Conversation: Women Power In the Culinary World

The Crowne Plaza Beijing Sun Palace is holding a week of events themed around 'Women Power in the Culinary World,' bringing together the best female culinary talents from China and further afield.

I was lucky enough to have a quick chat with three of these inspiring women – a chef/entrepreneur, a cheese expert and a sommelier – about their passions and experiences:

Kelley Lee

Cordon Bleu-trained chef and entrepreneur Kelley Lee is the mastermind behind some of Shanghai’s best-loved venues, including Boxing Cat Brewery, Sproutworks and Cantina Agave. Kelley will be cooking at a degustation dinner on Thursday June 26.

Are Chinese professional kitchens as male dominated as Western ones?
In many cases, yes. It’s interesting actually, when we get people looking for jobs in our kitchens, the majority of women will apply for a job as an ayi, while the men – even if they’re inexperienced – will go straight for a job as a cook. We try to strike a balance in the kitchen wherever possible.

What would you say are the biggest challenges of setting up a restaurant in China?
In general, the biggest thing is the red tape. There are all these standards and protocols that have been borrowed from abroad but they aren’t universally applied so it can be really frustrating. 

Thinking about this question from a female perspective, I would say the main obstacle is the guanxi culture. The culture of entertaining and building guanxi is very male-oriented – huge baijiu fuelled dinners, trips to KTV. People also don’t naturally assume that I’m the boss when we’re introduced, which has its advantages and disadvantages! 

Having opened Cantina Agave in Beijing, do you have plans to open any more of your restaurants here?
Absolutely! We're hoping to bring Sproutworks and Boxing Cat Brewery to Beijing within the next couple of years.

Juliet Harbutt

Juliet is one of the world’s leading authorities on cheese. Originally from New Zealand but now based in the UK, she founded the British Cheese Awards in 1994. Her book The World Cheese Book has been published in eight languages. Juliet will be holding classes on wine, cheese and antipasti with Saskia Schurink.

Have you had a chance to try any local Beijing cheese?
We visited Le Fromager de Pekin the other day and I have to say I was really impressed, particularly with his goat’s cheeses. Cheese is like fruit; it’s ripening all the time while it’s traveling, so for some cheeses it really is best to eat locally wherever possible.

How do you think we can get more people in Asia interested in cheese?
Cheese is very shareable, very interactive, which I think appeals to the Asian dining culture.

The other thing is, just because people are new to cheese, doesn't mean we should be giving them boring, bland cheeses – when has Asian or Chinese food ever been boring! This is a theory I'll be testing out this week, but I think people here have a palate that can deal with strong flavors, such as those in washed-rind cheese. 

Saskia Schurink

A member of the Nederlands Gilde van Sommeliers, Saskia is the sommelier at the one Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant Hanting Cuisine in the Hague. Saskia will be holding classes on wine, cheese and antipasti with Juliet Harbutt.

You are a sommelier in a Chinese restaurant. What would you say are the main challenges in pairing wine with Chinese food?
Chinese cuisine has many layers of flavor, so it’s often difficult to find one wine that matches the flavors of even one dish, let alone a whole meal. However, when you do find the right wine, something magical happens; the wine brings out further layers of flavor that you weren’t expecting. 

I personally like to pair Chinese food, particularly the dishes we serve at Hanting, with the new generation of Alsatian wines, which tend to be bright and crisp. 

Is wine a male dominated industry?
For the most part I would say yes, but this is an area where Holland is really leading the field. Many of our sommeliers are female, even at three Michelin-starred restaurants such as De Librije.
 

Women Power in the Culinary World runs until this Saturday, including masterclasses, charity events and a gala dinner. Check out the event listing for more details.

More stories by this author here.

Email: robynnetindall@thebeijinger.com
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Photo: Robynne Tindall