March 8 was International Women's Day. We therefore asked seven inspiring women from the food and wine industry what this day means to them, what challenges women still face today and how they have mastered their personal journey. Elif Oskan, Zizi Hattab, Tanja Grandits, Amanda Wassmer-Bulgin, Ines Triebenbacher, Adriana Hartmann and Madelyne Meyer in conversation.
International Women's Day is celebrated annually on March 8 - and has been for more than a hundred years. Every day should actually be International Women's Day. We have therefore given the floor to seven successful women who are moving the world of gastronomy and wine. Not just today, but all year round.
Tanja Grandits is one of the best female chefs in Switzerland. As part of the Falstaff Restaurant and Beizenguide, she was awarded Landlady of the Year. She has been running the Basel gourmet restaurant Stucki for almost 16 years and has been awarded two Michelin stars for her aromatic cuisine. She has also published eight cookbooks, which have made it onto various bestseller lists.
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
The day means a lot to me. Not just because I'm a woman myself, but because it's important to realise every day, not just on this International Women's Day, that you have to be a role model for young women and that you want to show every day that you can do everything just as well as a woman as you can as a man. I would like to see people not having to think about whether they are a woman or not and for all of this to become much more natural in the future. There are so many disadvantaged women in this world and we here in Switzerland are of course in a fortunate position to be able to do many things exactly as we want. There are so many women who have no opportunity for anything - just because they are a woman.
What challenges do women face in your professional world? What has already improved in recent years and where is there still a need for optimisation?
Of course, there are always hurdles. They are there every day, in everyday life. But I believe that women can and must simply be more confident in what they do and not question themselves so often. They simply do what they are very good at in gastronomy - and they can do it just as well as men. Of course, it is still a problem that family and this job are very difficult to reconcile, and I don't have a patent remedy for that either. But there are always solutions and there are always ideas. I also want to convey this to the cooks I have here and to my three young apprentices, who are doing an incredible job. And of course I want to show them that a company run by a woman works just as well - or even better.
What is your recipe for success and what advice would you give to other women in the industry?
I think my recipe is simply that I believe in myself and trust what I do and what I think and don't always doubt myself. Under no circumstances should you compare yourself with others - just always be yourself and believe in yourself and that it works - because it does. It's really important to see things in a positive light.
It's not about living in a pink cloud, but I have the feeling that if you always have a doubting and anxious basic energy, then that also attracts the bad. On the contrary, if you have good thoughts and are convinced of what you are doing, if you are passionate about what you are doing, then positive energy is created and then you also attract good things. I think the secret is not to doubt yourself so much, but to trust yourself.
British-born Amanda Wassmer-Bulgin has been the wine director of the Grand Hotel Quellenhof in Bad Ragaz since 2019, where she sometimes complements the dishes of her husband, three-star chef Sven Wassmer, to perfection. At the same time, she is training to become a renowned Master of Wine. Falstaff names her Sommelière of the Year 2021.
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
It's funny that some people question the need to celebrate women on International Women's Day. They dismiss it as just another PR stunt or something. But let's be honest, most of these voices come from people who have never been confronted with discrimination. They're lucky, aren't they? But here's the thing: there are women who cannot pursue their dreams as freely as they would like to because of various obstacles. Society puts them under pressure, and it's not just women who feel this, but men too - in their own way. Sometimes it's just nice to hear a simple "thank you" or "great job". People want recognition. And for a long time, women didn't get that.
The everyday work of women often goes unnoticed, while a man doing the same thing gets a pat on the back or even a round of applause. For me, you can never show too much kindness and support. Celebrating people should never be a bad thing. I'm lucky enough to be surrounded by incredible women, so why shouldn't we cheer each other up? Why not say: "Hey, I see you!"?
What challenges do women face in your professional world? What has already improved in recent years and where is there still a need for optimisation?
