What is intersectionality?

Intersectionality refers to the way different aspects of a person’s identity such as race, gender, class, or ethnicity overlap and interact, creating unique experiences of privilege or discrimination. The different variables refer to the various demographic groups people belong to simultaneously, leading to intersectionality.

Intersectionality helps us understand the actual scale of discrimination faced, and in this article, we will focus on the intersection of gender and ethnicity in the context of women in the UK, particularly in the hospitality sector.

Challenges faced by women in the hospitality sector

Women make up 70% of the hospitality sector in the UK yet only hold about 8% of the senior leadership positions (Uppal, 2024). Despite their qualifications, women take on 39% of the most junior kitchen roles and less than 40% occupy the role of restaurant managers (Dawson, 2024).

As a society, we have decided that women have an acumen for culinary skills, but this opinion falls short when thinking about culinary fields professionally. This contrast of opinion hinders women from entering this ‘male-dominated’ profession (Spring, n.d.). It is believed that the long working hours, required aptitude and skills, and resilience for the high-pressured environment can be physically challenging for women. This notion reiterates the misogyny that the industry thrives on, preventing women from following their passion in the hospitality sector. The argument that it’s a challenge for women to maintain a work-life balance in the hospitality sector is in fact a challenge for anyone despite their gender, race or any other differentiating factor. However, women from ethnic minorities often face additional cultural expectations regarding family roles.

The past few years have seen a shift in the trends in inclusion for women in culinary because of the growing popularity of pop-ups and supper clubs. They are paving the way for diversified palettes while cutting the overhead costs of restaurants, removing the barrier of inaccessibility of capital or PR (Lopez, 2020). But there’s a long way to go, still.

Just 17% of the professional chefs in the UK are women, the number dropping down to just 8% of women-led Michelin starred restaurants in the UK (Harwood-Baynes, 2024). More notably, Black women are among the most underrepresented groups in both the restaurant workforce and food media, limiting their visibility and impact in these spaces (Lopez, 2020).

It is necessary that the narrative around hospitality sector changes to be a more inclusive and welcoming sector for people from all backgrounds. The businesses should take the initiative for inclusion and make more conscious decisions to drive the sector towards true equality.

Building on these, let’s explore recommendations to support and empower women from ethnic minority backgrounds in the hospitality sector. These strategies aid in creating a pathway for their success and visibility in the sector.

Practical strategies for empowerment

Organisations in the hospitality industry must address systemic bias. This could be through running EDI audits and setting targets for everyone regardless of background or leadership position.

Implementation of proper training to avoid any unconscious biases coming into work will help foster an inclusive culture. A top-down approach and an effort from the management team will help ensure woman from all ethnicities feel valued and supported in their career progression.

Providing family friendly policies such as maternity leaves, childcare support and flexible working hours enables women to tackle the challenges of work-life balance. Flexible-work policies are helpful for all employees, while also supporting women with caregiving expectations, as 83% of employees in the UK feel that flexible work is important to support work-life balance (Clark, 2024).

Establishing targeted mentorship programmes that pair emerging female talent with successful leaders address intersectionality. Focusing on cross-cultural guidance, skill development, and creating safe spaces that recognize diverse professional and cultural expectations.

Transforming hospitality sector globally

The challenges faced by women in the UK hospitality sector reflect a global pattern of systemic exclusion. Across continents, the statistics remain consistent: women comprise a majority of hospitality workers yet remain underrepresented in leadership positions.

This global challenge transcends geographical boundaries, rooted in complex cultural expectations, institutional biases, and deeply ingrained social constructs. The solution demands a comprehensive approach: intentional diversity strategies, challenging stereotypes, and creating supportive professional ecosystems.

The hospitality industry stands at a critical juncture. Its future depends on recognising diversity not as a checkbox, but as a fundamental driver of innovation and success. True transformation requires collective commitment to dismantling existing barriers.

Our initiative with the Mayor of London

The Greater London Authority (GLA), in partnership with In Diverse Company, has launched the Implementation Support Programme for Inclusive Employer Toolkits under the Mayor of London’s Workforce Integration Network (WIN) initiative. This programme is specifically designed for businesses in the Creative, Health, Green Economy, Digital, and Hospitality sectors in London and provides them with valuable resources to work on their EDI strategies, specifically for the empowerment of ethnic minorities and the multi-marginalised sector.