By Trish Sanderson
WOMEN ON THE
Chopping Block
Female Chefs Stand Tall in the local Food Scene
Featuring Interviews with Chef Deborah Scott, Partner/Executive Chef Island Prime/C Level/ Indigo Grill/Vintana Wine + Dine at Cohn Restaurant Group and Chef Jojo Rossi, Corporate Chef Prepkitchen (Del Mar, LaJolla, Little Italy)/ Whisknladle at WNL The San Diego foodie scene is fortunate to have extreme female chef talent. They’re ignoring stereotypes, dicing up inequality and putting out quality concepts all over town. We snagged two of our favs and asked their thoughts on everything from girl power, making it in a “mans world,” and what it takes to get the goods to your plates. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO WANT TO BE CHEFS? CDS: Make sure it’s what you want. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Being a chef isn’t for everyone. Ease your way into it, take some culinary classes and see if you enjoy it. Get your feet wet, and then dive in headfirst if you find out you love it. CJR: I say go for it, but you have to have thick skin. Ask questions, have an opinion and find a mentor who you can learn from. It’s not glamorous to be a chef. The hours are long and hard, but it is incredibly rewarding to know that you are part of something that brings people happiness.
CDS: When I was in Culinary School, we did a mystery basket in Baltimore (sort of Iron Chef style), and I ended up winning first place among some great professional chefs. I knew then I had what it took, and this was the direction I wanted to go with my life. CJR: The goal for me was always to move quickly from being a cook to a chef. I understood ultimately that meant putting in the time, doing a lot of learning on my own and paying my dues. After I had my first child we decided to make the move back home to San Diego from the Bay area. I got a job at Market in Del Mar. Carl Schroeder is as intense as they get, but I credit him with teaching me the foundations of California Cuisine and Farm to Table. He taught me a lot about buy in and why a Chino Strawberry is so much better than a grocery store one. He helped form my palette. I left Market after a couple of years to have my second child. I had learned so much in a short time but I knew I was ready to be a Chef. IS THERE A STORY YOU CAN SHARE ABOUT A TIME THAT INEQUALITY GOT IN THE WAY OF YOUR CAREER OR A MOMENT WHERE YOU
CAN YOU REMEMBER THE MOMENT (OR DISH THAT YOU COOKED)
OVERCAME STEREOTYPES?
WHERE YOU KNEW YOU HAD WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A SUCCESS IN
CDS: I worked with a Swiss chef in Monterey who was very tough on me. He would say things like “someone will need to get that 50 lb sack of flour down” and I would just
THE KITCHEN AS A CHEF?