Alongside Tom Jenkins, journalist and SPYCA spokesperson as the moderator, the protagonists of the discussion about how to create a fairer and more representative sector are: 

• Maria Canabal: award-winning journalist and Founder and President of the Parabere Forum
• Vicky Lau: chef-patron of the two-Michelin starred Tate Dining Room and Mora in Hong Kong
• Cristina Bowerman: the only female chef in Rome to not only helm a Michelin-starred restaurant, at Glass Hostaria, but to hold three forks from Gambero Rosso
• Nicolai Nørregaard: the chef and co-owner of the Michelin-starred Kadeau restaurants in Bornholm and Copenhagen, Denmark.

Canabal, starting from the history of modern cuisine, highlights how, over the years, the militarised kitchen brigade system that favours men, and everyday sexist attitudes, have held female chefs back. Female chefs are often underrepresented and unrecognised.

Lau said: “If you go through the list of award-winning women in the world, they are almost all restaurant owners. For us, being independent is the only way to change this system and despite having no experience, when I started alone, I didn't want to recreate an aggressive military regime. I have chosen and continue to choose calm, serene, balanced people.”

Nørregaard has decided to manage his kitchen differently, with no tolerance for aggression, screams and tension. “I am always the one who takes the final decision, but I learned, from a male chef, to be kind and respectful,” adds Bowerman.

Jenkins commented: “We recognise that gastronomy can be a challenging industry for female chefs and that they are often under-represented within it. For this reason, we are particularly proud of the webinar series project, one of the Academy’s educational activities to bring the gender balance issue to the centre of the debate, disseminating good equality practices and inspiring young female chefs in their professional development.”