Chic chefs

Sharmila Chand

It is ironic though that it is standard norm for women to be in the kitchen at home, they are not seen in the kitchens of professional setting.

Why do we see more male chefs than female chefs? This is one question which has often been raised. There are several possible explanations: maybe women are not interested in opting for the career of a chef. Maybe they lack the assertiveness, aggressiveness and leadership skills to find their way in the industry. Or maybe women are discriminated against in the culinary profession.

Is a woman chef not capable of delivering the "wow" factor and are the challenges of this profession too overbearing for women?

To get the right answers, we talk to women chefs and understand the subject from their perspective.

Veena Arora

Chef De Cuisine- The Spice Route, The Imperial, New Delhi

Honoured with the best lady chef award by the Ministry of Tourism, India, for an outstanding achievement and contribution to the promotion of tourism in the Country, it was always Veena's dream to be noticed and appreciated. Born and brought up in Thailand in a small town named Phathalung situated in the south of Thailand and close to the sea and the Malaysian Border, she grew up amongst Thai nationals. "We were the only Indian family in this town. Our family, therefore, virtually lived on Thai food, which we cherished. Following my marriage to an Indian, I settled in India in 1980 and ever since then, I have been living in India."

Learning the ropes

"I was not completely new to the food industry when I became a chef. My family had a small restaurant in Thailand and that is how I became aware of the nuances of commercial Thai cuisine and thereafter cooking Thai food at home also become a pleasure. I then joined the Holiday Inn (now The Lalit) as a Thai food consultant and was sent to England for a couple of months by the management to train for their new restaurant, Blue Elephant. Soon after that, I joined The Imperial”.

Workscape

“Being the Chef De Cuisine requires me to create various menus for different seasons and occasions all round the year. I also continue to create different versions of the cuisine for the neo-Thai food lovers owing to the ever increasing popularity of the cuisine. I feel happy to see The Spice Route amongst the best South East Asian Cuisine Restaurants in our country and till I am here, I will keep conceptualising, creating and catering to the various tastes of our ardent patrons.”

A great career choice

“It's a great career option for those who are passionate about cooking. Chefs are like celebrities in their own genre these days and inspire us in our daily lives, beyond giving shape to one's dreams.

For me it gives immense pleasure to feed anyone and everyone across the global map”.

Challenges for a woman

“Women have innumerable challenges while working in a male-dominated industry like hotels. It's important to toughen up oneself, be assertive and also stick to one's viewpoint so that your work get seen and heard. It is also important to spend time with one's colleagues.

“Also now the scenario has evolved drastically and women have starting receiving immense acceptance and are considered much more organised, strategic, apt for senior level positions and great team members, who possess high leadership qualities.

“They have been able to carve a niche for themselves on the domestic and global front with many renowned Indian chefs being women”.

A word of advice

• Sincerity definitely tops the list
• Punctuality, quite simply because it shows one is serious about what one does.
• Attention to detail because what we do affects someone directly. Little things, like knowing how to cut the meat or checking for bones in fish even though they are cleaned out for you, matter.
• Hygiene is yet another thing, which I am quite particular about with my boys. We are in the job of feeding people so it is important that we keep ourselves clean.
• The awareness that people are paying to eat what you're making. You cannot take that lightly. The fact that they are, sometimes, paying a hefty sum for a dish, makes it even more important for one to be acutely aware of what one is cooking.

Mantras for success for female chefs

There are five things I would like to share with the young women who aspire to be in this industry:

Follow your heart

It is easy to fall in line and do what is expected but it is important to follow what your heart tells you. So follow it!

Learn to enjoy your job

When you enjoy what you do, it will reflect in the quality of your work.

The first step in getting something right is to enjoy it.

Take ownership of what you're doing

It is a sign that you are responsible and are willing to face the flak if need be.

It shows integrity.

Be confident

If you've put your heart and soul into something and take ownership for your actions, there is no reason for you to worry about the outcome.

So, don't be afraid; be confident.

Don't second guess yourself and wonder about all the things that can go wrong.

Be honest

This is possibly the most important.

Whatever you're doing in life, it's crucial you remain honest to that task.

That is the only way you can be successful.

Samantha Nunes

Pastry Chef, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa

After getting a hotel management degree, Samantha was recruited by the Taj. She completed the Management Training Course and graduated with a specialisation in Bakery & Confectionery and continued working for the same company, until she moved to the Marriott, where she is currently the Pastry Chef.

Learning the ropes

"Food has been an ongoing 'treat' for over six years now. I always had a flair for baking and the chef's uniform attracted me from as early as I can remember. In fact, I could say that if there is one thing that is always exciting and innovative, it's food.

“Since I specialise in pastry, designer cakes are

my all-time favorite. I love to get creative and work on various designs such as wedding cakes, cartoon cakes and various themed cakes.

Ever since I can remember, cooking and baking have been my passion and first love. So, for me choosing to be a Pastry Chef was just a natural progression of that interest”.

A great career choice

I believe being a chef is one of the best career options to undertake.

“The best part being I get to share my voice and creativity with so many people, every day, which is an instant gratification.

“The response that I get from our clientele is also a constant source of encouragement and an inspiration to go the extra mile.

Challenges for a woman

This business is still very male dominated; I personally am the only woman chef in the kitchen, but in my case I believe the challenges faced by women or men are the same, you have to be competitive and creative and good at your job. Later on for growth women with families and children find it difficult to continue due to the long working hours, as they cannot cope up with the pressure of the job and looking after the family.

Why aren't more women "great" chefs? Why they are so few in the industry?

In most cases when women chefs are ready for the higher designation or positions, they get married and settle down and when they have children, it becomes very difficult for them to give their job due attention and priority, I believe this being one of the major reasons.

Mantras for success

Discipline, focus, hard work, dedication and a positive attitude can help you achieve any goal you set for yourself.

If cooking and baking are your passion, go ahead……

It's the best job ever; you get to be creative and experiment.

Though the job requires long hours, a pastry chef gets to employ her creativity to the fullest and come up with tantalizing creations, making it a satisfying profession.

— The writer is a freelance writer and author of "CHEERS - 365 Cocktails & Mocktails"