WOMEN can be prime ministers or judges, in the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies, in the pulpit or in a spaceship. But in professional kitchens, it's still a man's world.
Certainly, things are slowly changing . . . but, in Hongkong, according to those who man the woks and ranges, we've got a long way to go.
Restaurateurs such as Michelle Garnaut and general managers/executive chefs such as California's Karin Joffe, L.A. Cafe's Jennifer Migliorelli and Mecca's Jennifer Grieve, are a rare breed.
When he was organising the kitchen staff for Portico restaurant, chef-owner Franz Kranzfelder called Hongkong Polytechnic, looking for applicants. There was little interest.
When Bacchus Taverna was in its blueprint stage, restaurant consultant and former chef Kim Murphy looked for experienced help. A knowledge of Greek food was necessary but gender was unimportant. She finally imported two women from Australia.
Rosemary Lee returned to Hongkong in 1990, after many years working as chef and manager in the food industry in Canada, Australia and Europe. When she opened Beaches restaurant in Stanley, she ran ads in the newspaper. No Chinese women applied.
''There is a stigma among Chinese about working in a kitchen,'' explained the Hongkong native. ''It's a blue collar job, not something for a frail little girl. An office job is cleaner.'' When Richard Feldman hired a female Chinese cook for Graffiti's kitchen, his staff protested. ''The kitchen is run by Chinese men and it's very competitive,'' says the former general manager. ''She was very good. Not only did she raise the level of standards, she hung in. It was tough but so was she.'' Five years later, Cheung Sau-fan is still the lone female.
