IWD 2025: 'Hospitality is the perfect industry for amazing women'

To mark International Women’s Day 2025, we are highlighting and celebrating females across the hospitality industry.

We have spoken with various women who hold different roles in the sector, from business owners to front of house and chefs.

We asked for their experiences in the industry and what more can be done to make working in hospitality a more inclusive environment, including Kate Austen, Poppy O'Toole, Sally Abé and Sarah Hayward in this video.

 

Kyu Jeong Jeon, co-owner and chef, Bokman & Dongnae

"I recently read the open letter from the 70 female chefs, and I couldn’t agree more with the issues they highlighted. Sexism and inequality remain widespread, and everyone -across all sectors - needs to do better. It’s crucial that we call for an end to these barriers and push for a more inclusive, diverse, and positive workplace for all.

"There has long been a stereotype around male and female roles in the kitchen. When I started working in kitchens, sexism was simply the norm. It was part of daily life, and there were clear limits on how far you could progress. Hard work might earn you a chef de partie role, but the opportunity to become a sous chef was rarely available.

"While I don’t want to generalise, the reality for many was that women were not seen as capable or respected enough to lead a kitchen, especially one dominated by men. Even when your skills were acknowledged, the “locker room chat” culture in kitchens was an everyday challenge.

"It was only through this generational shift that I truly recognised these experiences for what they were - sexism. And while this movement has amplified so many voices, there is still a long way to go to ensure that all voices are heard, and that real, lasting change happens.

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"Women remain underrepresented in the hospitality industry, and one of the biggest challenges is achieving a sustainable work-life balance - especially for those with young children. Frankly, without my husband, Duncan, sharing these responsibilities, maintaining this balance would be nearly impossible.

"I completely understand why so many women either have to change careers or struggle to flourish in leadership positions in kitchens and restaurants. Managing both professional and family responsibilities is incredibly demanding.

"The hospitality industry must recognise that work-life balance is a challenge for all genders and take action to reassess its structures. The industry must find ways to better accommodate childcare and implement sustainable breaks for all individuals, creating a more inclusive and accessible space for everyone.

"Whatever challenges you face, keep moving forward. Find a way, and most importantly, speak up - your voice matters. It’s essential to be heard."

Helen Howe, co-owner and general manager, Lumiere

"The media has got a huge role to play. Despite 60 per cent of the industry workforces being women, when journalists go and ask for an interview, it's always the guys. It happens here. (Husband) Jon and I are a team, but if anybody comes to us for an opinion, it's Jon they ask for.

"He’s a chef. If you’re asking about the new National Insurance contribution rises or the minimum wage and how that’s going to affect our business, Jon’s got no idea. He's not the person to ask, but he's the person that journalists go to.

"It's just people being conscious of is the general manager actually the person who has got the information that I want, rather than just automatically going to the head chef.

"It's just sort of overshadowing and undermining what I do. I do all of the business, all of the front of house, literally everything that doesn't involve putting the dishes together and putting the food on the plate. I'm equally financially invested in this as my husband. We've both been here for 16 years. So it's just changing that mindset.

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"I think Michelin almost perpetuate their own bias, because they always say they give stars to the restaurant, and if they asked for a representative from the restaurant to collect the award rather than just going to the head chef, then I think the picture on the stage would look very different.

"This one decision that Michelin make, that's how they make the industry seem. If they were giving it to the general managers, then when we got called up on the stage that would all be women. I think if they did change it, then all of a sudden the media gets so much more used to seeing women up on the stage collecting the awards. Maybe then it puts a name to a face.

"Michelin are obviously their own entity, so they're absolutely entitled to make their own decisions as how they want their award ceremony to run. But I think there is this almost juxtaposition because they do say they award it to the restaurants and not the chef, but yet it is the chef that they call up onto the stage.

"So I think maybe if they slightly reconsidered how they did that, then that would have a massive effect across the industry, because it would just change how people see us.

"The film about women at the 2025 awards was really well-intentioned, I don't doubt that it was a wonderful filmmaker who made it. However, there were a couple of little bits in there that should have been edited out. It's quite disheartening that they weren't, because they wanted to showcase some of the most amazing women in the industry.

"Clare Smyth (pictured below), what she's achieved, she is properly inspirational. But she still felt that she had to make the comment that she doesn't have children, she has a dog. Gordon Ramsay would never have been put in that position.

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"I’m a huge fan of Apricity, what they're doing is stunning, but yet they didn't edit out the comment where Chantelle Nicholson said she hasn't had her hair done for 18 months. Those two comments had no place in that video.

"The rest of their interviews were brilliant. It just needs that little bit of mindfulness from the editor or producer, that actually it’s those little comments which are quite disheartening.

"We need to get away from treating women as women. We're as equally professional as the men. If you wouldn't ask the question to a man, you probably shouldn't ask the question to a woman.

"I think there are things that the industry can do to help the situation. It helps the younger ladies coming into the industry, they can see that I can be an amazing sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant, or I can be general manager or I can be head chef, because they've got these female role models.