That's a difficult question and I can only speak from my own experience. Have you heard the saying: "If you can't see it, you can't be it"? It is so true. If you don't see people who are like you in certain roles or positions, it's hard to imagine yourself there. I'm still struggling with imposter syndrome because for a long time I felt like I didn't belong in the wine world. Just look at the top CEOs of the big wine companies - it's often a man looking at you. It's easy to think: "Maybe it's not for me". I hope for a future in which our industry is more diverse.
I firmly believe that diverse management teams attract a wider audience and have a better view of our guests and consumers. Networking is a major challenge for working mothers. It's often just about who you know, and traditional networking events aren't always geared towards mothers with young children. We have to change this attitude. I believe that women should network more together, but I don't mean in the form of segregation. I simply believe that it is very valuable to network with like-minded people. Together we can find solutions and support each other in our careers. Imagine if young women in the industry had safe spaces to network and authentically discuss wine and careers. We need more of this kind of community, like the Women in Wine Networking Group in London.
What is your recipe for success and what advice would you give to other women in the industry?
I was lucky enough to always stay true to myself and my dreams, even when others doubted me. I have steered my wine journey like a boat trip - I know where I want to go, but I am open to changing the route if necessary. It is not a race, but a journey, and the destination remains the same. And this is how it works: don't be afraid to make mistakes and stay curious. Seek knowledge for yourself, not to prove something to someone else. There are no stupid questions, only the ones you don't ask. And if you meet someone you admire, don't hesitate to start a conversation. I've never met anyone who didn't feel flattered when you told them about your trip.
With her Gül, Zurich's trendy restaurateur Elif Oskan has succeeded in creating a restaurant in a very short space of time that is unparalleled in Europe - just like Rosi, which she runs together with her partner Markus Stöckle. A year ago, she published her first cookbook "Cüisine" with favorite Turkish recipes from her childhood, from her family and from her restaurant.
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
Mutual appreciation and love, a smile and kindness for every mother, grandmother, sister and friend. Not to remain silent for all the wonderful women and girls and to speak up for those who are not lucky enough to be able or allowed to do so. There is nothing easier than something kind that comes from the heart and is sincerely meant.
What challenges do women face in your professional world?
Where should I start? I think it's not just challenges that affect us women in our industry, it goes far beyond that and affects us as people. Language and how we communicate is an incredibly big topic that occupies me. Terms such as mansplaining or marginalisation are not yet an integral part of our general language usage in our industry, we need to integrate such terms that explain inequality and injustice into our entrenched structures in order to solve the old and create a new form of togetherness.
We are still at the very beginning, a woman still finds herself in a position where she experiences distributive injustice, our credibility as women is still being questioned by prejudices without evidence. These patterns are deeply rooted in our structures and are unfortunately very slow to dissolve. Joint dialogue is important and safe spaces where this can happen are a start.
What has already improved in recent years and where is there still a need for optimisation?
I think there has been a certain sensitisation, but I'm not talking about a global revolution. An appeal to the many men in our industry: stand up for your female colleagues, don't remain silent, look and defend them.
What is your recipe for success and what advice would you give to other women in the industry?
Trust in the process, the process is so important and all the insights are an incredible added value for the big picture. I have learned that fear is part of courage and that we encounter this feeling again and again. The inner dialogue, learning to listen to your gut feeling and to trust it. Being gentle with yourself and proud of what you've achieved - that was you, Go Girl.
With her creative plant-based creations and her now three restaurants, Zizi Hattab has significantly enriched the Zurich gastronomy scene and is helping to raise plant-based cuisine to a new level. Her first restaurant Kle is the first vegan restaurant in Switzerland to be awarded a Michelin star. With "Taste of Love", Hattab, who was originally a software developer, also published her first cookbook two years ago.
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
For me, International Women's Day is a celebration of the many achievements of the gender equality movement, but also a reminder of how far we have come, because there is no country in the world where gender equality has been achieved. It motivates me to keep pushing the boundaries and break through the glass ceilings in a broader gender spectrum.
