An executive chef sexist?

Today I was snooping around the Washington Post's website when I found a chat about Mike Isabella on Top Chef and his comment about how he didn't think a woman should be able to shuck clams as fast as he could. People were in an uproar and wondering if the Post's food critic would actually go to a restaurant where the chef was making sexist comments on cable TV.

The whole debate made me laugh. While the kitchen climate has become slightly more accepting of females, it is still one of those industries where a woman really needs to hold her own if she wants even the least bit of respect(And by respect I mean being treated like the guys. If you want to be treated like a lady, maybe a secretary job is more appropriate for you.)

A woman from Baltimore, MD said in this Washington Post debate that as a woman she could not justify going to an establishment that supports a sexist chef. My advice to her, don't eat out. Please don't misunderstand me I have worked in many kitchens with executive chefs, sous chefs, and line cooks that have treated me with the utmost respect. In Maine, Chef Lou guarded me and the pastry chef like we were his own daughters. Unfortunately many women have made it harder for those of us who really want to work in the kitchen. I'm talking about the women who call for help every time they can't do something instead of climbing on shelves(and possibly killing yourself in the process) to try to reach a jar of pickles. The women who whine and complain and constantly share their private lives to anyone within hearing distance also ruins a woman's reputation in a kitchen. "Typical woman always talking. We don't care." That comment may sound sexist to you, but really if you're going to be a stereotypical female than please work in the job of a stereotypical female. It would save everyone a lot of aggravation.

I feel like I just totally justified all of the sexism in a kitchen, so let me step back and say as a female there are times working in a kitchen can be very lonely. At times there are one or two other women in the kitchen, so to a certain extent you'll band together with the other women, but you also have to learn to fit in with the men. I really will have to work when I go back to school in two weeks at being a girl again. I try copious amounts of pink, but sometimes that doesn't even work. I'm sure I will need plenty of chocolate to get my sweetness level up high enough to be in contact with non kitchen people, and I will try my hardest to refrain from witty remarks about bodily functions and anatomical objects.

There really are some chefs who are just jerks out there. Unfortunately they are normally the most brilliant of chefs. Brilliant and crazy normally go hand in hand. I guess you just really have to ask yourself, why am I going out to eat? If it's for amazing food that could possibly change your life, then stop worrying whether the chef is sexist or rude to his staff. And one other thing, why in the world were these people in an uproar about this comment made by Isabella and not Michael Chiarello asking other executive chefs to call him chef just to feed his already swollen ego. You'll never take the ego out of the kitchen or probably even a little bit of sexism.

Happy Eating!!!

Emily