The culinary world is constantly expanding, and women represent a significant portion of restaurant owners and employees at all levels. Women are also highly influential consumers, accounting for 93% of household food purchases, which underscores the importance of diversity and inclusion in the industry.
- The Culinary Industry’s Significant Footprint
- The culinary industry contributes $863 billion to the overall economy – an increase from $43 billion since 1970.
- Restaurant industry share of food: 25% in 1995 vs. 51% in 2019.
- Restaurant contribution to overall US workforce: 10%
- Restaurant industry employees in 2019: 15.3M
- New restaurant jobs to be created in 2029: 1.6M
- Women Working in the Culinary Industry
- Restaurants employ more women managers compared to any other industry.
- 60% of American women have worked in the restaurant industry at some point in their life
- 50% of culinary school graduates are women
- 59% of food prep workers in the US are women
- Women in the culinary industry
- 52% of restaurant staff in the US
- 71% of all servers in the US
- 41% of fine dining bartenders
- 55% of family-style restaurant bartenders
- 19% of chef’s positions in the US
- 23% of the chefs and head cooks in the US
- Restaurants employ more women managers compared to any other industry.
- Women in the Culinary Industry as Leaders and Business Owners
- The industry is starting to see women as an emerging force, as “trust” is perceived as the highest regarded benefit of having women in leadership positions.
- Women represent 23% of the food industry’s C-suite executives
- Of half of all restaurants in the US, women have at least 50% of either full or shared ownership
- Restaurants owned and run by women have grown more than 3x faster than the overall restaurant industry
- 50% of special food services businesses (including food trucks and catering) are owned or co-owned by women
- The industry is starting to see women as an emerging force, as “trust” is perceived as the highest regarded benefit of having women in leadership positions.