5 minute read
FEMALE INNOVATION: SHIRLEY YEUNG
THE INFLUENCE OF WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY
FROM PAST TO PRESENT
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WHY DO MEN STILL INSIST ONLY A MALE BARTENDER CAN ADVISE THEM ON WHAT TO DRINK WHEN WOMEN NOT ONLY HAVE PROVEN THEIR PERFORMANCE BEHIND THE BAR; THEY WIN AWARDS, CREATE COCKTAILS, DISTIL SPIRITS, LAUNCH BRANDS AND ARE SUCCESSFUL INNOVATORS?
WORDS BY SHIRLEY LEUNG
It’s a busy night. The lights are dim, and the room is full. Service hasn’t been the most difficult tonight, but it sure could’ve been better. You serve the customer in front of you and ask for his order. He wants some kind of whiskey…scotch or bourbon you ask, ‘by region or profile?’ They stare at you for a second too long, and you already know what’s to come. ‘Do you know anything about whiskey?’ Before you go to answer, the gentleman has answered for you, ‘I’ll just wait for that guy to serve me’, he points; to the bartender next to you. Your male co-worker. This happens another time during the night’s service, your eyes roll for 10th time tonight and you continue on.
It’s easy to mistake confidence as egocentric or perhaps even rudeness. Still, due to the diminishing degrees of gender separation behind the bar, it’s a never-ending story for women behind the bar having to deal with customers questioning their ability and knowledge. It has dwindled over time, especially within this period in society of equality and acceptance. Sadly, however, overlooking female bartenders is common practice, whether it be a recommendation for a cocktail, spirit or even something as simple as a beer. Why is there something so distrusting when a female recommends it? It might not be everyday practise, but every female bartender has encountered it before.
Let’s not forget the day Ada Coleman was named head bartender at the Savoy Hotel in London. It’s a moment that will forever be forged into the memories of every female bartender as they look back to for empowerment and encouragement in this industry. At its worst, it can be sexist and discriminatory, but at its best, the support is incomparable. Coleman held the reins at the Savoy Hotel for 23 years in an era when male bartenders outnumbered females, 55,000 to a measly 147 [1]. She has been remembered not only for her creation of the ‘Hanky Panky’ cocktail, but her grace behind the bar and passion was unlike anyone else, and she pushed the boundaries for women past and present, inspiring many. Because of Coleman’s passion to create, she has allowed a new generation of female bartenders to take the reins of many iconic bars across the world, from New York to London to Sydney and far beyond. Women in the industry today are more inspired and empowered than ever to step into the spotlight and take to the stage.
The name Bessie Williamson will also be a memorable name for many women in the industry. Williamson was the first and only female to both own and run a distillery in the 20th century [2]. Heralded as a ‘woman of spirit’ by many, she was one of the reasons behind the success of the much-acclaimed Scottish distillery, Laphroaig. Much like Coleman, Williamson lived in an era where women weren’t considered for employment in Scottish distilleries. She broke the cycle of familiarity in the region and became managing director of Laphroaig on her own merits and skill. Another woman deserving of the industry hall of fame is Margie Samuels. Samuels is the heroine behind the branding of the iconic bourbon, Maker’s Mark. While raising a family and running the farm, she thrusted herself into the brand’s iconic bourbon history that we recognise today. Samuels contribution to the brand is miraculous, she not only contributed to the name of the bourbon; she designed the logo and the legendary hand-dipped red wax bottle top. Needless to say, without her, the brand would not have been as successful [3] . Even with so many societal restraints and expectations of women, how did these women make such an impact in the industry during their time? How did they influence such remarkable results? Was it fuelled by a never-ending passion to be themselves?
Ada Coleman
It’s not an over-exaggeration to say that women are an incredible driving force in the hospitality industry today; not just behind the bar but in every aspect, even if it’s in small numbers. There are 269 master sommeliers in the world, of which only 28 are female [4]. Out of the 16 master cicerone titles in the world, one is female [5]. From this year alone, we have seen more and more female bartenders step onto the world stage and succeed in competitions to winning top bar awards and taking over the distillery world. There are currently more female winemakers and distillers around the world than ever before, so why is there still such an apparent gender gap in our industry? And why are there still critics in our industry that still discriminate towards the female gender?
We have perhaps forgotten that women have been more influential in our industry than we realise. Icons like Coleman, Williamson and Samuels have paved the way for further success for women, but is there still more barriers to break before we see more even results? Let’s not forget that women are fierce, women are strong, but above all else; women are passionate. They are driven by being told they can’t, and they will fight to prove it wrong…time and time again.`
REFERENCES: [1] Hyperlink source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124061664179455005 [2] Hyperlink source: https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/whisky-heroes/9386/bessie-williamson-laphroaig/ [3] Hyperlink source: https://thedrinkingtourist.com/2018a-womans-touch-the-makers-mark-story/ [4] Hyperlink source: https://www.mastersommeliers.org/about [5] Hyperlink source: https://www.cicerone.org/ca-en/blog/erny-becomes-first-woman-master-cicerone%C2%AE
