While it is not the first time I have heard of women being expected to take over all domestic duties including cooking, at home, I couldn’t help but compare it to how professional kitchens are still considered a man’s domain. As someone who writes about food, you often come across discussions about gender bias in the restaurant world. While these days there are many women chefs who are celebrated for their achievements there’s still a long way to go before some kind of equality is achieved.
At a recently held event in Pune, five popular women chefs came together to create a limited-seating five-course degustation menu, combining authentic regional flavours. At “The Power Play,” organised by Masters of Marriott Bonvoy, and Culinary Culture, the chefs were also part of a panel discussion where they spoke of their journeys and about the role gender has played in their professional lives.
“It has always been a mystery to me why men are typically found leading professional kitchens, especially since I believe we, as women, were born to take this role. However, initiatives such as these give a platform to women chefs to showcase their expertise and prove that professional kitchens can thrive with women at the helm. It brings me immense joy to see more women stepping up and taking charge in professional kitchens, truly making their mark and ruling the culinary world,” said Chef Doma Wang who is celebrated for her mastery of Tibetan cuisine. At The Blue Poppy, Kolkata she brings the heart and soul of the Himalayas to your plate.
Chef Vanshika Bhatia of Omo Café, Gurgaon feels that, “In a professional kitchen, the demanding hours and physical nature of the work initially made it challenging for women to join. Families were often concerned about their daughters' safety. However, times have changed—women have become more independent and determined to fight for their careers. We are no longer damsels in distress but strong, capable individuals taking on the industry on our own terms.”
Chef Seefah Ketchaiyo of Seefah in Mumbai, is popular for bringing the authentic essence of Thai cuisine to the city. She grew up in Thailand and started cooking professionally at the age of 23. “It's very different when you're cooking at home and you're cooking in a professional kitchen. At home people expect a woman to cook, clean and set up everything before she leaves home, so people believe that she won’t be able to spend the long hours in the professional kitchen as it will hamper her duties at home,” she explains.
“Often in a professional kitchen, the male chef will cook, the girl will be cutting, cleaning, picking up the stove and doing the odd jobs,” she says. In India, the contrasting dynamics between professional kitchens and home kitchens have a complex interplay of societal expectations, cultural norms, and systemic barriers. While cooking at home is traditionally considered a woman's responsibility, professional kitchens remain male-dominated spaces. This paradox raises critical questions about gender roles, societal perceptions, and structural challenges.
In Indian households, cooking has long been viewed as a woman’s duty, rooted in patriarchal traditions that associate domestic roles with femininity. From an early age, girls are often encouraged to learn cooking as a life skill, essential for marriage and family life. This cultural expectation is perpetuated through generations, reinforcing the notion that a woman’s primary domain is the home kitchen.
The Work Culture In Professional Kitchens
Conversely, professional kitchens are perceived as demanding, competitive, and physically strenuous environments, traditionally associated with masculinity. This dichotomy creates a societal mindset where cooking at home is undervalued labour performed by women, while professional cooking is celebrated as an art or craft dominated by men.
Indian society often expects women to prioritise family over career. The demanding schedules of professional chefs clash with societal expectations for women to manage household responsibilities, including cooking at home. This dual burden discourages many women from pursuing or sustaining careers in professional kitchens.
While professional kitchens are seen as male territory, home kitchens remain overwhelmingly female-dominated. This contradiction stems from the way society values these roles. Cooking at home is unpaid labour, often taken for granted and seen as part of a woman’s duty. In contrast, professional cooking is a paid skill, associated with prestige and recognition. This disparity reflects a broader undervaluation of women’s contributions within the household.
Professional kitchens require long hours, physical stamina, and the ability to handle high-pressure situations. These factors are often cited as reasons why women are underrepresented in the culinary industry. These challenges are not inherently gendered, men in high-pressure jobs go through the same hardships. However, they are commonly used as excuses to ways to discourage women from pursuing careers in this field.
The culture of professional kitchens can be unwelcoming to women. Stories of harassment, discrimination, and lack of mentorship are common. The male-dominated nature of these spaces often creates a "boys’ club" atmosphere, making it difficult for women to feel included or respected.
The absence of visible female role models in the culinary world further perpetuates the cycle. Aspiring women chefs struggle to find mentors who can guide and inspire them to navigate the industry’s challenges.
Giving Domestic Cooking It’s Due
The disparity between women’s roles in home kitchens and their underrepresentation in professional kitchens is a reflection of deeply ingrained societal norms. While progress is being made, significant work remains to challenge these stereotypes and create equitable opportunities for women in the culinary world. By valuing cooking as a skill irrespective of gender and fostering inclusive environments, India can bridge this gap and celebrate culinary talent in all its diversity.
There is a growing movement to recognise and value the culinary skills of home cooks, many of whom are women. Social media platforms, food blogs, and television shows are giving home cooks a platform to showcase their talent, blurring the lines between professional and domestic cooking.
Being The Change
Chef Pooja Dhingra, Founder of Le 15 who has made a mark for herself and elevates the art of pastry with her signature creations, says that the change is already happening especially in the pastry space. “I think back in the day, the demands that the profession had were very different and difficult. And it was considered to be more a man's job than a woman's job. Things are changing now and we are seeing a lot of women taking up the kitchen.
Chef Mythrayie Iyer of Farmlore, Bengaluru believes that it takes a lot more than just cooking to be in a professional kitchen. “I think the whole reason of me coming into the kitchen, or what drives me in the kitchen, is the pressure, the adrenaline rush, to prove yourself, to challenge yourself, to do something more. It takes courage to be around different people with different attitudes, who come from different backgrounds and who see things in the kitchen differently. I don't identify myself as a female in the kitchen.”
She deals with gender in her own way. “I think I work in the kitchen and move amongst everybody- male or female, and I feel like everybody is the same in the kitchen. There's no gender male or female in our kitchen. So when people come to Farmlore and ask, how is it to work as a female chef, as a head chef, to have so many men working under you, I say I think it's the best way to come inside the kitchen, to never see yourself as a female and allow for somebody to push you. The stronger you are the world is there to support you.”
Culinary schools in India are gradually seeing an increase in female students. Awareness campaigns and initiatives promoting gender equality in the culinary world are encouraging more women to pursue careers as chefs. Institutions are beginning to address issues like harassment and workplace inclusivity, creating safer environments for women.
Successful female chefs, including the likes of Garima Arora (the first Indian woman to earn a Michelin star) Amninder Sandhu, Anahita Dhondy Bhandari, Niyati Rao, Ritu Dalmia and many others. are challenging stereotypes and inspiring a new generation of women to enter the field. Their achievements highlight that women are equally capable of excelling in professional kitchens.
Some progressive restaurants and culinary organisations are implementing policies to support work-life balance, such as flexible hours and childcare facilities. These measures help women manage both professional and personal responsibilities, making culinary careers more accessible.
What We Can Do
To address the gender disparity in professional kitchens, systemic changes are essential. This includes creating inclusive workplaces, addressing harassment, and providing mentorship opportunities for women. Additionally, societal attitudes toward gender roles must evolve. Men need to share the responsibility of cooking at home, challenging the notion that it is solely a woman’s duty.
Education plays a crucial role in reshaping these perceptions. Schools and families can encourage boys and girls alike to view cooking as a valuable skill, rather than a gendered responsibility. Media representation of male and female chefs can also help normalize the idea of women in professional kitchens and men in home kitchens.