CT Bites, a web-based guide to the Connecticut food scene, hosted its second “It’s A Woman’s World: An Evening To Inspire, Connect and Celebrate CT’s Women in Culinary” nonprofit event on April 27 at Hotel Marcel in New Haven. Inspired by a CT Bites column launched in 2018, the event recognized women in culinary across 11 categories including catering, distilling and baking.
“Tonight isn’t really about the awards, although we are thrilled to shout out the 11 women whom the public has voted for as leaders in this industry,” Editor-in-Chief of CT Bites Stephanie Webster said in her speech. “It’s about our gratitude that you decided to make Connecticut your home and for everything you do to make the Nutmeg state a great place to live.”
For decades, the culinary industry has been dominated by men. Honorary guest award-winning New York Times best selling cookbook author Dorie Greenspan recalled a time when she was rejected from a position because of her gender.
“This experience from 40 years ago marked me, but it didn’t surprise me: It was exceedingly rare to find a woman in a professional kitchen back then. When you’d hear or read about a woman chef or restaurateur, the fact that she was a woman would always be emphasized,”
Greenspan said. “We see women in every part of the industry today. Women are not just represented, but leading. I love it!”
The industry has long been perceived by the general public as a high pressure, stressful environment orchestrated by one fiery iron fist (with extremely resilient vocal chords) akin to that of the Oscar nominated drama series “The Bear” or Gordon Ramsey famously in “Hell’s Kitchen.” In reality, these creative spaces foster family-like team dynamics built from creatives who often excel under pressure.
“I thrive in chaos. Controlled chaos,” Executive chef and owner of AMG Catering & Events and Staples culinary teacher Alison Milwe-Grace said. “That’s why I love what I do and I’ve been able to do it for so long and can do it eighteen hours a day.”
Chef Grace won the award for Connecticut Female Caterer of the Year. Her passion for culinary first ignited at age seven, and has been burning brightly for the past
45 years. She first started AMG Catering & Events in 1996, so long that many of her original staff’s children now work for her.
“The hours are super long with catering. We’re together for like 12 twelve hours a day,” Grace said. “We all miss holidays together, we miss weekends together, we miss important things together. So it creates a more intense bond with the staff because we wind up celebrating Thanksgiving together. So it is like a little family.”
Best bartender winner mixologist Rebecca Legoute arrived accompanied by five of their colleagues from the acclaimed 29 Markle Ct. in Bridgeport. You could feel the excitement and camaraderie of the group spilling out of the elevator doors before they set foot in the venue. This scene revealed the uniqueness of the industry. The teamwork developed in culinary spaces goes beyond kitchens and storefronts, in the process of working towards a common creative goal friendships and bonds are formed.
“What has touched me most has been learning how food can bring us together,” Greenspan said. “Food is our common language and there will always be more to learn about how we can share what we love and create.”
