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Anyone who\u2019s ever worked in a kitchen knows that there is a serious gender disparity in the restaurant industry. Despite gains in recent years, most chefs in American restaurants are still male. The James Beard Foundation is trying to change that with their Women in Culinary Leadership grant program.<\/p>\n
The grant is designed to help female chefs and restaurateurs with at least two years of experience in food service kick their careers into high gear. Grant winners are placed in training positions with upper echelon chefs. This year 22 grants are available, three times more than last year. Applications for 2016 are due on Jan. 20. In addition to mentorship, grant winners will receive $500 a week to cover living expenses during the training period.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s great that the James Beard Foundation is a leader in restaurant gender equality. Studies show that having a relatively equal mix of men and women in any field increases creativity and problem-solving. The restaurant industry needs creativity to thrive, so having more women in the kitchen doesn\u2019t just benefit female chefs, it benefits anyone who works in food service.<\/p>\n