QSR March 2023

S P O N S O R E D B Y S M I T H F I E L D C U L I N A R Y

She Said It BEST

at the game, and prove them wrong. So you kick their butt on the line.”

a lot to the table in respect to things like creativity and lead ership—and it’s important for other women to see that.” The company believes equity and representation of all kinds can help organizations become better at what they do. Peck and her colleague, Amy Shesto, senior director of cor porate sales at Smithfield Culi nary, point to extensive research that’s shown better outcomes for organizations that strive toward equitable practices.

SHEBRINGS THE HEAT Smithfield Culinary recently launched a campaign, “She Brings the Heat,” designed to shine a light on women, like Gold, Chickerneo, and Subido, who have held or currently hold top positions at industry brands.

“When I started, there were very fewwomen in the kitchen. Which I always thought was funny, because if you read histories of chefs of the past, they all learned from their mother, or grand mothers.” Debbie Gold JAMES BEARD AWARDWINNING CHEF

FILIPINO STYLE PORK CHOP, BY CHEF KRISTINE SUBIDO.

The company strongly feels it’s a topic that should be discussed more often—and hopes that the discussion will inspire more women to pursue careers in the restaurant industry. “We’re already seeing more and more women in the food service industry,” says Charlotte Peck, regional sales manager at Smithfield Culinary. “But they’re not always getting the attention they deserve, such as this media attention. Because women bring

“A diverse group of people is a powerful thing,” Shesto says. “Having those different perspec tives brings different, more pos itive conclusions to everything that you’re trying to do. Whether it’s a male-female, or right-brain left-brain thing, it just changes the outcome when you’re con fronted with a problem.” Shesto also nods toward female chefs as a potential solu tion to one of the industry’s most pressing issues. If finding

“I was told early inmy career: ‘You can either be an amazing wife, an amazing parent, or an amazing chef. You can do two of these things, but never three.’ And every day, I try to prove that personwrong.” Melissa Chickerneo CORPORATE EXECUTIVE CHEF, BEHIND THE SCENES CATERING

SMITHFIELD CULINARY (3)

FSR x QSR Smithfield 8pg Insert March 2023.indd 3

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