The Hawai’i Food and Wine Festival’s Culinary EmpowHERment brunch shined a spotlight on prominent female food pioneers who are breaking barriers and inspiring the next generation.

Held at the Outrigger Reef Hotel in Waikiki on Nov. 10, the high-energy event featured a panel aimed to amplify the voices of women in the culinary industry. Panelists include renowned chefs and James Beard Award nominees Reem Assil, Elizabeth Falkner, and Anita Lo; Sysco Hawaii chef Jacqueline Lau and celebrated mixologist and bar owner Julie Reiner.

“What a powerful group of women are out there, right?” said panel moderator Maneet Chauhan, an Indian American chef and television personality. “We need to celebrate them more. We need to discuss them more.”

Chefs and entrepreneurs spoke candidly about the importance of supporting each other in a traditionally male-dominated field.

“It’s just about giving opportunities and having a well-rounded team, empowering the people who work with me to excel and move on,” said Reiner, who highlighted the power of opportunity and mentorship.

Denise Yamaguchi, CEO of the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival, shared some eye-opening statistics — only 12% of all executive chefs and top chef positions are held by women, despite women making up 50% of culinary students.

“This is a way for us to share their stories and inspire other women who are in the industry,” Yamaguchi explained, underscoring the purpose of the event.

By coming together to celebrate their achievements, the women hope to lay the foundation for future generations to continue building on their legacy of empowerment and success in the culinary world.