Female Chefs?

Y'all....I didn't ever, EVER intend to become a pastry chef.

... and I, for one, am glad that fate intervened. It scares me to think of your penguin being homeless ....

Hey, it's the Penguin's world. The rest of us are just living in it.

The enrollment at Sullivan, I would say that there are more women then men. I think the reason for this is that it is easier for a male to enter the industry without experience or training. One thing that I noticed is when starting women and men cook differently. Men cook with their head first, by using techniques they learn to love. Women cook with their hearts, by love or what they do they learn knowledge and gain understanding. Is one better then the other? I do not know, I have also seen that once both women and men have been in the industry for some time, the love and techniques balance out.

The reason you see many women as the pastry chef is pastries take time and soft hands. I once made fun of pastry chef for this, but once trying pastries I come to find out very quickly that it is not soft hands one must train themselves to have control and precise movement.

This industry is a high emotion, high stress industry. In the heart of a busy night we do what has to be done to get the food out and serve the customers. The issue what this is many women cant leave what happens in the kitchen in the kitchen. (Maybe do to the point about how we cook?!) But it affects the rest of their life and just can’t take it.

I am the only women in the kitchen where I would, and yes here are many day that it is a struggle at many different levels. I have a friend who works in a kitchen where it is mainly women, and all I have to say is, I glad I don’t have to deal with the drama.

These are my views, I would love to see more women thrive in is industry. More importantly I want to see people dedicate to the industry so we all together can make it a better industry.

a poignant set of observations there, Ryana.

I will venture to say that due to the fact that a larger percentage of female culinary school enrollees are 'green' to actual work in the business; a large number get 'shell-shocked' when they actually do get on the line, in the kitchen, where ever. (not to say that the same doesn't happen to men)

I know personally that you're one of the few (of either sex) who've i've seen rise above and show everyone what you're made of.
You've surprised me from my initial perceptions of you - to say the least.




...on that note, still keeping things top notch and keeping the bar raised high?

Thanks Ethan,
As you know I don't think many of the women going to Sullivan will enter the line workers. Many of them will be wonderful home cook, but never make it a living or a lifestyle. Sad but true.

I didn't ever, EVER intend to become a pastry chef. I didn't major in pastry and I never took any pastry classes beyond what was required for the basic culinary degree at Sullivan.

Funny how things turn out. I always call myself the "Accidental Pastry Chef".

...you're not the only one.

i don't care for sweets much either.

In every restaurant where I worked the pastry chef was a man. I think pastry requires more precision than "soft hands". That being said, the best restaurant I ever worked in had a female executive chef and a kick ass sous chef who was also female. They worked the line every Friday night with only a garde manger to help them and rocked it out every time. Neither of them attended culinary school. They learned their craft over many years by working their way up through the stations. Total badasses.

Very interesting responses, everyone! The extent of my restaurant experience was at a Little Caesars in high school, so it's always interesting to me to hear what goes on behind the scenes. Ron, I will definitely check out that book!

In NYC there are a lot of highly regarded female chefs either running the kitchen or running the kitchen and owning the restaurant. Off the top of my head I can think of these restaurants:

Pearl Oyster Bar
Mary's Fish Camp
Annisa
Prune
Felidia
Monkey Bar
Al di La
Spotted Pig
San Domenico
Suenos

Just to add fuel to the fire...I have a female Intern(Employee) who is very vertically challenged and probably works harder than most, to prove to the rest of us (Hardened and Jaded) people in my kitchen, what she knows and how can she help no matter what!

A real breath of fresh air...A very small female who soaks up everything like a sponge...but yet can produce at this point in her career!

Annette -Le Gallo Rosso and Ellen Gill - Science Hill are both fabulous Chefs as well as Owners of these GREAT local establishments!

Susan and Kobe from Wiltshire Pantry are both excellent chefs, sorry I have forgotten their last names. I hope they will forgive me.

Susan and Kobe from Wiltshire Pantry are both excellent chefs, sorry I have forgotten their last names. I hope they will forgive me.

Coby Ming... used to be Sous Chef @ Le Relais years ago.

I am hearing really great things about this Annette From La Gallo, I have not had the opportunity to have a meal there, and I have not read anything recently here. Has anyone been there lately?

Susan and Kobe from Wiltshire Pantry are both excellent chefs, sorry I have forgotten their last names. I hope they will forgive me.

Coby Ming... used to be Sous Chef @ Le Relais years ago.

Oh yes, I actually had them in mind when I posted this. My boyfriend and I are friends with Coby and her partner, and I've met Susan several times. Wonderful people and wonderful food!