Why So Few Women Are Great Chefs?

[kuan]

From a historical perspective, you can ask why are there so few women ___________?

The answer is almost always the same, in one form or another.

Nobody except for an outright chauvinist will even attempt to answer that question. It's not even old school thinking, it's ancient, primitive, Neanderthal, cro-magnon, Australopithecus Afarensis.

[100folds]

Originally Posted by chef john

Three of the women Chefs that have been previously mentioned as role models and as ones who have opened doors, I have personally either worked with or been acquainted with them professionally starting many years ago before they were "name " chefs. Do you know why they became successful as chefs?
Because they acted like chefs.
You know what? They wore eyeliner, just a trace amount, they had a whiff of perfume on there chef's jackets and had purple scrunchies to hold back their hair. Yes, they didn't deny they were female, because being a woman had nothing to do with their vision of themselves. Only people who aren't secure chefs worry about it. They were above it.
They cooked tough.
When the line was busy, they held there own. When prep was needed they got it done. When a FOH manager needed to know "what he needed to know", they told him. They were tough on staff and tougher on themselves.
But they cooked tough. And over time, like anyone who is successful, they developed their own vision of their cuisine and pursued it.
Do a lot of women make it in this profession? No, not really, but I think that has to do with unreal expectations and the Food Network. Not their gender. But, anyone who is successful in this culinary endeavor generally shares the same traints with others who are successful, regardless of sex.
Thanks for letting me put my two cents in, I hope I wasn't too long winded.
Bye, now.

I completley agree with you. I have seen women sacrifice their feminity because they feel they need to. They think they have to erase their gender in order to be seen but they dont understand that it takes the passion or maybe the obsession in this industry in order to become successful. It took me a while to learn this myself and I wish I could have been told it instead of learning it on my own but I believe that it is a lesson best learned on one's own.

[momoreg]

It's not that there are so few great female chefs, but BECAUSE it's a male-dominated field, men receive most of the limelight.

Of course, there are lots of great chefs--male, female, black, white, etc... Just because you don't read about them, doesn't mean they don't exist.

I don't think it's necessary to try to bring on a heated discussion.

[100folds]

Originally Posted by momoreg

It's not that there are so few great female chefs, but BECAUSE it's a male-dominated field, men receive most of the limelight.

Of course, there are lots of great chefs--male, female, black, white, etc... Just because you don't read about them, doesn't mean they don't exist.

I don't think it's necessary to try to bring on a heated discussion.

This is not a heated discussion. This is people expressing their ideas and I believe most of us agree. I don't uderstand what problems you might have with this.

[momoreg]

I want to hear from men that really have an issue with women
in the kitchen and the reasons why?
Come on guy's I know your out there and if cooking is your art and with art comes conviction ,So be brave and give this forum some fire

I didn't say this is a heated discussion, but with statements like the one above, or the mere title of the thread, it surely can go in that direction.

Now do you understand?

[beefcheeks]

Originally Posted by ldts60

Fernand Point stated "only men have the technique,dicipline,and passion that makes cooking consistently an art".
Honest thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated .

In my years of cooking, I've found women cooks to be some of the most resourceful, and articulate of all the cooks I've worked with. They are well schooled, passionate and highly imaginative in their craft. Therefore, I cannot agree with Mr. Point. His reference of man's dominance in this field is highly sexist at best. Absolutely untrue in todays world.

The reason there are fewer women chefs than men, is because fewer turn out for the job. I'd say male chefs outnumber women 10 to 1. Why, you ask? Well, aside form the physical demands this job requires, and the burns, cuts, and broken nails that you will surely encounter, men in general are better leaders. This is true. Some women possess this quality, but they are the exception. Good leadership skills are an important aspect of being a chef. A trait more inherently male. You see, in the kitchen, we "dance". In a dance, it is customary for a man to lead.

