Women's History Month celebrates and honors females for their contributions across civilization. And one area where girl power is yielding delicious (and profit-generating) results is on the plate. As part of The MICHELIN Guide's ongoing commitment to championing females in the industry, we spoke with seven individuals who are reshaping the industry.
From Julie Hyde who's made Restaurant 20 Victoria a must-visit boîte in Toronto to la Barbecue's Ali Clem honoring family traditions through her cuisine, the women below prove that hard work, dedication, belief in oneself, along with a lot of perseverance leads to happiness and success.
Restaurant 20 Victoria's Julie Hyde
Toronto, CanadaEarning a MICHELIN Star is no easy feat, and maintaining that level of excellence is just as awe-inspiring.
At Restaurant 20 Victoria, Chef Julie Hyde leads a small team that celebrates local produce and seafood in an original way. The overall experience is so special that the front of house team was also awarded the Toronto Service Award.
Restaurant 20 Victoria's Front of House Team is the MICHELIN Guide Toronto 2023 Service Award Winner
Psomi's Christina Theofilos
Tampa, FloridaFor Chef Christina Theofilos, cooking is in her genes. The daughter of first generation Greek-American immigrants, Theofilos was raised eating native delicacies from her mother and grandmother, which she's subsequently brought to her MICHELIN Bib Gourmand boîte Psomi. "For me, to be able to reference those flavors and memories with everyone who comes in feels like love," shared Theofilos on the eve of winning MICHELIN's Young Chef Award in 2023.
Two years later, Psomi and Theofilos are still conquering Tampa's dining scene. Below, we catch up with the chef on where she finds inspiration, motivation, and how she's overcome obstacles on her culinary journey.
la Barbecue’s Ali Clem
Austin, TexasMICHELIN-Starred barbecue has cemented Texas as a global culinary powerhouse.
One restaurant leading the charge is Austin’s la Barbecue, which deeply respects the multigenerational barbecue tradition of the Mueller family.
Founded by Pitmaster Ali Clem and her late wife, LeAnn Mueller, la Barbecue serves iconic flavors like succulent beef brisket from recipes passed down many generations. Under the guidance of LeAnn’s brother, Clem honed her craft and proudly upholds the family’s barbecue legacy.
Lapis' Shamim Popal
Washington, D.C.Shamim Popal and her family were forced to flee their native Afghanistan when the Soviet Union invaded in the 1980s. They arrived in the United States with very little, and together with her husband, Popal has created a thriving restaurant group in Washington, D.C., with Lutèce, Pascual, and MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand Lapis.
Despite running these popular restaurants, when Popal arrived in the U.S., she didn’t even know how to cook rice. After many long-distance calls to her mother and secret cooking lessons from her uncle, she mastered it and also began developing her cooking skills to share her Afghan heritage with her family. She never expected to become a chef—until 2015, when she opened Lapis to showcase modern Afghan cuisine. This year, as the restaurant celebrates ten years and The Popal Group celebrates 22 years, Chef Popal reflects on perseverance, hard work, and what it takes to succeed in the face of challenges.
Kumiko's Julia Momosé
Chicago, IllinoisIf you asked Julia Momosé of Kumiko what she thought her career would shape up to be, chef would be nowhere near the top of the list. "I've always wanted to be a photographer," Momosé explains. "Photography is about capturing moments—preserving a feeling, a fleeting detail, a story that might otherwise go unnoticed. I want to document experiences, capturing them so others can hold onto them a little longer."
For the Japan native, her path to becoming a chef was out of necessity—to fill the gap when her previous chef left in 2024. That necessity, along with Momosé's sense of responsibility and authentic approach to hospitality, is part of the secret formula behind Kumiko's success.
The other part is the nostalgia and connection guests find within the menu at this cheerful Japanese hangout. Inspired by her upbringing and personal experiences, the menu focuses on Japanese flavors and ingredients, with an emphasis on simple yet sophisticated plates.
"In many ways, photography and cooking are similar," Momosé adds. "Both require an understanding of composition, balance, and perspective. Both are about creating something that resonates—whether it’s a dish that evokes nostalgia or an image that transports you to a specific time and place."
Acquerello's Suzette Gresham
San Francisco, CaliforniaChef Suzette Gresham of Two MICHELIN Star Acquerello's love of food comes from family, traveling, and the ingredients themselves. "They all just seemed to intertwine," Gresham explains. That love, along with Gresham's tenacity and desire to create new culinary combinations, is Gresham's main inspiration today.
But before all the accolades and Stars, being a chef for the California native seemed out of reach—maybe even impossible. "In the 1970's women were still not prominent in the professional food world. I did not think that I could or would ever be a chef" Gresham tells me. "The idea did not occur to me until after I enrolled in a community college culinary program and began to follow my heart in the kitchen."
Since then, Gresham has continuously challenged the status quo of women in the world of gastronomy. From becoming the first female chef’s apprentice to accompany the U.S. Culinary Olympic Team to Frankfurt, Germany in 1980 to winning Acquerello's first MICHELIN Star in 2007, the trailblazer has cultivated a career few can only hope to achieve.
Conejo Negro's Alycia Wahn Martindale
Toronto, CanadaAlycia Wahn Martindale’s culinary journey started as a fascination for food when she was a kid. Since then, she has found inspiration from everywhere she goes, building unique creations that are packed with Creole, Caribbean and Latin American flavors.
At MICHELIN Bib Gourmand Conejo Negro (“black rabbit”), Alycia feels right at home, working with her husband Lamine Martindale (who won the MICHELIN Guide Toronto 2024 Service Award) and her friend Diego Diaz (who bartends).
Below, we spoke with her about her inspiration and mentors.
Hero image: Collage - Alycia Wahn Martindale, Acquerello / Suzette Gresham, Jason Lowrie / BFA.com | Julie Hyde, AfterlightImage / Julia Momosé, Kelsey Shoemaker / Shamim Popal, Magdalene Kavouklis / Psomi & la barbecue / Ali Clem
