Women Chefs: Bali Tourism Polytechnic Encourages Women to Pursue Professional Careers in Food and Beverage Production

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As an institution focused on tourism and hospitality, Bali Tourism Polytechnic (BiTP) serves as a training ground for aspiring young professionals in various fields, including housekeeping, floral design, accounting, sales, and culinary arts. The training programs at BiTP are grounded in the principle of equality, with a strong emphasis on providing equal opportunities for all genders to pursue their professional careers.

One area within the tourism industry that remains underrepresented by women is Food and Beverage Production, particularly in the role of a chef. According to Matthews (2023), 75% of chefs in the U.S. are male, highlighting a global issue of gender disparity in this field. Consequently, food and beverage production is recognized as an underrepresented subject.

BiTP is committed to encouraging women to enter this profession. During student intake, the institution upholds gender equality principles to ensure that women are encouraged to pursue education in the Culinary Arts program, which serves as a gateway to a career as a chef. Additionally, community training programs in food and beverage production are conducted to introduce this profession to women.

One notable training initiative was conducted for women in North Buton, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. This program focused on transforming local food ingredients into economically valuable culinary products, specifically targeting housewives in the region. The training provided these women with professional cooking skills, contributing to a broader effort towards economic empowerment and equitable development.

Reference:
Matthews, J. (2023). Female Chefs Are Still Rare, And We're Over The Diversity Problem In Professional Kitchens. https://www.mashed.com/1250743/female-chefs-are-still-rare-and-were-over-the-diversity-problem-in-professional-kitchens/.