Women in the Kitchen – Paris’s Female Chefs

Chef Constance Deledalle

March 8^th is International Women’s Day, an annual event created to celebrate advances in the women’s rights movement as well as encourage continued actions in the quest for gender equality. This year’s theme is “Pledge for Parity” which is a call to people of all genders to commit themselves to increasing equality and gender balance in their community.

One industry that continues to see a huge inequality of the sexes is the restaurant industry. Although women’s numbers are increasing in cooking schools and professional kitchens, they are often unrecognized by their peers and left out of food events and prestigious lists or classifications.

This February, the famous Michelin guide announced its 2016 list of starred French restaurants and chefs- a list which consisted of 54 men and… zero women*. The shortshightedness of the Michelin guide is shocking when one considers that just in the capital city alone there is an abundance of talented, innovative female chefs.

If the Michelin guide won’t tell you where to find female chefs in Paris, we’re more than happy too! Here is a short list of some of our favorite lady chefs in the city:

Camille Fourmont: Being the first female in the kitchen at the celebrated restaurant Chateaubriand is impressive enough, but now Camille can add three years and counting of success at her charming wine bar in the 11^th arrondissement, La Buvette.

Camille Fourmont by Antonin Borgeaud

Delphine Zampetti: As owner of the bite-sized sandwicherie Chez Aline, Zampetti proves that one can prepare amazing and nourishing take-away food that relies on quality, fresh ingredients. Her octopus, salicorne, and cucumber salad will have you coming back for more.

 

To Xuân Cuny: This Franco-Vietnamese chef has upped the wine bar game in Paris, with her sleek yet welcoming Aux Deux Cygnes. Here you’ll find natural wines paired with exciting French and Asian inspired small plates.

 

Tatiana Levha: Head chef and co-owner (with her sister, Katia) of Le Servan Tatiana prepares colorful plates inspired by both French and Asian cuisine in a charming bistro environment.

 

Alice Quillet & Anna Trattles: When these Franco-British chefs opened Le Bal Café in 2010 they introduced Parisians to British comfort food prepared with French panache. The two are still on top of their game as their restaurant remains a foodie favorite.

Alice Quillet by Parabere

Sarah Mouchot: Sarah is the head chef and co-owner (with her partner Nico Alary) of the fabulous Holybelly where amazing coffee and all-day breakfasts meet contemporary French cuisine. It sounds like a lot to be going on in one restaurant, but the industrious chef makes it work flawlessly, relying on inspiration from home cooked meals growing up and inspirations from as far broad as Australia and Mexico, all brought together with quality, locally sourced seasonal ingredients.

Apart from in the restaurants of Paris, you’ll also find many women in culinary at some of Paris’ top cooking schools. One such chef, Chef Constance Deledalle, whose culinary journey you can read about in her bio, is a chef instructor at Cook’n with Class Paris.

I spoke with with chef Constance Deledalle about her cooking influences and inspirations and some of the important women in her life.

 

EMILY: Did you grow up with a mom or other woman role model who cooked for you?

CONSTANCE: I grew up with my mum cooking breakfast lunch and diner. Also my grandma used to cook a lot she had a farm where every thing would come from from the field to the plate.

 

E:  Who was the first person to teach you to cook?

C: I took pastry class when I was 8, instead of doing ballet class on Wednesday!

 

E: Who are cooking inspirations for you now?

C: Chefs are inspirations in general- especially my husband, who is a chef as well.

 

E: What are some of your favorite dishes to prepare with students?

C:  I don’t really have a favorite dish, what I like to do is follow the rhythm of the seasons. This gives me new ideas every day.

 

E: What advice do you have for young chefs or home cooks who are just starting to cook?

C: Thinking about making people happy when you cook your cuisine is the best way to improve.

 

Chef Constance teaches quite a number of the classes offered at Cook’n With Class paris including, French Market Class, Macaron Class, French Cooking with Kids, & the Croissant Classes . In 2017, along with her husband, Chef Tomy Gousset formerly of the restaurant Pirouette, opened their first restaurant together, Tomy & Co. You can read about the new must-try eatery here. 

Interested in French cooking classes in Paris? Book a class with Cook’n With Class Paris – small group sizes, classes all in English.

*in 2015 Julia Sedefdjian became the youngest chef, at the age of 21 to be at the helm of a Michelin starred restaurant Fables de la Fontaines (1 star). The restaurant has had a Michelin star for the last 10 years and we are happy that it retained it after Chef Julia arrived in August of 2015.

While there are 100s of male chefs worldwide who have received 3 Michelin star ratings only 6 women have also received the honor.

Revised March 8th 2017: Only one woman received the Michelin star in 2017 – Fanny Rey, a Top Chef finalist and chef owner of L’Auberge la Reine Jeanne in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

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