Female chefs get big helping of US top food awards
Gabrielle Hamilton, who runs Prune, a small American bistro in New York, and numerous other female chefs collected top honours from the James Beard Foundation, the biggest awards for the US restaurant industry.
The theme of this year's ceremony was "Rise", to reflect the social and environmental issues that chefs and other restaurant professionals support, including the #MeToo social media movement.
Accusations of harassment by female restaurant workers have forced several celebrity chefs, including Mario Batali and John Besh, to separate from the businesses they founded.
Hamilton, who was named Outstanding Chef and also wrote a best-selling memoir, opened Prune in the East Village in 1999. It has earned a loyal customer base, while critics have praised her comfort dishes inspired by European and American influences.
She is only the sixth woman to win the top honour. The tide may be turning, however, as a woman has now received this annual award three times in five years.
Highlands Bar & Grill in Birmingham, Alaba- ma, was named as top US restaurant and its pastry chef Dolester Miles was named best in her field.
Female chefs won four of the 10 regional chef awards overall. - REUTERS
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