What better date than March 8 to give value to the great female figures in gastronomy? Currently, the most recognized and media chefs are men, but of course there are very important women in our history who have been and are a benchmark between the stove and in the halls of the best restaurants and hotels.
The visibility of work and women is one of the fundamental rights demanded on March 8, and we have decided to combine it with a dose of history and great taste in the kitchen. Let’s go there!
Eugénie Brazier, guide of women in the kitchen
Eugénie Brazier is a mandatory reference, since she was the first chef to obtain three Michelin stars and the one that has achieved the most at the same time, reaching 6. She had a humble origin, and after being very young orphaned by a mother, she was forced to working in an environment linked to livestock and agriculture, where he begins to learn about the cuisine of La Bresse, the region where she was born.
Eugénie lived in a time where, surprisingly, it was usual for women to run restaurants (they were nicknamed “the mothers”), which opened the doors to dedicate themselves to their passion and to begin to investigate, improve and experiment between stoves.
He went on to open two restaurants, both listed in the Michelin guide, and became a symbol of Lyon’s gastronomy. They defined it as decisive, demanding with its suppliers and with a great desire to excel.
Julia Child
Julia Child became a show-woman thanks to her television programs, with which she managed to generate a great interest in cooking among television viewers in the United States and, at the same time, revolutionize the world of gastronomy and communication.
His origins did not foreshadow what his career would be like, since, in addition to graduating in history, he studied advertising and later belonged to the US Secret Intelligence division. There she met her husband, who taught her all the wonders of good food. Together they moved to France, where she began to try signature and more elaborate cuisine. He once commented that he remembered his first meal in Rouen as “the opening of his soul and spirit.”
Very soon the hobby grew, she studied cooking at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu school and joined the project of two classmates to write a book on French food for the American public called The Art of French Food. Thanks to this book he had his first appearance on television, and his image and charisma were so successful that they led him to star in his own programs for practically the rest of his life. Her story was so interesting and sounded that they made a movie about it.
Here the trailer:
Duangporn Songvisava
Although Duangporn (Bo) Songvisava grew up between stoves helping her parents with her business, she never imagined the repercussion her food would have on the world. After training and working in some Asian and Thai restaurants, she met her husband and together they decided to shape their successful restaurant, Bo.lan, considered one of the best in Thailand. She, in turn, was recognized as the best female chef in Asia, an award achieved thanks to her traditional and innovative cuisine at the same time and for being part of the “slow food” movement related to sustainable and responsible cuisine.
Andrea Dopico
We are going to the sweetest side of gastronomy to talk about Andrea Dopico. She studied pastry at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver, Canada, and although she was not initially interested in gastronomy, she soon discovered how passionate she was learning in each of the restaurants where she worked, such as Alto, Club Allard, Moments and ABaC.
Her influence is so relevant that Forbes magazine mentioned her in the list of the 30 people under 30 with the greatest projection in Europe, and they were not wrong, because her career does not stop growing. International competitions, cooking programs, collaborations with the best kitchens … there is nothing that women like her cannot do.
Manuela Romeralo
Without a good pairing, most of the dishes that come out of the kitchen would be unfinished. Manuela Romeralo knows well what that is, since it is a national and international benchmark in sommelier. This woman from Toledo not only has a trained nose and palate for wines, but also tastes cigars, cheeses, waters, beers, coffees and champagnes.
Her dedication to her profession and her desire to improve have led her to obtain a Michelin Star, different awards for the best sommelier in 2008 and 2010 and a habanosommelier award in 2006. In addition to offering her special vision in sommelier, she has also participated in the management of restaurants, such as El Poblet, Vuelve Carolina and Mercatbar.
Nadia Santini
Nadia Santini has good gastronomy running through her veins, since her family has always had a long tradition of love for cooking. In 1996, already in charge of the family restaurant Dal Pescatore, she received three Michelin Stars, becoming the first Italian woman to achieve it and still holding that honor.
This award-winning cook shares with our chef, in addition to the origins, a love of fusion in her kitchen, using traditional and avant-garde techniques and ingredients. This makes going to your restaurant a true experience and involves leaving the world behind to indulge your senses.
What do you think of the lives and trajectories of these women? Do you know any more that has revolutionized the world of gastronomy?
