What It Means To Be A Woman In The Business Of Bread

Despite modern worries about carbs and gluten, the art of bread and pastry making is enjoying a renaissance. Brooklyn even has its own test-and-training kitchen, Brooklyn Bread Lab, owned and operated by the culinary team at the Williamsburg Hotel. Inside an East Williamsburg warehouse building is a fully-operational flour mill and baking facility, led by executive pastry chef Leah Morrow.

The lab was the venue recently for a gathering of women bakers and chefs for a conversation, “Women in Pastry,” about not only the nuances of baking but also what it means to be a woman in an industry where professional kitchens are often hostile work environments.

Joining Morrow for the conversation were Adriana Urbina (executive chef, De Maria), Mallory Cayon (executive sous chef, Sunday in Brooklyn), Dianna Daoheung (executive chef, Black Seed Bagels), and food writer Lisa Held as moderator. The chefs shared the wisdom they had gained in their careers, from the importance of having a culinary personality to the value of cooking school. 

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