"Kitchens have been so male dominated for so long. I think it is getting better, but I know from some of the of girls we've had through our kitchen, they’ve been quite roughly treated in the past. It just it puts them off then.

"These amazing girls think I'm not going to stay in a restaurant environment in a brigade full of boys. The more and more we can bring through the more the balance will be addressed. The more different all your team members are, the stronger it makes your team.

"It's an amazing industry. And it is the perfect industry for amazing women."

Kate Austen, Great British Menu winner 2024

"We definitely need to represent women more. I think we just need to encourage and support. A lot of it is about teaching people how to work with different styles and that’s something that we can bring to the table, definitely."

Sarah Hayward, head chef, The Coach

"I think the presence of females in the kitchen has elevated a lot more since I became a chef. When I was a young chef, you didn’t hear of that many successful females within the industry.

"It’s definitely become more of a topic of conversation. For me, at this moment in time, there are so many incredible female chefs, who are leading and paving the way forward for a lot of younger female chefs to come through.

"You’ve got people like Clare Smyth, who is obviously at the top of her game, Lisa Goodwin-Allen is phenomenal. Those are the people that you want to aspire to be.

"There’s always a lot of commotion about females in kitchens. We do a really good apprenticeship scheme and half of our apprentices are females. So, for me, I think something is working.

"Controversially, I think there will never be as many women in kitchens as men, because it’s not necessarily an industry that appeals to all women. But those who it does appeal to and they’ve got the fire and passion and are willing to put in the hard work, I personally have never found that it stops me from being successful."

Cathryn Bell, head sommelier, Grove of Narbeth

"My impression is that, in general, there are less female sommeliers than male in the industry.

"However, when I think about the sommeliers/figures in wine that are on my radar in the UK, the ones that are blazing brightly, pushing, delivering and inspiring others, an equal, if not majority proportion of them are women – the likes of Christina Rasmussen, Honey Spencer, Maria Boumpa, Vanessa Stoltz and Sandia Chang. All undisputable leaders in their field, all highly respected and recognised for their talent and their work.

"They’re on my radar for the same reason they’re male counterparts are – they’re doing brilliant work that I am interested in.

"Speaking from my own experience, being a female sommelier has been of very little significance in my career. Perhaps the privilege of that statement rings louder than I can hear as someone whose career was brought up in a different context to the UK (previously working in Africa), but I can’t say that that career has been free from incidents of sexism.

"Thankfully, these incidents have been few and far between, but when they have happened, they have been spectacularly egregious, and admittedly, still make my blood boil.

"I am, however, realising that amongst a certain demographic of people here in the UK, there is still a latent, archaic stream of sexism that informs the expected dynamics of their wine encounters in hospitality.

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"The most common assumption I meet is that from the first, cursive glance of myself and a male colleague, before words have been spoken or even eye contact made, it is assumed that both the higher knowledge and authority over the wine lies with the male. Where this subliminal assumption has landed, I see it cough in startled surprise when I introduce myself as the head sommelier.

"When this revelation has come as a shock, it’s nearly always met with impressed, genuine delight and is usually followed by the endearingly ignorant question of “do they really let you make the final decision on the wines?”. When that question is met with the affirmative, it’s like watching the scene from Gavin and Stacey, where Uncle Bryn is in woefully painful awe at the discovery of a route planner. So progressive yet so far behind. 

"I strongly believe that it’s incredibly impactful to have these women in positions of leadership in hospitality.

"I feel that being lumped with the prefix of “female” takes that person out of the main race and pitches their performance not with the rest of the field, but only with the other “female” ones. Is there a subconscious buffer, a cap that we inadvertently put on our female leaders when we label them as “female”, instead of just “leaders”, “chefs”, “sommeliers” etc? Perhaps we need to make sure that when females are in that limelight, that they are seen as clearly as their male counterparts and not obscured (and I’d argue dulled) by their label of “female”."

Holly Eggleton, co-owner and head of operations, The Pony

"I have had male employees who have been not nice to me. It was a moment where you have to think, oh my God, how am I ever going to get through this? I had moments where I thought, I can't do it anymore. But you have to dig deep.

"It was different for me before that, because I experienced it when I was quite young and I remember telling (my brother) Josh quite quickly and he would say ‘I'm not having that, you can’t accept that behaviour’.

"I've read all the articles in the last few weeks, and I've gone back through my mind and thought I’m really glad I had my brother, because didn’t I need him.

"I think I'm lucky, but don't get me wrong, there have been times at The Pony where we had to say to staff ‘no, this is not going to happen, you can't do this’. One, you can't do it to any woman in this industry, but you're actually speaking to your boss. Some people would be older than me, I was young, and they would just look at me and think, oh, you're just a kid. I actually had someone say to me, ‘you're a mere child’.

"As I've got older and stronger, I like to think that I am the female representative within this whole restaurant group and people I work with do come to me. I'm there to support and it does happen. We try to eradicate it and that culture has changed massively. But it's there, isn't it?

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"It has changed massively. We've come so far. I do feel a bit emotional when you think back.

