Leading the kitchen: female chefs in the South West

We’re marking International Women’s Day by celebrating the women running restaurants and shaping professional kitchens across the South West: leading teams, setting standards and defining the character of restaurants across the region.

A number of Trencherman’s Guide restaurants are led by female head chefs whose work reflects the values the guide seeks to recognise: clarity, confidence, consistency and care. Their cooking ranges widely in style and influence, but what unites it is intent – food shaped by judgement rather than fashion and delivered with quiet authority.

Over the years, women have featured prominently among Trencherman’s Awards winners and finalists, recognised not as exceptions but as leaders in their field. This year’s shortlist continues that pattern, reflecting the breadth of talent working across the region.

The restaurants listed below are those within the guide currently led by female head chefs. Each stands on its own merits. International Women’s Day offers an opportunity simply to acknowledge the individuals at the pass and the standards they uphold, service after service.

The restaurants below represent part of a wider picture, as the guide itself is produced by a predominantly female team – meet some them here.