Dubai, UAE – The Emirates Culinary Guild (ECG) and the Women’s Culinary Chapter (WCC) proudly hosted their first-ever joint event on 16th September 2025 at Factory by McGettigan’s, Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah. This landmark gathering showcased the power of equality, collaboration, and innovation in hospitality.
Chosen as the host venue for its trailblazing achievement of 50:50 gender parity, Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah stood as the perfect symbol of what can be achieved when inclusion is made a priority.
The event united chefs, industry leaders, and corporate partners in celebrating diversity and culinary excellence. With a power panel of inspiring female chefs, who took centre stage, sharing stories of resilience and ambition while calling for stronger mentorship and support to accelerate gender parity across the industry.
This collaboration also spotlighted several pioneering firsts, the brainchild of Tarryn-Leigh Green and made possible through the inspiration and support of leaders such as Emma Banks, Sebastian Nohse, Andy Cuthbert, and Alan Orreal:
- The unveiling of the first-ever all-women edition of Gulf Gourmet magazine, a milestone publication amplifying female voices in food and beverage across the region.
- An industry-first awareness of the Shefswear x WCC x Ronai collection, developed following inspiration from Hilton’s Chefs Inclusion Programme and their ‘Shefs’ content series. This new collaborative range ensures women chefs in the UAE have uniforms that make them look and feel good, while extending inclusivity to modesty wear and maternity wear.
- For the first time, the WCC formally opened its doors to both women and men, underscoring the Chapter’s belief that true equity in the industry can only be achieved when all genders work together.
This was more than an event; it was a statement. Somewhere, that men and women, chefs and corporates, leaders and changemakers unite behind a shared purpose, the impact always surpasses ambition. The ECG and WCC remain committed to championing gender parity and inclusion, ensuring that the legacy of these firsts continues to shape the region’s culinary future.
