Rachel Khoo returns to a long-standing problem: "Women in the kitchen do not reach 20 percent and I myself have worked in intimidating male environments. This needs to be changed."
The chef
The revolution is a woman: known for her programs on BBC and as a judge on "The Great Australian Bake Off," Rachel Khoo shows herself determined to change the face of the contemporary culinary world. This successful chef and author has often recalled how intimidating it was to be the only woman in the kitchen, coming back from similar experiences early in her career. After all, today, despite progress, only 20 percent of the staff in brigades are women.
Khoo, now a resident in Sweden, reflects on her journey and her determination to "level the playing field" as much as she can. "I've always kept my head down, " she says in an interview with the Independent, recalling her debut experiences in purely male environments.
A significant episode was when, working as a pastry chef for Volkswagen ("I was the only woman doing all the baking"), she had the opportunity to hire a new person: she then chose a girl, not out of favoritism, but out of competence. "I always found it very intimidating to be the only woman. Of course, things have changed slightly, but we are still too few chefs in the kitchen. We don't reach the 20 percent share of the total staff in professional kitchens."
Rachel seeks not positive discrimination, but equity. That's why she joined the potato chip brand Kettle as its first official cook, promoting a mentoring program to help other women in the food industry. "It's not just about cooking, but also self-esteem, social media, PR and marketing," she says. Her eclectic career, which includes cookbooks, consulting and catering, demonstrates how there are many paths to take in the food world.
Valuable advice Rachel received from another important woman in her life: her mother. "Stay true to yourself," she told her just before her BBC television program aired. "A lot of things will happen to you, a lot of opportunities, but the most important thing is to listen to yourself, your instincts, and stay true to who you are." This philosophy has guided her through the many challenges and opportunities of her career. Today, as a mother of three children, Rachel has also learned to say "no" firmly, inspired by determination and her life.
