First female White House chefs to lead state dinner

Women restaurateurs speak out on issues of concern | First female White House chefs to lead state dinner | Unilever's marketing chief brings her whole self to work Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( May 22, 2024 [WFF Leadership SmartBrief]( Advancing and Empowering Women Leaders [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE]( [] Women and Innovation in the Workforce [] [Women restaurateurs speak out on issues of concern]( Women restaurant owners got a chance to voice concerns about high costs, the tip credit and delivery challenges as part of the Chicago-based nonprofit Let's Talk Womxn at the National Restaurant Association Show. Restaurateur Rohini Dey founded the group during the pandemic, and it has grown to 120 members in Chicago and has expanded to other US markets. Full Story: [Restaurant Business]( (5/21) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [First female White House chefs to lead state dinner]( Culinary diplomacy will be in the hands of Cris Comerford, White House executive chef, and Susie Morrison, executive pastry chef, when Kenya's president visits this week for a state dinner, which will include chilled heirloom tomato soup, fruitwood-smoked beef short ribs and butter-poached lobster, plus raspberries and peaches for dessert. Comerford, a native of the Philippines, is the first woman and person of color to be White House executive chef, while Morrison is the first female pastry chef, and the two have been at the White House for almost three decades. Full Story: [The Associated Press]( (5/21) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Unilever's marketing chief brings her whole self to work]( Unilever Chief Growth and Marketing Officer Esi Eggleston Bracey was the first Black president of the company's US division, CEO of its North American personal care business and the first Black woman chief marketer for the global company, but she also supported Black women entrepreneurs and efforts to push legislation against hair discrimination in 24 states. She says it is important for women leaders to bring their whole selves to the role, adding that "the best leaders inspire others toward breakthrough goals, bringing clarity, focus and empowerment to their teams to deliver." Full Story: [Ad Age (tiered subscription model)]( (5/21) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] - [How women can reach wage parity with male co-workers]( Investopedia (5/14) [] Career Progression: Developing Leaders [] [Summit: Resilience is key skill for female executives]( Resilience can help female executives enter the C-Suite, according to experts at the 2024 Career Mastered Summit, who also offered advice on networking and surviving a crisis. "Resilience is not just bouncing back to the way things were before, it also involves personal growth, learning, and transformation from the experience of the adversity," said speaker Sabrina Jackson. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (5/19) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Expo session offers valuable career advice for women]( Women in leadership in the confectionery industry must "dare to succeed" by seeking out challenges that will advance their careers, said Sylvia Buxton, Perfetti Van Melle North America CEO when addressing the Women Leadership Group at this week's Sweets & Snacks Expo. Buxton emphasized the need for women in the industry to support each other during the session, which also offered advice on negotiating, building mentorship relationships and achieving work-life balance. Full Story: [Candy & Snack Today]( (5/16) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Industry News & Trends [] [Industry aims to improve child care for restaurant workers]( Obstacles to child care can hinder career advancement for the 3.5 million parents in the restaurant industry, a million of whom are single mothers, say industry leaders, and the Independent Restaurant Coalition supports expanding federal programs that provide reimbursement or tax credits for child care expenses. Nonprofits, restaurant groups and independent restaurants have initiated child-care programs, like the one at McGee's Scot Irish Pub in Anderson, S.C., where co-owner Dixie Benca has turned a private dining room into an on-site child-care space and retained 18 of 22 employees for the past two years in an industry with a turnover rate of about 74%. Full Story: [Eater]( (5/16) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Did diners prefer recipes created by humans or AI?]( Diners at Cafe Bouffon in Stratford, Ontario, had an opportunity to taste canapes created from human recipes and AI-derived recipes without knowing which was which; in most cases, the human recipes won out. Chefs say AI can be helpful in generating new recipe ideas quickly. Full Story: [CBC News (Canada)]( (5/20) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors - [The Communication Process: Skills to achieve desired outcomes]( - [Microsoft Excel: Unlocking the Power of Spreadsheets]( - [The Top 75 Leadership Quotes of 2023 - Part 1]( - [ChatGPT Newbie: Your Essential Handbook for Navigating ChatGPT]( - [The Visual You - Why Body Language Matters When You Speak]( [] Read the latest from SmartBrief [] - [Publix milestone highlights food industry's efforts to combat hunger]( SmartBrief/Food (5/14) [] - [Authenticity in food is more nuanced than ever]( SmartBrief/Food (5/8) [] - [From reformulation to creating desire: Looking forward to a plant-forward future]( SmartBrief/Food (4/24) [] DEI and Company Culture [] [Wis. incubator supports Black restaurateurs' dreams]( Milwaukee-based business incubator Turning Tables is committed to supporting Black people with dreams of succeeding in the food service industry. "[E]ven in what appears to be a public success, there is a lot of stress, responsibility, burden," says founder Emerald Mills-Williams, who hopes to relieve some of the stress of getting started. Full Story: [Wisconsin Public Radio]( (5/21) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Heston Blumenthal's "super power": Being neurodivergent]( [Heston Blumenthal's "super power": Being neurodivergent]( (Sam Tabone/Getty Images) Heston Blumenthal, renowned chef and restaurateur, has called for a change in workplace attitudes towards neurodiversity following his recent bipolar diagnosis. Blumenthal, who also has ADHD, believes his neurodivergence has been key to his business success and advocates for better inclusion of neurodivergent individuals in the workplace. "My most artistic, innovative and exciting work is because I am neurodivergent, which I describe as my superpower," said Blumenthal. Full Story: [The Caterer (UK)]( (5/20) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Brands benefit from showing LGBTQIA+ support]( Nearly 40% of consumers say they're more likely to make a purchase if brands demonstrate LGBTQIA+ support, while 42% of those ages 18 to 34 report feeling positive about brands that feature nonbinary and transgender people in ads, per a report by Horowitz Research. "If LGBTQIA+ rights continue to erode, those companies taking a clear position in support of LGBTQIA+ communities will stand out and likely enjoy strong endorsement from the community," says Horowitz's Adriana Waterston. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Marketing]( (5/20) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Work/Life Balance [] [Knead Hospitality puts child care on the benefits menu]( Washington, D.C.-based multi-brand restaurant company Knead Hospitality has expanded its two-year-old Knead Life + Style benefits package to include reimbursement for up to $1,800 in child care expenses per quarter for salaried staffers. The aim of the new perk is to help employees with kids afford the care they need to be able to come to work and to encourage those staffers to stay with the company, co-owner Jason Berry said. Full Story: [Restaurant Hospitality]( (5/16) [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Poll Results [] What activities are most important as part of your overall self-care strategy? Getting enough sleep. 54.55% Physical exercise. 27.28% Disconnecting from technology. 9.09% Spending time with friends and loved ones. 4.54% Healthy eating. 4.54% [] WFF News [] [Thinking of unplugging some this summer? First the why and then the how]( Before you reject the idea thinking work will fall apart without you or stack up to an unmanageable level, consider the benefits of truly unplugging for a period of time. Avoiding email and social media for even a day (and maybe a whole week) can help you feel more present and relaxed, achieve better sleep, be more creative, engage more deeply with loved ones and contribute to your physical health as well. With some advanced planning and the mutual support of colleagues, everyone on the team could get some vacation time unplugged this year. [Read more](. [LinkedIn]( [X]( [Facebook]( [Email]( LEARN MORE ABOUT the WFF: [About the WFF]( | [Join the WFF]( | [WFF Programs]( [] [] Do the right thing by whoever crosses your path. Those coincidental people are your people. 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