Carringtons Catering champions women in hospitality

Carringtons Catering has bucked the trend of hospitality being considered a male-dominated industry with women making up 75% of its workforce.

Based in the North West and with more than 35 years' experience in the catering industry, the independent firm said it is urging women from across the region to consider a career in hospitality.

Earlier this year, The Caterer reported that female chefs are becoming increasingly scarce, with figures revealing that fewer than one in five (18.5%) chefs in the UK is a woman.

From left: events manager Sophie Leadbetter, general manager Mally Best, director Helen Wynn, accounts manager Ann Kuipers and sous chef Becky Stokes

Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that although the total number of chefs in employment in 2015 increased by 21,000 compared with 2014, the number of female chefs declined by around 2,000 in the same period.

Helen Wynn, director of Carringtons Catering, said: "For many, the hospitality industry has a stigma of being a very male-orientated career choice, with perceptions of working life in the kitchen painting an intimidating picture.

"While stereotypical gender roles in kitchen culture have altered over the decades, less than a fifth of professional chefs in the UK are female, but here at Carringtons Catering we are looking to change that alarming figure."

She added: "Many women also think that due to the often unpredictable working schedule of the industry, it can be hard to maintain a work-life balance; with the right employer, this isn't true."

Carringtons Catering employs 60 staff members, of which 75% are female. The firm's management team is made up of an equal number of both men and women.

The firm was recently appointed as a preferred caterer at the Grade-I listed stately home Bodrhyddan Hall in Denbighshire, North Wales.

Carringtons Catering provides catering, event and hospitality services for a range of corporate and private occasions. The firm has worked with numerous high-profile clients, including royals, sports personalities and authorities.

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