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In every working kitchen from the corner diner to Michelin-starred restaurants, women provide the heartbeat. They’re stirring, chopping, seasoning and serving, often without the recognition they deserve. But a local organization aims to change that.
Since its inception five years ago, the nonprofit Women’s Hospitality Initiative (WHI) has been a beacon for women in the hospitality and food and beverage industries, pushing to close the stark gender gap in a traditionally male-dominated field.
Although the pandemic briefly delayed plans for a full rollout, the initiative has not only persevered but grown, now relaunching a mentorship program to inspire the next generation of leaders. Launched in February 2020, the WHI’s roots extend back to a February 2020 screening of Joanna James’ 2018 documentary A Fine Line at UNLV. James is CEO of MAPP (short for “Mentorship, Advocacy, Purpose and the Power of community”),a nonprofit that also advocates for women in the culinary and hospitality fields.
“(A Fine Line) is about the disparity of women in the hospitality industry in making it to the executive level,” says Kristin Whittemore, co-founder of WHI. “The basis of her movie is that 50% of culinary students are female, but of that 50%, only 7% make it to the executive level. So why does that happen? Where’s the fall-off?”
Learning about that gap spurred Whittemore and a group of local hospitality professionals—including Elizabeth Blau, Jolene Mannina and Mary Choi Kelly— to form WHI and begin taking steps to spark change in the industry.
This year marks a pivotal moment for WHI and MAPP, with the inaugural WHI conference to be held alongside its second Legacy Gala. The two-day conference aims to inspire and connect professionals at all levels, from independent restaurants to corporate foodservice directors and chefs.
Conference attendees will be treated to a packed agenda featuring keynote speakers like Lin Jerome, co-founder of Café Lola; Monica Moradkhan, VP of community relations at Wynn Resorts; and Alex Dixon, CEO of Resorts World.
Whittemore says the event will include mentorship opportunities on leadership, personal branding, marketing, public relations, even real estate. And all are welcome.
“Chefs, food and beverage directors, hotel managers, corporate food service, people just coming out of college ... We’re trying to make it something for everyone,” Whittemore says.
A key highlight of the conference will be the chance for attendees to tailor their experience through a personalized agenda accessed via a QR code, which will guide them to the most relevant panels, Q&As and breakout sessions.
The Legacy Gala, which concludes the conference, will celebrate the five-year anniversaries of both WHI and MAPP. The evening will feature bites and sips from more than 40 women-led restaurants, bars and bakeries, with all proceeds benefiting both organizations. Participating local hospitality stars include Gina Marinelli, Nicole Brisson, Dani Garcia-White, Daniela Romero, Kimmie McIntosh and Kristina Nguyen.
“We’re in [UNLV’s] College of Hospitality ... I think we’ll have about 55 food and beverage stations,” Mannina says.“So you’re kind of going through the school to see everybody, and to kind of graze and pick. It’s very personable.”
With its growing network, the WHI is poised to elevate the conversation about gender equality in the culinary and hospitality industries.
“The want was there. The need was there,” Whittemore says. “How can we support each other, so that we can promote each other at the same time?”
WOMEN IN HOSPITALITY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE March 30-31, times vary, $525+. Wynn Las Vegas, eventbrite.com.
LEGACY GALA March 31, 6 p.m., $230+. UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, eventbrite.com.
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