Happy National Women’s Day!
Women are the source of life. Throughout history, women have struggled and sacrificed their reputation so they could be recognized as no less than a man.
Women in the food industry had to do the same. They needed to be heard and respected as chefs without being stigmatized as just a woman.
In honor of Women’s Day, we here at CaliPlate have put together a list of influential women in the food industry; those who encourage female chefs to chase their dream everyday.
Julia Child
You may have heard of her from the movie Julia & Julia (2009), but Julia Child is famously known in the cooking world. She wrote the cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking, along with eighteen other books, which are used for basic culinary cooking today. She is also known for her successful television serious, The French Chef, which ran from the ’60s-’80s. Sadly, she passed away in 2004 but Julia Child will always be remembered as one of the first food celebrities that introduced French cuisine to the average American household.
Alice Waters
Chef Alice Waters is better known as the founder of California cuisine. She is the first woman to be awarded the James Beard award for Outstanding Chef. If you ever want to taste the California cuisine she introduced around the world, you can check out her restaurant right here in the Bay Area at Chez Panisse. (Honestly, the intro to the website is pretty freakin’ cool too).
Rachel Ray
If you have never heard of this superstar chef, you may have been living under a rock. Chef Rachel Ray has created her own multimillion-dollar empire from her best-selling cookbooks, magazine, and amazing cooking show. She is a great chef who teaches people that cooking is super easy and could even be done in 30-minutes! With her growing success, she gives back through her nonprofit organization, Yum-o! that teaches kids and their families about good eating habits. It also helps feed hungry kids across America and funds cooking education and scholarships.
Cat Cora
Chef Cat Cora is the first and only female Iron Chef in the history of Iron Chef! She mixes in her love of cooking with her strong philanthropy by being the co-founder for Chefs for Humanity and a spokesperson for UNICEF as well as InSinkErator. She is truly a hero in the cooking industry.
Nancy Silverton
Pastry Chef Nancy Silverton is the first woman to win the James Beard Award in 1991 for Outstanding Pastry Chef.
Cristeta Comerford
While Chef Cristeta Comerford moved to the U.S. from the Philippines at only 23-years-old, she became the first female executive chef of the White House in 2009 and held this position during the Bush and Obama administrations.
While these are only a few female chefs who have made an impact in the food industry, there are many more powerful females who continue to inspire and teach women around the globe. These women prove that you don’t have to be a prodigy chef to become successful–just follow your dreams, work hard, and you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.
Think we should add anyone? Leave a comment down below!
Source: http://chefsblade.monster.com/benefits/articles/1762-10-game-changing-female-chefs?page=1