Not just a boy’s club: 3 up-and-comers in Macau’s F&B industry tell it all
These female chefs and bartenders carved a space for themselves in a male-dominated industry – here, they share their stories and philosophies
The F&B industry is notorious for its long hours and the physical exertion required of its workers. It is also a field where women have struggled to rise to the top, as they often bear a disproportionate share of household and family responsibilities. A 2022 survey by the international food magazine Chef’s Pencil highlighted this disparity, finding that women led a mere 6 per cent of the 2,286 Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide.
But in Macau, a new generation of women is quietly changing the narrative, rising to positions of prominence thanks to their talent, fresh perspectives and sheer grit.
Surprisingly, none of these rising stars began with dreams of working in a kitchen or behind a bar – each discovered their calling almost by accident. Dongni Xu, pastry sous chef at Alain Ducasse at Morpheus, was studying human resource management when she attended a weekend pastry class on a whim. There, she found herself “completely immersed and happy”. This compelled her to move to Paris at the age of 22 to train at Ferrandi and its prestigious culinary school, the École Supérieure de Cuisine Française.
Niko Huang, bartender at The Gallery at Legend Palace Hotel, was another unlikely convert. When she was training to become an accountant, she rarely drank and dismissed cocktails as little more than “colourful cough syrup”. That changed during a visit to Silent Third, a local bar on Rua da Bacia Sul. One perfectly crafted drink made such an impact that she felt inspired to ask the owner for an opportunity to learn the craft herself – a decision that launched an entirely new career path.
Unlike many others, these three were undeterred by the demanding realities of the F&B industry that often challenge career advancement. Wu is the first to admit that a job in the kitchen is nothing like the romanticised versions put forth by celebrity chefs. “We have to stand for over 10 hours a day. That’s the reality, and it’s not easy,” Wu admits. It is a profession that asks trainees to work a physically demanding job through weekends and holidays, along a slow path to mastery where young professionals are expected to pay their dues.
“The old-fashioned way of working long hours and even years to slowly learn a craft isn’t as attractive when there are so many other options with far more flexibility,” adds Xu.