TIME stopped as readers reassessed the accuracy of a modern resource attempting to praise the most accomplished chefs internationally, failing to include women amongst those accolades. Then, they began anew, publishing another article only a week later: Prominent women restaurateurs weighed in on the factors that hold our gender back from due recognition and success in the cooking industry.

Interestingly, in a recent interview with TIME, Alice Waters, restaurateur, activist, and author who is revered for pioneering today’s local and organic sustainable food movement, says “When you see women in the kitchen you think it’s a domestic thing and when you see men you think it’s a creative thing; that’s what we need to change.”

Let’s take a look at creativity vs domesticity.
Perhaps change is already in the making.

Jenny Levison, known as Souper Jenny!, has built two very successful restaurants in Atlanta. Significantly inspired by her extraordinary creativity, as well as her distinct caregiving role as a mother, her restaurants showcase her belief: to celebrate healthy, delicious food, and comfortable surroundings.

Women currently own 26 percent of all restaurant businesses in the United States, but times are changing, says Diane L. Tomb, president and CEO of the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Six days ago, Food Network celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis was presented with a Key to the Las Vegas Strip. Why? Clark County Commissioners commemorated her new restaurant Giada, which opens June 3, at the new Cromwell casino hotel at center Strip.

This week as well, celebrity chef Cat Cora, daughter of Greek restaurateurs, who shot to fame on reality TV show “Iron Chef America” was making headlines too. She and Walt Disney World released an awe-awakening statement, “After five successful years operating Kouzzina by Cat Cora, we have decided to move on to new opportunities,” it said. “Our collaboration has been an incredible adventure and we are very proud of the restaurant we created and the experiences we provided to countless families. It is our hope to work together again in the future.”

No one truly knows what took place, but Cora continues to prowl. She translates her exceptional culinary skills into her high-profile restaurants including CCQ in Costa Mesa, and Cat Cora’s Kitchen at Houston, Salt Lake City and San Francisco Airports. Plus, she continues to fight hunger with Chefs for Humanity.

Ruthie Rogers, American chef and co-founder of the Michelin Star, River Café restaurant in London, opened up to the Telegraph: “When we first opened I called the linen company to complain about my chef’s whites as they were so uncomfortable. They said, ‘Look, Ruthie, 98 percent of chefs in London are men and that’s who we design for.’ Now, women are making great inroads – in every profession. Feminism is not a dirty word. There are men who are feminists and women who are feminists. How can you be against the progress of women?”

And then we have Kat Cole, who will be gracing the stage at PINK’s Recipe for Success Entrepreneur Event. Although she doesn’t wear a chef’s hat, she’s making a statement in the business of pots and pans. Elected President of Cinnabon at age 32, Cole earned her standing as one of Fortune’s ’40 Under 40.’ She has opened 1,100 Cinnabon stores in 56 countries, while launching Cinnabon into a billion dollar business.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported employment of chefs and head cooks is expected to increase 5 percent from 2012 – 2022. While slower than the average expected rate for all occupations, the numbers still represent growth. Meanwhile, in 2012, 47 percent of students enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America were females, and in 2013 that statistic rose to 60 percent.

In 2013, Crain’s Chicago Business admonished the fact that “in 24 years, only three outstanding [James Beard awarded] chefs have been women and, until last year, zero best restaurateurs were women.” Yet, at last month’s awards ceremony, it was proven; you no longer need a beard to earn a James Beard. Females took away most major James Beard Foundation prizes, including: outstanding restaurateur, outstanding chef, and best chef in New York.

Ladies like Levison, Cora, Rogers, and company are paving the way to eliminate the vision of a cute ballerina cake topper. Instead, they are building the stage for female iron chefs and restaurateurs who no longer want to stand in the sidelines or in the shadows of Remy from Ratatouille.

“My biggest advice to people is stop convincing yourself of why you can’t do it and just start with a vision,” says Levison.

And with cool Cat on your side, Cat Cora cheers us on: “You have to market yourself, you have to put yourself out there and be knocking on doors; really beat the pavement. You have to be in the moment and in the present. You have to be a self-starter. You can’t sit there and wait for things to happen, you have go out there.”

By Mica Kelmachter