The Problem

Under-Representation

52% of culinary graduates are women, but women represent only 19% of chefs + head cooks in the culinary industry

Only 33% of restaurant businesses are majority owned by women

In 2017, women of color in the food industry made up only 14% of entry-level positions & only 3% of chief executive roles

Female head chefs earn 28% less on average than men working the same position

<12 well-known female investors in the food + beverage industry

2% venture capital dollars are received by female founders, despite a “massive gold rush” for early-stage restaurant funding

0.006% of all venture funding goes to women of color

Sexism & sexual harassment highlighted by #MeToo movement

73% of chefs in 2016 study suffer from multiple mental health conditions

Food & hospitality industry has the highest rate of employees with substance use disorder of any industry

In the first year of the pandemic…

110K of restaurants closed, with a $255B decline in industry foodservice sales