3 WHITE PAPER
BEYOND CUISINE
ADDRESSING BIAS IN CULINARY RECOGNITION
WHITE PAPER
White Paper: Beyond Cuisine –
Addressing Bias in Culinary Recognition
A Deep Dive into the Gender and Racial Disparities in Fine Dining Awards
Prepared for HoteliersGuild |
By Frank M. Pfaller
| March 2024
� Executive Summary
The world of fine dining has long been shaped by elite culinary awards such as Michelin and Gault&Millau, which serve as gatekeepers of prestige, opportunity, and financial success. However, the system remains deeply inequitable women, especially Black female chefs, are disproportionately underrepresented in these rankings.
This white paper examines:
✔ The statistical and systemic biases that limit female and Black chefs from receiving top awards.
✔ The differing approaches of Michelin vs. Gault&Millau in recognizing women-led restaurants.
✔ The real-world impact of these disparities on careers, restaurant funding, and industry visibility.
✔ Solutions & recommendations to foster greater inclusivity in fine dining rankings.
The findings, based on research from BEYONDCUISINE, personal interviews, and the Bias in Iconic Food Guides report, reveal an urgent need for systemic change in how culinary excellence is defined and rewarded.
� The Recognition Gap: Women in Michelin & Gault&Millau Rankings
� The Numbers: A Stark Imbalance
• Women own fewer than 7% of Michelin-starred restaurants globally.
• Only one Black woman—Mariya Russell—has ever earned a Michelin star.
• Less than 3% of 3-star Michelin chefs are women.
• Gault&Millau is slightly more inclusive but still skews male, particularly at the highest rating levels.
� Key Takeaway: While women are making strides, they remain severely underrepresented especially in elite fine dining categories.
The Pressure Cooker Effect: Rating Guides Impact on Chefs
This opinion piece delves into the pressing issues of gender inequality and the lack of transparency within the culinary rating systems of certain renowned food guides, highlighting a broader industry-wide challenge. The gathered evidence advocates for urgent reform to ensure fairness, inclusivity, and a comprehensive evaluation of the dining experience. It emphasizes the critical need for change to cultivate a more equitable and vibrant gastronomic landscape, advocating for a future where culinary excellence is recognized fairly and transparently across the board.
� Bias in Culinary Award Systems
1
Michelin Guide: Prestige with a Gender Bias
• Historically favors European, French culinary traditions, which have been male-dominated for centuries.
• Anonymous inspectors largely maintain industry status quo.
• Technical precision is prioritized over cultural storytelling, affecting recognition for chefs specializing in non-European cuisines.
• The star system places extreme pressures on chefs, often leading to burnout—especially for women balancing work-life expectations.
2 Gault&Millau: A More Open but Still Male-Leaning System
• More experimental and flexible in ratings, sometimes recognizing less traditional fine dining.
• However, men still dominate the highest rankings.
• Regional and cultural cuisine chefs (often women & BIPOC chefs - Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) receive lower visibility than European fine dining establishments.
� Key Takeaway: While Gault&Millau provides more flexibility, both systems disproportionately reward male chefs in traditional haute cuisine settings.
� The Double Barrier: Race & Gender in Fine Dining Recognition
� Why Are There So Few Black Female Michelin-Starred Chefs?
� Cultural Bias – African, Caribbean, and diaspora cuisines are often categorized as “ethnic” rather than fine dining.
� Fewer Role Models & Mentorships – Young Black female chefs lack established mentors in elite spaces.
� Funding Disparities – Black-owned restaurants receive less investment, limiting their ability to
reach fine dining standards.
� Media & Critic Exposure – White male chefs dominate culinary media narratives, reducing opportunities for Black female chefs to gain visibility.
� Case Study: Mariya Russell – The first and only Black woman to earn a Michelin star left fine dining due to industry pressures and lack of support.
� The Impact of Award Disparities on Careers & Restaurants
� Michelin Stars = Financial Success – A Michelin star can increase restaurant revenue by up to 80%.
� Investors Prioritize Michelin Recognition – Making it harder for women and Black chefs to secure restaurant funding.
� Women’s Leadership Pipeline is Weak – Fewer Michelin-starred female chefs = fewer women in executive chef roles, mentorships, and ownership.
� Key Takeaway: Bias in awards directly translates into financial and career inequities.
� Solutions: How the Industry Can Create Change
1 Award Systems Must Evolve
✅ Expand rating criteria – Recognizing cultural narratives, sustainability, and creativity beyond technical precision.
✅ Diversity in inspector teams – Ensuring gender and racial diversity among Michelin & Gault&Millau reviewers.
✅ Public transparency – Releasing demographic data on awarded chefs.
As a long-standing advocate for the hospitality and culinary arts industry, I have seen firsthand the transformative power of the dining table. It is a place where barriers are dissolved, where diversity is celebrated, and where we all come together in the shared ritual of sustenance. Yet, the voices behind this shared experience, particularly the voices of black female chefs, have often been drowned out in the cacophony of the commercial culinary world. Enter BeyondCuisine, an initiative fueled by passion, commitment, and a burning desire to illuminate the path for the rising talents and highlight the distinctive culinary narratives these women bring to our tables.
2 Industry-Wide Commitment to Inclusivity
✅ Funding & mentorship programs – Prioritizing investment in women- and Black-owned fine dining restaurants.
✅ More diverse food media representation – Featuring BIPOC and female chefs in high-profile industry publications.
✅ Encouraging work-life balance – Rethinking the industry’s toxic “burnout” culture that disproportionately affects women.
3 Chef-Driven Initiatives for Change
✅ Women-led culinary networks – Creating mentorship programs for young female chefs.
✅ Black-led culinary collectives – Strengthening industry support for Black female chefs through partnerships and visibility.
✅ New award platforms – Establishing independent recognition systems that celebrate underrepresented talent, e.g. through the HoteliersGuild Academy of Hospitality Arts'
SIRIUSACADEMYAWARDCAMPAIGN.
� References & Further Reading
• BEYONDCUISINE: Stirring Change in Culinary Arts – HoteliersGuild, 2023.
• Bias in Iconic Food Guides – Selected Hotels Promotion L.C., 2024.
• Michelin Guide Official Reports (2023).
• Gault&Millau Historical Rankings Analysis (2023).
� Conclusion: A Call to Action
The culinary world cannot afford to ignore the gender and racial inequities baked into its most prestigious awards.
Michelin & Gault&Millau must modernize their recognition frameworks, while the broader hospitality industry must commit to greater inclusivity, funding, and mentorship.
✨ It’s time for women and Black chefs to receive the recognition they deserve—not just in theory, but in stars, ratings, and real opportunities.
� Next Steps for BEYONDCUISINE:
✅ Publishing data-driven articles exposing these disparities.
✅ Partnering with hospitality schools and Universities to fund female- and Black-led culinary scholarships.
✅ Hosting roundtable discussions featuring award-winning female chefs on solutions for change.
�
This is more than a conversation—it’s a movement.
� The Future of Fine Dining Must Be Inclusive. �
Honouring a Historic Achievement in Culinary Artistry
This special edition draws inspiration from a groundbreaking moment heralded by The HENRIS Gault&Millau Germany 2023/24 Guide. For the first time in four decades, the prestigious Chef(fe!) of the Year title was awarded to a woman, Douce Steiner . This milestone is not just a celebration of Steiner's exceptional talent but a beacon of progress for gender equality and the recognition of women's prowess in the culinary fi eld. It marks a pivotal shift towards a more inclusive industry, acknowledging the invaluable contributions of women in top-tier German kitchens and setting a hopeful precedent for global recognition.
The Beyond Cuisine Narrative
