At their core, female chefs inspire.

They inspire the restaurant industry to be more creative, more passionate, more driven.

For the month of March, please join us as we spotlight female trailblazers who have kicked open the kitchen doors to inspire the next generation of great chefs.

Dominque Crenn

Photo credit: Myles Kusaba

Head Chef and Owner of Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, California.

Dominque is the only female chef in the United States to attain three Michelin stars for her restaurant. In 2021, she was the recipient of the World’s 50 Best Icon Award. Her book, Rebel Chef, serves as an inspiring tale to female chefs and activists throughout the world.

www.ateliercrenn.com | @dominiquecrenn

Vivian Howard

Chef, Restaurateur, Author and Television Host.

Vivian was host of the PBS television series, A Chef’s Life, during which she won an Emmy award and became the first woman since Julia Child to win the Peabody Award for a cooking program. She has also authored two cookbooks, and owns the Chef & the Farmer restaurant in Kinston, North Carolina.

www.vivianhoward.com | @chefandthef

Niki Nakayama

Chef and Owner of n/naka restaurant in Los Angeles, California.

Niki is a trailblazer in the male-dominated world of Japanese cuisine. She has earned two Michelin stars and won the StarChefs Rising Star Chef Award in 2014. She also appeared on the Netflix series, Chef’s Table, to discuss her journey and the obstacles she has overcome.

@nnakarestaurant | @nikinakayama

Jen Agg

Author, Restaurateur and Owner of Grey Gardens in Toronto, Canada.

Jen has built a restaurant empire in Toronto and, most recently, Montreal. She owns a handful of successful ventures, including Grey Gardens, Bar Vendetta, Rhum Corner and Agrikol. She also authored the best-selling memoir, I Hear She’s a Real Bitch.

www.greygardens.ca | @jen_agg

Claudette Zepeda

Creative Director and Consulting Chef of VAGA in San Diego, California.

Former Executive Chef and Partner at El Jardin and two-time Top Chef, Chef Zepeda has been regaled by the New York Times, Esquire and Eater San Diego. In 2019, Claudette founded Viva La Vida, which establishes micro businesses with single mothers in Mexico to import their products.

www.chefclaudettezepeda.com | @claudetteazepeda

Tracy Chang

Head Chef and Owner of PAGU in Boston, Massachusetts.

This Japanese-Spanish restaurant café and bakery is home to sparkling conversation and collaborative innovation. Tracy started two non-profits in the wake of the pandemic to deliver food and economic relief to families of essential workers.

www.gopagu.com | @tracypagu