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Chef Manisha Bhasin says she was inclined and destined to be a chef.
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Pioneers in their field, five women chefs speak to Hotelier India about their passion for the hotel industry and why they can’t imagine doing anything else

Even within the ranks of the great hotels of the world, it is big news when a woman chef makes it to the top.

And India is no exception. It’s a little ironic that while it may be the norm for women to be in the kitchen at home, it has never been easy for them to be accepted as equals in a professional setting.

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Conventional wisdom has it that male chefs are better than female chefs. Epicureans may assume that a woman chef is not capable of delivering the “wow” factor they are looking for in their fare. But they couldn’t be more wrong.

Their dishes may not be objets d’art, but they should expect to be wowed by the flavours and aromas, if a lady chef is at the helm. All chefs need to have certain qualities, apart from talent, in order to be successful in the industry.

It’s extremely tough to be a chef, especially since the hours are long and the pressures are great. And thus it is assumed that women cannot brave the odds of a culinary profession.

The trend for women to be chefs has clearly begun. More and more women are making their foray into hotel kitchens and are willing to rough it out. You’ve got to get your hands dirty and you need a lot of stamina.

Women chefs now understand that. In fact, women make great chefs because multi-tasking is a way of life for them. They persevere in difficult circumstances and never give up. They are sensitive to the needs and wants of guests and staff alike. The day is not very far when women chefs will storm this male bastion and no one will raise an eyebrow upon seeing mostly lady chefs in hotels.

Manisha Bhasin, senior executive chef, ITC Maurya, New Delhi, Tania Ghosh, chef-in-charge, Streetcafé, The Park, Kolkata, Rashna Elavia, assistant pastry chef, The Leela, Mumbai, Jovita, senior chef de Partie, Taj Exotica, Goa and Vilaiwan K, chef de cuisine, Sahara Star, are five such women who have overcome the obstacles in the culinary world, braved the rigours of the hospitality industry and carved a niche for themselves. Read on to learn what makes these five women tick in an otherwise man’s world.