"I try to support everybody, whether it's male or female, apprentice or someone coming back into the industry. I have been on the darker side, in my teens, and it's poor.

"Someone starting out, I think you do have to hold your own. In this current culture that we're all inciting, there should be support out there for you. If there isn't, you need to search for a corporation that is going to support you, because there are many out there.

"I know it is a male-oriented industry, but there are many females in our industry that are doing such a fantastic job, and it's just great to see."

Ana Ortiz, co-founder and chef, Fire Made

"In the beginning, a couple of kitchens where I worked after moving to England from Ecuador, I was the only female working there. It felt a little bit strange. When I started to ask questions why that is, male chefs would say women won’t have the time for the long shifts, they have to be at home.

"But I always questioned them, saying surely you want to create more part-time jobs to have the flexibility and they kind of just laugh.

"When I had the opportunity to run kitchens and be a head chef, one of my goals to achieve was giving the opportunity to more female chefs in the industry. I have lots of friends that were amazing at cooking and thinking I would love to be a chef, but the timetable doesn't allow me to be one.

"So when I was the head chef in kitchens, I just created more jobs. Instead of having one shift that does long hours, I have two or even three to cover that shift and actually I am super proud to say I did that.

"My kitchens since then have been at least 80 to 90 per cent female. I love male chefs also. I had the most amazing male head chef that if it wasn't for him, I don't think I will be a chef at the moment. But I just love working in a kitchen that is more dominated by women than men, I have to say, just because everything runs so much more smoothly.

"It's a bit of a feeling for me also of comfort. It feels like I am in a really traditional kitchen and also it's better organised!

"We have more common sense to organise things, are kind and I absolutely love it. Fortunately I haven't had any horrible experience, but it was for me a shock of why there is not more female chefs.

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"I proved when I had to run kitchens that actually it is possible and everything runs super more smoothly. For me, it has worked absolutely amazing like that.

"I think it's getting better, so we always have to keep talking about it I guess, to encourage more people to do that.

"For me, always if I had a barrier in a job, I will always speak up and say no. It's not agreeing with everything, you have to really speak up, say why don't we do this, give options as well.

"For instance, I was a head chef part-time in a kitchen. You will never find that position of being a head chef and being part-time at the same time. But actually at the time it was an art gallery and I said to the director look, I have the perfect person that can share the head chef position with me, we are just two people instead of one and we proved to him that it works and it worked fantastic for us.

"I never was a 'yes' person."

Nikita Pathakji, MasterChef: The Professionals 2022 winner

“There are so many women chefs I admire, but on the ground the industry remains very male dominated. When I became a head chef, my goal was to build the best team I can, and to be super inclusive.”

Caoimhe O’Neill-McGuinness, Le Cordon Bleu Scholarship 2024 winner

“I’m on TikTok a lot, looking at TikTok recipes. There’s a lot of female chefs that are very inspiring, because there’s a lack of those.

“I’m glad that I’m going to start to represent other female chefs around.”

Kalindi Juneja, CEO, PoB Hotels

"Beyond my leadership role, I’m deeply committed to inspiring the next generation of hoteliers.

"Hospitality is a dynamic and rewarding industry, but like many sectors, leadership roles have traditionally been male dominated. As PoB Hotels’ first female CEO, I saw this not as a challenge but as an opportunity – to bring fresh perspectives, champion inclusivity, and inspire future leaders.

"Of course, there have been moments where I’ve had to navigate preconceptions or prove my capabilities in environments where female leadership wasn’t always the norm. However, I’ve always focused on demonstrating results, fostering strong relationships, and leading with confidence. I firmly believe that success in hospitality, or any industry, is about expertise, vision, and resilience – qualities that transcend gender.

"One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is seeing the increasing number of talented women stepping into senior positions. The industry is evolving, and I’m proud to be part of a movement that supports diversity and empowers the next generation of hospitality leaders.

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"My biggest piece of advice to young women aspiring to leadership roles in hospitality is to believe in your abilities and trust that you belong at the table. Confidence comes from competence, so focus on learning and developing your skills every single day.

"While I do lead an all-female team, my focus has always been on fostering a positive, inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, empowered, and supported to thrive.

"The hospitality industry has made great strides in becoming more inclusive, but there is always more we can do. True inclusivity goes beyond representation; it’s about creating workplaces where people feel heard, respected, and given equal opportunities to grow.

"Rather than viewing leadership through the lens of gender, I believe in leading with authenticity, emotional intelligence, and a commitment to bringing out the best in every individual. The future of hospitality will be shaped by diverse perspectives, and by fostering cultures of support and encouragement, we ensure that talent - regardless of background - has the opportunity to rise.

"International Women’s Day is a celebration of how far we’ve come. This day is not about excluding men; it’s about championing equality, opportunity, and support for everyone. Hospitality is built on people, and the best teams are those that nurture talent, encourage ambition, and lead with empathy.

"So today, I celebrate the incredible women in our industry, as well as the allies and mentors who continue to pave the way for a more inclusive future.

"Let’s keep the momentum going and ensure that opportunity is open to all."