‘I work like a woman and all the emotion which I put into the dishes it comes from my heart.’

Here are some champions of the hospitality industry who should be celebrated every day (but even more so on International Women's Day).

 

1. Anne-Sophie Pic

She is the fourth woman ever to have earned 3 Michelin stars and is the only female chef in France to achieve three Michelin stars in 50 years.

Top quote: “If you try to change and be like someone else that is wrong, I think it’s important to keep the femininity.”

 

2. Elena Arzak

“I want my children to do like I did, which is to choose freely. […] I’m teaching them to cook for themselves because even if they don’t join this profession, I want them to be able to cook.”

 

3. Clare Smyth

Clare is the first British female to run a restaurant with 3 Michelin stars and her debut restaurant Core received two stars as a new entry in the 2019 Michelin Guide, securing a third in the 2021 guide. She also catered for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s evening wedding reception!

 

4. Yuki Chidui

In the male-dominated world of sushi, Yuki is shaking things up and breaking barriers with her all-female restaurant Nadeshico Sushi where she is the manager and sushi chef.

 

 

5. Five Michelin-starred chef Hélène Darroze

"There are a lot of women with a lot of competence and a lot of talent. The only problem is that when you get older, when you are a woman, you have a family, you have children, or you want to have children and it's difficult to manage all of that."

 

6. Giovanna Satta

Born and raised in Prattada, Giovanna decided to head to London to learn English. As soon as she arrived, her passion for London and the hospitality industry grew. Over the last 10 years, she's worked within sommelier roles within some of London’s finest Michelin restaurants, including Maze Mayfair, The Five Fields in Sloane Square and Royal Hospital Road.

"It’s not an easy task jumping from a one-starred restaurant, skipping the second star and diving straight into a three-star. I wanted to prove to myself that I had enough courage to stand in a very hard old school environment"

 

7. Irha Atherton

Irha is the co-founder of The Social Company and which opened it's 7th London restaurant in 2019.

"Running The Social Company with Jason has created so many wonderful moments I’m extremely proud of."

 

8. Kelly Cullen

Kelly is the pastry chef at Cornerstone and has had the pleasure of cooking for Jamie Oliver.

"My proudest moment was when my parents came to eat at the restaurant. They’ve never seen me cooking at home or in any of my other workplaces, so it was really emotional knowing they were there watching me and eating my desserts!"

 

9. Sarah Frankland

Sarah is the head pastry chef at Pennyhill Park and appeared on Bake Off The Professionals in 2019.

Top quote: "My work allows me to mentor, build and nurture the talent of the future in our industry. My kitchen has 80% female chefs and there are 25% female chefs across the Pennyhill Kitchens. When people comment on the lack of female chefs – I invite them to come and see my awesome team."

 

10. Dominique Crenn

Dominique was the first female chef in America to earn two and then three Michelin stars for her San Francisco restaurant Atelier Crenn.

Top quote: “Gender has nothing to do with cooking. That's something I'm very clear about. Whether you're a woman or a man, you can be an amazing cook. If someone's doing amazingly, we're going to listen to them.”