Great British Menu (GBM) puts the nation’s most talented chefs to the test. At Women in the Food Industry we are continuing our series of interviews with the strong female line-up of chefs from across Britain competing to serve their dish at the final banquet. Our co-founder, Mecca Ibrahim, interviewed Nina Matsunaga Head Chef of The Black Bull, in Sedburgh Cumbria.

There are three female chefs competing in the Roux Scholarship regional finals in 2024, all of whom are new to the competition. They are: Evelina Stripeikyte, Megan Montibert and Rebecca Tough. Discover more about them ahead of the regional finals.

Adejoké Bakare’s Michelin Star is an achievement that has made history. In a glittering awards ceremony on 5th February 2024, she became the first black woman in the UK to win a star and the second black woman in the world to win one.  Chishuru winning its first star marks Adejoké’s  journey from running a north London supper club to her West End restaurant which has helped bring West African cooking into the mainstream.

Recipes for a Better Menopause is a new book from award-winning chef, Jane Baxter working together with nutrition expert Dr Federica Amati, who is head nutritionist at ZOE.  Taking scientific research and combining with super-tasty, nourishing recipes, the two women have produced a book that will help to harness the power of food to optimise your health. Our co-founder Mecca Ibrahim spoke to Jane Baxter at the tail end of 2023 before she made an appearance on Saturday Kitchen to cook a recipe from the book.

Great British Menu (GBM) returned to our screens on January 23rd for season 19. The BBC2 show puts the nation’s most talented chefs to the test. At Women in the Food Industry we are continuing our series of interviews with the strong female line-up of chefs from across Britain competing to serve their dish at the final banquet. Our co-founder, Mecca Ibrahim, interviewed Louisa Ellis who runs her own private dining and events business Chef Louisa Ellis.

Great British Menu (GBM) returns to our screens on January 23rd for season 19. The BBC2 show puts the nation’s most talented chefs to the test. At Women in the Food Industry we are continuing our series of interviews with the strong female line-up of chefs from across Britain competing to serve their dish at the final banquet. Our co-founder, Mecca Ibrahim, interviewed Samira Effa, Head Chef at Grantley Hall’s pan-Asian restaurant, Bar & Restaurant EightyEight.

We are delighted that Great British Menu (GBM) is returning to our screens on 23 January 2024 for series 19. The BBC Two show puts the nation’s most talented chefs to the test. It will air weekly, Tuesdays to Thursdays, 8pm on BBC Two for eight weeks.  Finals week will start on 18th March, with the banquet on 22nd March.  The theme for 2024 will be the Olympics and Paralympics with a good luck banquet for the athletes competing in Paris.

In this episode, Mex, talks to Claire Ogley, Head of Campaigns, Policy and Research at The Vegan Society, the world’s oldest vegan organisation, about one of their busiest times of year, Veganuary. We uncover stats about vegans in the UK and the rise of plant-based foods and also her theories on why more women in the UK are vegan than men! Claire also gives very useful tips on how to move into a Communications role in the food industry.

Our awesome Women in the Food Industry panel event was ably chaired by food writer Jenny Linford, who led a lively and inspiring discussion on sustainability, equality in hospitality, heritage and authenticity at The Conduit on 12th December 2023. Discover what happened.

Alexa Fernandez is the Founder and CEO of Chili Maven, bringing the flavour & fire of authentic Mexican chilis with her Great Taste award winning salsa macha products. Our co-founder Mex Ibrahim caught up with her recently to find out more about her background and how she was able to bring the addictive condiment from Mexico to the UK including a launch into Selfridges Food Hall.

On November 18th 2023 our co-founder, Mex Ibrahim attended an event by City Harvest which showed how surplus food was given another life. Together with their friends at London’s Community Kitchen they co-hosted a Covent Garden Supper Club at The Conduit.  The supper acted as a great introduction to see how London’s first surplus food distribution charity are making positive changes in their efforts to reduce London’s food waste.

In this episode, Mex, co-founder of ⁠Women in The Food Industry⁠ talks to Bethan Thomas, co-founder & CEO of ⁠HotTea Mama⁠, an award-winning women’s wellness tea company (including several Nourish Awards), making teas to support better periods, pregnancy, motherhood and menopause. HotTea Mama was founded by Bethan and Kate Achilles following fertility struggles, subsequent pregnancies, and parenthood experiences. Bethan worked as a tea buyer for some of the UK’s biggest tea brands before setting up the sustainable tea business.