Emily set to empower with support network for female food professionals

A UCB Culinary Arts Management student has launched an invaluable and much-needed network to celebrate, support and empower female food professionals nationwide. 

Emily Wolfson was compelled to set up Women in Gastronomy following an eye-opening trip to the Parabere Forum, Barcelona, earlier this year with 14 other CAM students. 

Returning from the non-profit international platform featuring female voices on industry issues, she found herself with a desire to help create opportunities for women in her field. 

She said, from her experience, the industry was still a “man’s world” and there were still a lot of outdated perceptions of females in the food profession that were hard to digest. 

“What we are trying to do is encourage business owners to look at the propensity of fantastic female chefs, sommeliers and front of house professionals out there and encourage women to support each other better, something they are not always naturally inclined to do.”  

The support network was launched at UCB’s McIntyre House, supported by a line-up of female foodies invited to share their experiences, including professional chef and former UCB student Nitisha Patel, who is currently promoting her first cookery book, My Modern Indian Kitchen. 

Speakers also included Maja Pauling, co-founder of pop-up restaurant Fabulous 698b in the heart of London, Shaleen Meelu, co-founder of Harborne Food School, and a selection of female CAM students. 

Emily is now on a mission to compile a UK-wide database of female professionals from across the food and hospitality industry. 

To find out more about joining the database, visit www.womeningastronomy.co.uk. You can also like Women in Gastronomy on Facebook.

Find out more about courses at UCB’s College of Food.