Today we’d like to introduce you to Elle Simone Scott.
Elle Simone, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I moved to NYC in 2009, after being a social worker in Detroit, Michigan for seven years. The agency I worked for lost their funding and I found myself unemployed with no back up plan. I was always working in restaurants at night because I loved food and the environment. I later struck out and began working for a major cruise line as a prep cook. I quickly got promoted through the ranks and was encouraged my chef mentors to go culinary school.
I wasn’t really sure where or how to go about that so I joined a women chefs network for guidance. This same network offered me a small stipend to attend culinary school in New York. With little over a few hundred dollars, I packed 2 suitcases and left Detroit for an unknown yet surprising future.
Not knowing much about what I was getting into, I quickly realized that I couldn’t afford, I opted to attend a trade school that provided me with the opportunity to intern at The Food Network. This was my first introduction to the world of culinary media. After my internship was over, I began freelancing as a production assistant on a variety of cooking show. That work lead to Food Styling opportunities as well as developing my skills and becoming a Culinary Producer. It was during this time, in 2013, that I began to notice the lack of representation of people of color and the gender gap in pay in presence in the industry. After huge disappointment with this disparity, I became curious about the “how and why”, especially when attended a school with almost 90% population of P.O.C.’s. It drove me to create SheChef Inc., a professional networking organization for women of color in the food, beverage and hospitality industry.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has absolutely not been a smooth road for me. I’ve endured gender discrimination as it relates to the opportunities of promotion and advancement. I’ve been denied opportunities because the powers that be had never worked with any persons of color and were not willing to begin doing so with me, without even knowing anything about me. I’ve even been the first person to do a job, create the standard for that job and once it was implemented as a permanent fixture within a company, not be considered for the job.
The parts that were smooth were the ones I created for myself. When I wasn’t given an opportunity, I created some. I also never turned down any work that related to food, within reason of course.
My advice to other women chefs is to not let anyone tell you that wanting to claim you women-ness ALONG WITH claiming your position as a chef, is wrong. You can be both woman and chef, that is a WHOLE PERSON. Also, you don’t have to wait for someone to give you a “seat at the table”, just bring your own chair.
What should we know about SheChef ? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am first, a chef, then a Food Stylist. After that, I’d say a television personality but above all those, I am the founder of an amazing organization that is unique because there is literally no other organization committed to women of color in the food,beverage and hospitality world.
I am most proud that women of color in the culinary world have allowed me to not only provide a safe space for them via real-time and online community but also that they trust me to be the expert; to speak nationally and internationally on the topics that need to be addressed as it relates to equity, gender, race and diversity.
Do you have a lesson or advice you’d like to share with young women just starting out?
I would advise any young woman coming into the culinary industry to find a mentor, join an organization that can offer you support in a variety of ways and to trust yourself; trust your culinary inner voice.
Pricing:
- SheChef Inc. Membership $25 per month
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shechef.org
- Phone: 313-645-0712
- Instagram: @shechefinc
- Facebook: SheChef Inc.
- Twitter: @SheChefInc
Image Credit:
America’s Test Kitchen, Bobby Dale Images, Steve Klise, Emma Kurman-Faber & Kevin White
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