Then again, it really depends on how you are defining "Chef". The number of female pastry chefs , line or partie chefs , or even sous chefs , are growing every year. The esteemed chef/owner moniker can now serve the likes of a Traci Des Jardin or a Nancy Oakes. But it suffices to say why a culinary icon like Alice Waters, or even the late, great Julia Childs never considered themselves to be chefs. These women found a place to contribute their talent, and passions for food in areas like teaching and writing. Not necessarily running a kitchen even if they owned one.

Being a chef is very hard work, both physically and mentally, requiring the tenacity and guile of a skilled quaterback. Posies, growing in the field, gets tramppled on to score a much needed touchdown with time running out. Some women, on the other hand, will pluck the tiny blossoms, don them in their hair, and flash a smile at the cute quarterback.

So sorry.....my .02 just turned into .04.

[kuan]

This isn't even worth talking about. There are a million other vocations where women are the minority. We all know why. It's not that women aren't capable, it's a male hangup, get over it.

[OzarkRose]

Thanks chef John! An easily mis-interpreted quote is "Attitude is Everything" and this applies to any career.
But now I have to question why this question is being directed for men to answer? Seems like our questioner has in fact put a gender bias facet on our lens ... interesting...

[cape chef]

I have avoided this thread for a few days for a number of reason, least of which is a flame war.The topic of this thread can and has invoked some rather telling replies of some members that concern me.Also, some replies are right on and just. For those members that feel the need to challenge a womans ability to lead and be a very positive force in our industry are near sited and naive.Testosterone must be held in check, and managed to promote our industry. And to the starter of this thread, I question your intentions, and hope you are truly being honest with yourself because you will encounter many challenges in your career and maturity will be your Alli

[Jim]

I have to agree that there were some insightful views offered. However, I, too, must question the intent of which this thread was proliferated. Merely referring to men as better leaders because they are, well, men is not really a valid point. Nor is it an arguable point. It is just prejudice, in plain English. The insight I have garnered from this thread is that as far as we have gone in our evolutionary quest for balance, there are still some folks that tip the scales with an overindulgent sense of stupidity.
So the question really can be, "why aren't there that many male elementary school teachers?" or "why aren't there many female construction workers?" or "why are some people allowed to reproduce rather than having their gene pool thinned out with a bit more chlorine?"
Well, I suppose, "just because" will have to suffice.
Good night.

[Nicko]

I would be interested in hearing from the thread starter as well about the intentions of this thread? Is this purely for research or is there another motive.

In my humble opinion I have never really thought there are were very few female chefs so I can't quite understand where your coming from. I suppose maybe in the 70's back in the days of Bocuse that may have been true, but today there are just thousands of female chefs nowdays (and very excellent ones I might add). When I was in culinary school, yes there were more men, but there were a lot of women. Also, I recently taught a class at a Culinary school in Chicago and the number of men and women was 50/50.

[momoreg]

Finally, a string of intellugent answers. Maybe we're onto something!

To the person who started this thread: Perhaps you're confusing greatness for fame. They're two very different things.

[Chef Mike]

Good time to lighten up a little, huh? Try these on for size:

Behind every successful man is a surprised woman. -Maryon Pearson

I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine marriage and a career. -Gloria Steinem

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission. -Eleanor Roosevelt
Whatever women must do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult. -Charlotte Whitton

A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. A woman must do what he can't.-Rhonda Hansome

Debate is good; you're not supposed to get mad about it. Is that how you react when someone doesn't like your cooking, too?

As to the intention of starting this thread- hey, we're having fun here, killing time; did anyone ever imagine there would be a right answer?

[cape chef]

Originally Posted by Chef Mike

As to the intention of starting this thread- hey, we're having fun here, killing time; did anyone ever imagine there would be a right answer?

I don't buy that statement.

[momoreg]

Debate is good; you're not supposed to get mad about it. Is that how you react when someone doesn't like your cooking, too?

Debate is good, I agree. This is a debate with an insult attached.