14.03.23
News
Just 6% of the top restaurants globally are run by women, in the UK the number sits marginally higher at 8% [1], however, it’s no doubt that women are greatly underrepresented in the restaurant industry. Thankfully, whilst there’s work to do, the number seems to be on the rise (we’ll keep our fingers crossed). Some brilliant women in the restaurant bizz are gaining some much-deserved attention after starting some standout spots and, of course, serving truly delicious dishes to boot, right here in London. Here are some of the top female-led restaurants to celebrate this Spring and why you should visit.
Chef: Erchen Chang
Chef: Skye Gyngell
Gyngell, originally from Australia, has quickly garnered international acclaim and become one of London’s most well-respected chefs. Spring focuses on minimizing food waste and using fresh produce in their dishes. Spring, is located in a drawing room at Somerset House, and is a dreamy upscale restaurant that doesn’t follow trends. Gyngell is the former head chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Petersham Nurseries, so you can expect a truly delicious meal. Arguably most interesting is the Spring “Scratch” menu, which has been designed to combat food waste in the UK; delicious, nutritious meals are created using ingredients that would otherwise be disposed of (think small or imperfectly formed fruits and vegetables, or leftovers that are simply too good to go). Shockingly, 40% of all fruit and vegetables grown in the UK is disposed of before it reaches retail and 1/3 of food globally is thrown out entirely.
Chef: Margaux Aubry
Naughty Piglets is a neighbourhood restaurant located in the heart of Brixton. Aubry specializes in seasonal sharing plates and offers an extensive natural wine list, with a buzzy and welcoming mood, we call it food for the soul . Naughty Piglets works with ethical suppliers to be sustainable and less wasteful. This small but perfectly formed bistro highlights French cuisine with English influences and carefully sourced seasonal produce. Make sure you pop down to the basement wine bar for the perfect quiet night out in Brixton.
Chef: Asma Khan
Darjeeling Express serves up home-style Indian dishes inspired by family recipes that go back multiple generations. The all-female team cooks up dishes inspired by street food in Calcutta and Khan’s royal Mughlai ancestry. Asma Khan began Darjeeling Express in her own kitchen and is entirely self-taugh, paving the way for future female chefs and entrepreneurs. Darjeeling Express has quickly become a household name after appearing on Netflix’s Chef’s Table. The iconic restaurant is located in Kingly Court.
Chef: Sally Abé
Sally Abé is an award winning chef, she was recently included in CODE’s Top 100 Most Influential Chefs of 2022 and with a glittering CV including the likes of The Savoy, Ramsay’s at Claridges and The Ledbury, understanding why is no hard feat. The Pem is named after prominent suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, who is well-known for the impact she made for women’s rights in the UK. Abé is dedicated to creating dishes with an extra depth of flavour and pushing boundaries. The modern European restaurant, located in the Conrad London St. James is greatly inspired by traditional British foods, with an extra flare. Expect fine dining with a luxurious and effervescent atmosphere.
Zahra Khan
Feya and DYCE
Zahra Khan is the sole founder of revolutionary London hotspots Feya Café and DYCE
London. An expert in accomplishing it all, Zahra took on the task of launching her debut eatery, Feya Café Bond Street, just months after the birth of her first daughter in 2018. Following unprecedented success, DIY dessert parlour and interior masterpiece DYCE was opened in quick succession, followed by flagship Feya Knightsbridge in Dec 2019 and more recently, Feya Marble Arch.
Combining two of Zahra’s loves; both Feya and DYCE channel a beautiful blend of art and food to create an escape for Londoners to unwind and dine on colourful, artistic dishes in an enchanting setting. In Feya, Chef Zahra Khan combined her knowledge of superfood ingredients with the health of her heritage to develop a menu as nutritious as it was instagrammable. Her extraordinary talents as an entrepreneur, chef & mother have earned her nominations for Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 (Federation of Small Businesses UK), London Business Mother of the Year 2020 (Venus Awards), Business Owner of the Year & Businesswoman of the Year at the National Women’s Business Awards 2020 and, under our supervision, Forbes 30 under 30 2021 .
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