8 incredible recipes from the women changing the way we eat
We're celebrating some of the UK's brilliant female chefs, who are not only cooking spectacular dishes, but spearheading sustainability, dispelling stereotypes and introducing us to new, authentic flavours at the same time.
8 incredible recipes from the women changing the way we eat
We're celebrating some of the UK's brilliant female chefs, who are not only cooking spectacular dishes, but spearheading sustainability, dispelling stereotypes and introducing us to new, authentic flavours at the same time.
Though there may be more efforts to redress it today, gender imbalance is still very much present in restaurants. Women remain underrepresented in kitchens, with research from 2022 estimating that just seventeen per cent of professional chefs in the UK were women. That's particularly the case when it comes to head chef roles, including those at Michelin level (another study from the same year put the figure of women running restaurants with stars at around six per cent globally) – cooking has long been an industry dominated by men.
It is, then, all the more important to shout about the supremely talented women who are not only cooking some of the country's best food, but redefining what and how we eat. That might be introducing us to new cuisines, giving us authentic takes on cooking we thought we understood or showing us what's possible when it comes to plant-based food. Some are icons of the industry, with stars to their name, while others are at the forefront of a new generation of exciting young chefs – here, we've brought eight spectacular recipes from chefs at the top of their game.
Chantelle Nicholson's vegan coconut mousse with passion fruit, lime and roasted pineapple
Chantelle Nicholson's determination to evolve plant-based and free-from cooking at the highest level ensured she quickly became known as one of the UK's most forward-thinking chefs. Her efforts at her Mayfair restaurant Apricity (you can read more about how she turns her mindset into action here) were rewarded in 2023, when she was presented with a Michelin Green Star. Chantelle's beautiful vegan coconut mousse is a great example of her ethos – the caramel is made from a coconut sugar and the mousse from aquafaba, the water from chickpeas, which makes a great vegan egg white replacement. A simple yet fantastic dessert.
Lorna McNee's crab and scallop with celeriac, shallot reduction and bergamot
Lorna McNee, a protégé of the late Andrew Fairlie, is at the forefront of Scotland's fine dining scene and in 2022 became the first – and only – female chef in the country to hold a Michelin Star. She celebrates her country's world-renowned natural larder through refined, elegant dishes, part of a movement to change stubborn perceptions around Scotland's cuisine. This stunning starter blends a rich celeriac purée with slivers of scallop and is served with a bergamot and yuzu-infused ponzu, split with beurre noisette.
Joké Bakare's ekuru with pumpkin seed pestou and Scotch bonnet sauce
Having made the transition from home cook to restaurant owner in 2019 with the first iteration of her restaurant Chishuru, Nigerian-born Adejoké Bakare has played a starring role in the rise of West African food across London. Her unique style brings together the often contrasting food traditions of her parents, and was rewarded with a Michelin Star in 2024. Joké's ekuru dish is based on the comforting Yoruban staple, which is made from peeled black-eyed beans. The chef serves it with a pumpkin seed pestou and fiery Scotch bonnet sauce.
Adriana Cavita's tamal de puerco
Talented chef Adriana Cavita aims to eradicate tired stereotypes around greasy, cheese-laden Mexican cooking at her Marylebone restaurant Cavita. Instead, she highlights its vibrancy and freshness, using her experience in the likes of El Bulli and Pujol to create sophisticated dishes which still feel hearty. This simple pork tamale is filled with a pork and morita chilli filling and served with a tomatillo sauce.
Asma Khan's chicken biryani
As the owner of Darjeeling Express and having appeared on Netflix's Chef's Table, Asma Khan is one of the UK's best-known female chefs and a determined advocate for social change, having used her platform to speak about race and female representation in kitchens (Darjeeling Express has a women-only kitchen). Asma's dishes pay homage to her home in Kolkata, where she was taught to cook by both her mother and royal cooks (she is a descendant of two separate Indian royal families), learning how to impress and satisfy guests. This chicken biryani is inspired by her ammu's (mother's) recipe for the iconic Indian dish.
Hélène Darroze's mackerel with barbecued gazpacho consommé and basil
With six Michelin stars across three restaurants (including three at her London restaurant), Hélène Darroze is a legend of the restaurant world, known for pushing the boundaries of what fine French cuisine can be and prioritising brilliant produce, a mindset shaped by her upbringing in southwest France. This stunning mackerel dish sees the raw slices of fish bathe in basil oil, tomato seeds and a smoky gazpacho, while a tuile filled with mackerel and tomato on the side adds crunch.
Abby Lee's babi chin (dark soy sauce-braised pork belly)
Though Abby Lee focused on Italian cookery early on in her career, her return to Malaysia during the pandemic inspired her to learn more about the food she grew up eating. She has since become known for bold, modern Malaysian cooking at her East London restaurant Mambow, at a time when the country's cuisine has become more popular than ever here in the UK. This moreish Nyonyan dish babi chin sees pork belly slowly braised with dark soy sauce and aromatics including coriander seeds and shallots until it is deliciously sticky and soft.
Harriet Mansell's tomato water with seabass, elderflower and oregano
At her Lyme Regis restaurant Lilac, Harriet Mansell is able to showcase her love of wild food and foraging, which she says was inspired by a childhood spent in the great outdoors (we spoke to Harriet about her particular love of foraging pine here). This pretty tomato water starter is a fantastic example – it combines the delicate flavours of tomato, elderflower, oregano and sea bass, and makes use of an elderflower vinegar, a great way of preserving a hyper-seasonal ingredient long into the winter months.
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