food

Why do women chefs keep missing out on Michelin stars?

16 Comments
By Anne-Laure Mondesert and Paloma Soria Brown

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16 Comments
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Like it or not, but the truth is males are better cooks then females. I have been cooking since I was 6 years old, learnt Italian cooking from my Sicilian Grandmother, English cooking from my English Grandmother, 1 year cooking class in high school, Taiwanese cooking from my now ex-Taiwanese wife, Japanese cooking from the many Japanese girlfriends and a range of other dishes from cook books and YouTube and I now cook 99% of the time in my house as I cook better then my wife does, and she and her family agree. I learnt from females and improved on what I was taught, my mother learnt from her mother and my mother can not cook to save her life, she destroyed every single Italian dish she makes, my wife learnt from her mother and both her and her mother cannot cook, they both screw up simple Japanese dishes, christ my wife cannot even wash rice the correct way or make miso soup, our kids will not eat anything she cooks unless it is a rice ball, yet anything I make the kids shovel it in to their gobs like it's their last meal.

So yep, I understand there being bugger all women with Michelin stars.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The article leaves the impression that Michelin are biased, but they don't offer anything convincing.

If Michelin was truly sexist, I'm sure this article could make a better case.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

People need to realize that home environments & commercial one are inherently different, the later being MUCH more competitive.

You want to be the best... that involves LOTS of sacrifices, I can GUARANTEE you most men who rise to HIGH levels in offices or kitchens, do so at great sacrifice on the home front, chances are if they are married with families the wife & kids hardly see their fathers because they have decided WORK is more important than FAMILY!

So, man or woman YOU need to decide which is more important, work or family, the simple truth is way MORE men will choose work over family, so ladies if you want to become a top chef, you will need to do the same, so stop whining & get to it! Or not, YOUR choice, so please stop complaining.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Some of the best restaurants I've been to in my original neck of the woods have had female head chefs in the kitchen. I know this because I asked to compliment a few of them on the glorious food served up.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

its based on the skill of the chef, not gender. Just more weak attempts by feminists to seek attention.

Women are better in the kitchen at home, men are better in high class restaurants , IMO

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Beowulf - from your post you probably have never worked in a commercial kitchen - maybe wrong.

From my experience tyrants in the kitchen can be either men or women and without doubt the worst I've ever seen has been a man.

This pryke picked up an apprentices pot with 2 hours of shelling peas in it, and threw it across the kitchen scattering the lot, because some of the peas were marked. Started again from scratch.

This in a 5 star hotel restaurant in Australia.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Why would they agree? What is preferable about a male chef?

They say male bosses are less drama. They don't hold as many grudges and would rather get the job done than shriek at people like female bosses. And these are the words FEMALE workers have told me. They simply prefer to be under men than women.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Another factor: Junior chefs...even the female ones...would rather work under a male chef than a female one. Ask them yourself. If they are honest, they would agree.

Why would they agree? What is preferable about a male chef?

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Another factor: Junior chefs...even the female ones...would rather work under a male chef than a female one. Ask them yourself. If they are honest, they would agree.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

The cream will always rise to the surface. If you're are good enough, and apply yourself...you'll make it.

Fame and celebrity though...has much to do with chance and just getting the lucky break.

Case in point...Jamie Oliver.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Strange article, given it is only about Michelin in France.  What are the global stats? 

also I find it hard to believe the inference that somehow Michelin (or any other of these lists of top restaurants) are either r consciously or unconsciously biased.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Just simply because our world is still unfortunately a man's world.

Billions of women the world over cook everday of their lives with knowledge, skills and abilities beyond the mere mortal man, but when it comes to being boss, men take the top spot - as in almost all jobs. They've got to be in charge.

So in the world of cooking historically and traditionally the domain of women, men take over as they've always done, do the speccy bits and leave the cleaning up to the others - mostly women.

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

I can’t speak for high class dining, but the ramen and yakitori/niku scene is dominated by men simply because those are predominantly “men’s foods.”

Much in the same way that the cosmetics and lingerie industry is dominated by women.

Former pinup girl Yuko Ogura operates a successful chain of yakiniku restaurants, and Rockstar Gackt has a cosmetic line, so there are exceptions.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

They make lower saleries than their male counterparts, therefore can't pay as much for star ratings.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

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