What challenges do women face in your professional world? What has already improved in recent years and where is there still a need for optimisation?
First of all, the world revolves around the 24-hour men's watch and doesn't take into account that the women's watch has 26-28 hours. The gender pay gap persists, gender bias in career opportunities, sexism and microaggression are very present in most workplaces, and all of this leads to a lack of role models for younger generations.
What is your recipe for success and what advice would you give to other women in the industry?
I would advise every individual, regardless of gender, to do the following: self-reflection on deep-rooted gender biases and stereotypes, awareness raising, advocacy, ongoing diversity and inclusion training, workplace culture, equal pay, flexible working arrangements.
Sommelier and hostess Ines Triebenbacher leads a service team consisting mainly of women at Andreas Caminada's renowned sharing restaurant "Igniv" in Zurich. In 2022, the German-born chef was honoured by the Michelin Guide with the Service Award for her outstanding achievements.
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
I find it difficult that there even has to be a day like this to draw attention to the situation of women worldwide. There are still so many countries where women have no rights, for example. Unfortunately, in private life, the work of a mother is still often taken for granted and in the world of work, many women probably have to work harder to get the same position, pay or recognition as a man. However, it is great that many women around the world come together on this day to celebrate and stand up for femininity and their solidarity.
What challenges do women face in your professional world? What has already improved in recent years and where is there still a need for optimisation?
I think it's great that more and more female chefs, hosts and sommeliers have stood up for our industry in recent years and are being seen and heard. Unfortunately still nothing compared to the male fraction, but I think we're on the right track.
What is your recipe for success and what advice would you give to other women in the industry?
The great thing about our current generation is that women have found strength in solidarity and no longer play each other off and make life difficult. I firmly believe that we are the stronger sex when we support each other and are there for each other.
As managing director and restaurant co-owner, Adriana Hartmann runs the Magdalena restaurant in Rieckenbach, together with her husband, star chef Dominik Hartmann and Marco Appert, which was named Gourmet Address of the Year in the 2022 Restaurant and Pickling Guide. After studying design and art, she went into gastronomy for love.
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
A very nice day that advertises, draws attention and is important. A day that draws attention to inequalities or injustices. And a day that inspires and encourages me and many women to pursue their goals.
What challenges do women face in your professional world? What has already improved in recent years and where is there still a need for optimisation?
One difficulty I still see is the gap that, as a woman, I am often taken a little less seriously than a man for the same work. And the biggest difficulty for me, but this also applies to men, is balancing family and career. Finding childcare for the special working hours of restaurateurs is very difficult and challenging every day.
What is your recipe for success and what advice would you give to other women in the industry?
I don't have a recipe for success. A lot of things happened with a lot of passion and vigour. My advice would be to say what you want and what you think and to assert yourself from time to time. And to always believe in yourself.
Wine expert and author Madelyne Meyer studied Wine Marketing and Management in Bordeaux and worked at wineries in California. With her wine shop "Edvin", she has made it her goal to impart wine knowledge in a simple and humorous way through books and courses.
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
On this day, I often think of the women who paved the way for me into the world of wine; they opened doors for me and held out their hand. I feel pure gratitude on this day. I'm here because of them. I want to pass on this empathy and support. I feel a responsibility to help the next generation in exactly the same way.
What challenges do women face in your professional world? What has already improved in recent years and where is there still a need for optimization?
Being a woman in the wine trade is no longer a rarity. That makes me so happy. Wine women also appear in public much more often these days. Be it at trade fairs, at tastings or in the media. That takes courage and helps you to identify with them. A few more platforms to promote female sommeliers in particular would not hurt the industry. Maybe I'll tackle that soon ;-)
What is your recipe for success and what advice would you give to other women in the industry?
Unfortunately I don't have a recipe. What helps me is my belief in my competence. I know what I can and can't do and I make the most of my skills. If I can advise anything, it's not to look too hard to the left or right. Stay true to yourself, don't try to copy. You are one of a kind!
