Bias toward female chefs?

[baaronm]

My issue with culinary schools is that there are so many today that turn out......Chefs? That is what the poor souls who really don't know any better think they have become. In reality, unless they have already spent time in kitchens, are $30k in debt 'commis'. this, in turn, feeds our marketplace with ill-prepared, mediocre (mostly due to lack of experience) 'Chefs' who can be hired for $30k/year which degrades our profession.
Female or male, salaries in our business have been on the decline for the past 15 years. The reason seems clear; groth of 'chain' business as well as a large number of culinary graduates who call themselves 'chef' without having truly earned their right to do so.
Yes, culinary schools (Cal. Culinary, CIA, NECI, J&W) can be useful for those who know the business, but have shown, in my opinion, to also be a major contribution to the declination of our profession.

[Mannlicher]

If anything, I would say its reversed now. Cooking schools have more women than men (as do most higher education centers these days), and I believe there is a decided bias toward hiring women these days, over men. I am not making any value judgements, just my observation.

[HotChef]

..we did our training a little bit different. i started (after finishing secondary school) at the age of 15. we do a 3year apprentice ship. starting with peeling potatoes, turning carrots and slicing cabbage.
during the quiet time (off season) we go to culinary school where we get all the 'theoretical' skills.
and you LEARN the BASICS.How to do a REAL demi-glace without poder and instant 'help' i worked for 4-5 month on each position, soup, entremetier, rotiseur and also pastry. aand it was always the basics that were most important. and how to do it right' the shortcuts you find out early enough' my pastry chef used to say.
than, if you can, work around the world. try to get contracts, were THEY pay you to come.. it is hard, but practice is the best teacher and you also can see the world. colleges are fineand good, but experience is what gives you the edge. i have worked with quite a few young people fresh out from hotel school. full of bright ideas, nothing wrong with that, but when a 300 people wanted to eat because their plane was delayed, it was panic x6...
and for females? for me as an executive chef, it counts what you CAN not what you ARE.
while it is 'tradition(?)' that females work in the cold kitchen or pastry shop times are changing.
go for it,but remember, you will work most weekends, christmasses, new years and other times when your friends are celebrating. and THAT can be sometimes harder to handle than anything else.
happy cooking!

[scurvydog]

Originally Posted by girl4cooking

I am thinking of going to culinary school next year. with the idea of one day opening my own restaurant, but i was talking to a girlfriend of mine from utah, and she said i shouldn't bother. She said she went and tried for several years to break into the profession but there was just too much bias against female chefs. i probably wouldn't pay much attention to this, except several other people have voiced the same opinion recently.

is this true? have other people experienced this too?

thx. --j

girl4cooking...After chumming through the various discussions my first time through this forum, I felt compelled to offer my "two cents" to your post. Not knowing what your pre-exsisting expeerince entails, it is difficult to say just the right thing. Have you ever worked in a professional kitchen? If "no", then I reccomend getting a job in a restaurant right away and begin learning the hard way. THEN...after a year or so, consider going to school. Go to school with ACTUAL experience so when you finish, you won't look like a novice. This is a rough-neck buisness and female cooks and chefs have to be on their game and adorn themselves with very thick skin. I have many female friends that cook professionaly and I watched as they they struggled with macho crap day in and day out, but they are hardened professionals and I would be honored to have them be a part of my staff any day. Conversely, I recently took a 17 year old male apprentice under my wing and ended up cutting him loose after eight months because he just didn't have the wear-with-all for working in a kitchen. Gender shouldn't matter, but it is very hard work. Find out within yourself if this is really what you want to do professionally and then sink your teeth into it.

[Anneke]

I’m a woman and a sous-chef. I can tell you this; the bias is there, it’s just taking on weird dysfunctional shapes these days, and it’s just as aggravating as the ol' slap on the *ss.

Everyone knows they are “supposed” to be politically correct, offer equal opportunities etc. And sure, we've made significant inroads there. But if there’s one thing those old kitchen dogs hate is a woman who is on to them and knows exactly what goes on behind her back.

It’s real tough out there for us girls and the fight is far from over. It’s a difficult balance for us; we struggle between the temptation to behave like the boys to make ourselves understood, and the need to remain women and not compromise who we are. Once you strike that balance, you’ll find that it’s all worth it. Go in with your eyes wide open. You’re in for a fun ride.

[Steve A]

Just an additional note.

I received a message from one of my cohorts from culinary school. She was just named executive chef for one of the private clubs at Temple University.

The jobs and opportunities are out there. Everyone: male, female, red, green, yellow, white, purple, etc., has to deal with problems. Not trying to be a killjoy, but if you can't deal with them you'll never be able to get beyond it.

Ciao,

[jfb1060]

I currently work with a female cook who has roughly 5 or 6 years of experience and I have nothing but the utmost respect for her. She appears to have developed some thick skin through the years but that's to be expected I guess. Some of the males are pretty sexist.

Personaly I don't have any problems working with a women in the kitchen. If she can deal with the pressure of the job and the men then I say she deserves every promotion she gets.

Joe

[Blade55440]

Originally Posted by girl4cooking

I am thinking of going to culinary school next year. with the idea of one day opening my own restaurant, but i was talking to a girlfriend of mine from utah, and she said i shouldn't bother. She said she went and tried for several years to break into the profession but there was just too much bias against female chefs. i probably wouldn't pay much attention to this, except several other people have voiced the same opinion recently.

is this true? have other people experienced this too?

thx. --j

My instructor(s) were female (all but my bakery one), and to be honest, I wouldn't of traded them for anyone else.

I think your friend probably thought they were being hard on her because she was a female.

I say go anyway and not only prove your friend wrong, but anybody else who might want to give you crap about it.

Then when they want you to cook for em go: "Sorry, I thought you didn't like a female chef".