Like many other industries, the culinary world was once dominated by men. While the majority of Head Chefs across the world are still male, many famous female Chefs are killing it in the food scene. In this post, we look at the best female Chefs, those who’ve achieved extraordinary success throughout their careers.
History of Women in the Culinary World
The first known US cookbook, American Cookery, was written by Amelia Simmons in 1796. Her book used terms Americans are familiar with and included ingredients that are readily available across the country.
Another female culinary expert, Fannie Farmer, invented measuring cups and spoons and created a standard for measurement. Her The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, originally published as The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, has always been in print.
The home economics movement of the early 20th century saw more women receive formal training in cooking and food management. However, there was only one female Executive Chef for every five men in the role. At the same time, the ratio of women in the Server role was increasing.
Perhaps the most preeminent female Chef in history, Julia Child, is credited for bringing French cuisine to the US with her Mastering the Art of French Cooking and numerous television appearances. She’s often referred to as the world’s best female Chef and is known for encouraging other women to take up roles traditionally held by men.
However, even after World War II, women who wanted to start their own restaurants faced numerous obstacles. It was difficult to obtain capital, and they were generally treated rudely. Ruth Fertel proved that women are capable of doing everything men can (and more) by opening her Ruth’s Chris Steak House, which originally employed all-female staff.
Profiles of Famous Female Chefs
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women in the U.S. occupy just under 25% of all Chef and Head Cook positions. While the culinary industry still seems to be dominated by men, some female Chefs went on to become some of the biggest names in the field and have paved the way for other women who share the same passion for cooking. Listed below are the most famous female Chefs in the world.
Dominique Crenn
(Image source: Chef Dominique Crenn’s Instagram page)
Dominique Crenn, a French Chef based in the U.S., is the first female Chef in the country to receive three Michelin stars.
She arrived in San Francisco in the late 1980s before moving to Jakarta, where she became Indonesia’s first-ever female Head Chef. Upon returning to the US, she worked as an Executive Chef for Manhattan Country Club before joining Luce. Later, she opened her restaurant, Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, for which she earned her third Michelin star in 2018.
Crenn also appeared on The Next Iron Chef and Iron Chef America. When competing in the latter, she won the battle against Chef Michael Symon. She also appeared on Chef’s Table and worked as a consultant for Ralph Fiennes’ character in the horror film The Menu.
She refers to her dishes as “poetic culinaria” and is known for avoiding common yelling and scrutiny in the kitchen.
Elizabeth Falkner
(Photo source: Chef Elizabeth Falkner’s Instagram page)
Although she graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute, Elizabeth Falkner entered the culinary world by working as a Dishwasher at French Bistro Café Claude in San Francisco. She then worked as a Party Chef before running her own dessert café, Citizen Cake, and restaurant Orson.
Falkner also taught professional pastry courses in Japan and did research on American and European pastries in Italy.
Additionally, she is famous for her television appearances on shows such as The Next Iron Chef Top Chef, Food Network Challenge and more. Falkner also won first place at the 2012 World Pizza Championship in Naples, Italy.
Kim Woodward
(Photo source: Chef Kim Woodward’s Instagram page)
Kim Woodward moved from Cheshire, England to the US for a culinary internship at the age of 18. She stayed for more than five years in Missouri after returning to England to work as a Head Chef at Peppers in Nantwich.
After spending a year in the role, she received an offer to become a member of the Ramsey group. She started working as a Sous Chef at the Savoy Grill before becoming a Head Chef at The York and Albany. Eventually, she returned to the Savoy Grill to work as a Head Chef, becoming the first female Head Chef in the restaurant’s 126-year history.
After leaving Savoy Grill, she worked as an Executive Chef at D&D London and Wonderland Restaurants Ltd. before taking the same role at Clos Maggiore in London.
Suzette Gresham
(Photo source: Chef Suzette Gresham’s Instagram page)
Suzette Gresham, who specializes in Italian cuisine, first started working as a Head Chef at The Donatello Hotel in San Francisco. The owners later opened Acquarello, where she worked in the same role. Working there, she received two Michelin stars, becoming one of three female Chefs in the US to do so at the time.
