Gastronomy and Gender

Food, in many cultures, has been a female space in the domestic realm, but a male domain in the professional realm. Gender discrimination reflects social codes and norms that dictate how people interact with others. Gender inequalities are linked to politics, culture, and history and it has affected women's freedoms and capabilities. Food is culture, and gender is a cultural construction. Regarding hospitality, despite their high representation in the global workforce (51% in Spain), there is an unequal distribution of tasks and decision-making positions. Women usually engage in manual and non-mechanized work and, in general, less qualified tasks, lower status and most servile roles whereas men tend to take leadership roles and managerial positions.

The main barriers to gender discrimination in hospitality, especially in haute cuisine, are related to dominant male values and traits, in part, due to its military origin. Elite women chefs are required to demonstrate physical and mental strength to follow the work culture of working long hours and avoiding emotional displays. Studies have shown that male traits are more related to leadership requirements. Therefore, cooking is seen as a gendered task, especially in domestic and professional spheres.

In this course, we will explore the causes and consequences of gender discrimination in the food industry. We will deep dive into leadership stereotypes and we will focus on what we can do to create a more inclusive space.