Hospitality’s #MeToo movement gained new ground last month, first sparked by an awards ceremony that, aside from Emily Roux, sidelined female chef talent into a meandering pre-recorded video that landed like a patronising pat on the head. It was swiftly followed by a flurry of headlines on the question of sexism in kitchens.
There’s no doubt that rising through the ranks of professional kitchens is a different challenge for a female chef and an open letter written by Sally Abé, Dara Klein and Poppy O’Toole called for much-needed change. But in The Good Food Guide, there are plenty of notable kitchens with women at the helm, many of them prospering in our Best Local Restaurants category – not least 2024’s Welsh winner Inn at the Sticks, London winner Mambow and 2023 regional winners Wild Artichokes and Tropea.
At The Good Food Guide Awards 2025, in partnership with OpenTable, the Chef to Watch category featured three brilliant rising stars. Here they weigh in on their place in the kitchen.
Maria Close
Service and development chef, Rockliffe Hall, County Durham
Maria became a chef in her late twenties after deciding that engineering wasn’t for her. She trained at Le Cordon Bleu, London, before taking a pastry chef role at The Raby Hunt in 2013 (rated ‘World Class’ for deliciousness).
After training in Japan, she returned in 2015 as head of pastry, working alongside her husband and chef-owner, James Close, until the restaurant closed in January 2024.
Maria is now the behind-the-scenes mastermind of menu development at Rockliffe Hall, a luxury golf hotel near Darlington, which will launch a new destination restaurant within the grounds in the coming year.
‘I have worked or studied in British, Belgian, Spanish, Japanese, American kitchens, and I consider myself lucky that I’ve never had anything other than respect. But I know that isn't the case for everyone.
‘The profile of women in the industry is higher than ever. Women are driving that by becoming invaluable, highly skilled, inspiring, irreplaceable workers. People in positions of power have a responsibility to make space for those who want it and we’re seeing far more flexibility in working hours and kitchen set-ups.
‘One of my biggest inspirations is chocolatier Melissa Coppel; it was amazing to learn from her at her Chocolate & Pastry School in Las Vegas. Also our sous chef, Sara Saba, who worked on pastry at Raby Hunt. When we closed, she took a pastry course in Italy and now works at Rockcliffe. It's inspiring to see that fire and skill. I try to pass on my knowledge, but I learn just as much from her.’
Katie Austin
Formerly sous chef at The Boath House, Nairn
After graduating from Westminster Kingsway College, Katie worked in various kitchens before three formative years at Adam Byatt’s Trinity restaurant, Clapham.
In 2022 she moved to the north of Scotland to become sous chef at The Boath House, near Inverness, alongside her partner and head chef, Phil McEnaney. Deftly handled local produce served with little fuss and plenty of elegance was the order of the day
The property closed abruptly in January and the couple are now looking for their next project.
‘I agree with Sally [Abé’s] letter. Sexism exists in kitchens – there are always going to be wrong ‘uns – but I’ve been lucky to work in good places. I’ve never felt personally victimised. A guy slapped my arse once, but I just thought ‘what an idiot’.
‘I loved working at Trinity, and we still talk to Chef; he really helps us. And Chantelle [Nicholson] was great at Tredwells. When you spoke to her, she listened; if you had a problem, she always listened.
‘Kitchens can be hard, but I don’t understand why such a creative job comes with this thing of working 16-hour days for 16 days straight. That just leads to burn-out. It’s changing now, thank goodness.’
Kyu Jeong Jeon
Chef and co-owner of Dongnae and Bokman, Bristol
Kyu won The Good Food Guide's Chef to Watch 2025 award, sharing the accolade with her husband and fellow chef, Duncan Robertson.
Seoul-born Kyu trained as a designer but pursued her love of cooking and baking at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris. She met Duncan while working as a pastry chef at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, and after time in south-west France, the couple moved to Seoul.
Returning in 2018 to settle in Bristol with their two children, they opened their informal debut Korean restaurant, Bokman, followed by Dongnae, serving an elevated take on traditional Korean cuisine, opening to acclaim in September 2024.
‘Teamwork is essential in a professional kitchen. As a woman, I’ve found that I’m particularly good at reading the atmosphere, which helps me work in harmony with the team. I also tend to catch small details better, and since details determine quality, this is crucial.
‘I enjoy the high-energy environment, but the physical demands can be challenging. Carrying a 25kg bag of sugar or flour quickly is not easy for me. There are times when I’ve felt the limitations of my physical strength.
‘As a mother, I understand the challenge of balancing family life with the demands of a kitchen. Maternity leave and the lack of support for working mothers can often lead talented female chefs to leave. The industry needs to offer more flexibility. I see change, but it’s slow.
‘I admire Jeong Kwan [chef and nun] who features on Chef’s Table [Netflix]. She has developed a unique culinary philosophy by combining traditional Korean cuisine with Buddhist principles. I admire how she gives confidence to women chefs. I hope to have a positive impact like hers.’