After running the kitchen in Acquarello for 24 years, she opened the 1760 restaurant where she worked as Chef Patron.
Besides her famous Italian dishes, she’s known for focusing on training her staff and assigning them homework. One of her common practices is to leave cookbooks for her kitchen staff and reimburse them for any books they buy.
April Bloomfield
(Image source: Chef April Bloomfield’s Instagram page)
Although she originally wanted to become a police officer, April Bloomfield found her true passion in cooking. After finishing college, she started working at the Holiday Inn in Birmingham. She later moved to The River Café, where she was scouted by Chef Mario Batali, following Jamie Oliver’s suggestion.
After moving to New York, she opened her gastropub, The Spotted Pig, which went on to receive a Michelin star in 2005. She then opened The Breslin at the Ace Hotel in New York and won another star with it. Her empire continued to expand as she opened The John Dory Oyster Barn, Salvation Taco, Tosca Café and Salvation Burger.
Bloomfield is also no stranger to TV. She appeared in Iron Chef America, where she achieved the highest score in the show’s history.
Clare Smyth
(Image source: Chef Clare Smyth’s Instagram page)
A Northern Irish Chef, Clare Smyth worked in various UK restaurants in Sous Chef and Head Chef positions before moving to the Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, where she eventually became the Head Chef, becoming the UK’s first female Michelin Chef to run a restaurant with three Michelin stars.
She left Ramsay’s restaurant to work for Alain Ducasse, one of the most renowned Chefs in the world. She worked in his Le Louis XV restaurant in Monaco before opening her Core restaurant, which earned three stars in 2021. Later, she opened Oncore in Sydney, which Bloomberg labeled as the city’s best restaurant.
Smyth also appeared as a judge in the UK episode of The Final Table and catered the private reception for the Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Elena Arzak
(Image source: Almudena Ortuño’s Instagram page)
Elena Arzak started working in her family’s Arzak restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain. She became the fourth generation of the family to work there, with her grandmother being the restaurant’s Head Chef at the time.
Arzak later moved abroad to work in other restaurants and attend school in Lucerne, Switzerland. She worked in the famous Le Gavroche under Albert Roux and La Maison Troisgors, and then in Le Louis XV in Roanne, France, under Alain Ducasse.
Together with her father, she opened the family’s second restaurant at the Halkin Hotel in Belgravia, which quickly earned a Michelin star. The restaurant is a completely separate entity from the original Arzak and relies on British-sourced ingredients but with a Basque soul.
Hélène Darroze
(Image source: Chef Hélène Darroze’s Instagram page)
The famous French cuisine Chef Hélène Darroze is a fourth-generation Chef, starting her culinary career at a family-owned restaurant in Villeneuve-De-Marsan. She then worked an office role for Alain Ducasse at the Le Louis XV restaurant in Monaco before he convinced her to enter the kitchen.
Darroze then returned to her family’s restaurant to help it maintain its Michelin star. Eventually, she took on the role of a Chef at The Connaught, where she received three Michelin stars in 2021.
In 2012, President Nicolas Sarkozy admitted Darroze into the French Legion of Honour as a Chevalier (knight).
Margot Henderson
(Image source: Chef Margot Henderson’s Instagram page)
Originally from New Zealand, Margot Henderson worked at a Mexican cantina to support her move to the UK. She split her time between England and Australia, working with Chef Stephanie Alexander at several renowned restaurants in London.
With her husband, Chef Fergus Henderson, she opened the caterers Arnold & Henderson and Rochelle Canteen in Bethnal Green. The restaurant serves seasonal British food, which is the base for the couple’s catering business.
In 2012, Henderson published You’re All Invited: Margot’s Recipes for Entertaining.
Carmen Miranda
(Image source: Chef Carmen Miranda’s Instagram page)
Chef Carmen Miranda burst onto the scene after competing in MasterChef. When she was eliminated in her first appearance, Chef Benito Molina offered her a place to continue learning at his restaurant. She would later return to the show, winning it all.
In our interview with Chef Miranda, she said that she was mistreated when working in a restaurant before the show, but that didn’t cause her to give up on her dream.
In 2023, she joined Tacombi at the Empire State Building location, where she leads the culinary innovation for the brand’s taquerias to this day.
