By Jessica Brill
The foodservice industry continues to evolve, adapt, and grow as it responds to ongoing challenges such as labour shortages, mental health concerns, and the need for greater workplace diversity. As these important conversations take place, progressive steps are being taken toward more equitable representation for women.
“Early on in my experience, I recognized that I was often the only female in the kitchen or on the line, a theme that continued throughout my culinary career,” says Joanna Jagger, Founder and Executive Director of WORTH Association.
Today, women make up 58 per cent of the workforce across all roles, however, their presence decreases in leadership positions, accounting for just 30 to 33 per cent of management roles. Only seven to 11 per cent hold senior decision-making positions, while 19 per cent are in kitchen leadership. Notably, just six per cent of Michelin-starred restaurants are led by women. And while progress is being made, there is still much to be done to drive meaningful, lasting change that creates a more direct path to leadership for women in hospitality.
Joanna Jagger started her culinary journey in a high school program, and following her passion, she worked in kitchens, pursued front-of-house roles, moved into sales, and experienced catering, landing in human resources, as she built her career and climbed the hospitality and tourism ladder.
The path to change
As Joanna spent more time in a human resources capacity, she started to notice that an “off ramp moment” often happened, where some very talented women were exiting the industry into different sectors. Similarly, while pursuing her master’s degree in leadership studies, she discovered that fundamental resources and networks simply did not exist for women in hospitality. An idea came to her while on maternity leave, and Joanna decided to try and bring together a group of talented women whom she admired, cold calling each of them to pitch her idea that they participate in a panel to speak about their experiences. That event, held in 2018, was so well received that 100 people joined a waitlist to get into the event, garnering interest from several regions in British Columbia to host similar events.
Following that event, Joanna began to work to create a community for women in hospitality, and WORTH Association was born of that need. Working to champion self-identifying women and gender diverse people working in recreation, tourism, and hospitality, the non-profit prioritizes mentorship, leadership development, advocacy, and community connection. “Many women have a real passion for service and hospitality, and an innate set of skills that shows that they belong in the industry,” says Joanna. “I am very interested in that path for women, engaging them in the industry, helping them follow their ambition within the sector, and supporting career acceleration to find roles in leadership.”
The foodservice industry is Canada’s top employer, and 52 per cent of Canadians started their work experience in hospitality. Keeping women connected and passionate about this industry and its future by providing opportunities that include mentorship programs, conferences, leadership courses, and resources is at the heart of Joanna’s work. “The more time that passes, the more I realize that this work is a love letter to my younger self,” she says.
Women helping women
Mentorship is an important part of WORTH’s mandate, advocating for change through the stories that women tell and the legacies they create. With an abundance of opportunities through the hospitality industry, focusing on an “all ages, all stages” approach helps keep women connected to the industry that they love.
Hosting the ‘Yes Shef’ event is an important part of WORTH’s focus on fostering mentorship. Beginning in Vancouver, the event was held there for five years, embraced enthusiastically by attendees and the community. The concept pairs notable chefs with a protégée, and the event features 20 stations where guests wander the room, enjoy their tasting bite, meet the chefs, and celebrate that mentorship. As the event progresses, there is a live auction, entertainment, awards, and the young women receive a scholarship at the end of the evening. This year’s program included 16 students, providing a platform – and the spotlight – to share their stories. To date, $85,000 in scholarships have been awarded, and Joanna hopes to grow the event to include five cities across the country in the next five years.
This year’s event was held on March 9th in Toronto, alongside the RC Show, and is now going into its 6th year. “It’s such a special night with electric energy, communal vibe, and sisterhood connection that you just don’t see at other events,” affirms Joanna.
The ‘Yes Shef’ event is as impactful for the mentors as it is for attendees. “Mentors are always amazed how much value they have to offer to these young women who are exploring their paths,” says Joanna. “Their stories are powerful, helping women learn to think bigger, set greater goals, and stretch themselves.”
A bright future
Joanna asserts that the industry is changing, as advocacy helps to propel evolution, from legislation to practice. She cites amended dress code policies, pay transparency, employment legislated change as examples – and at the grassroots level, fewer businesses are tolerating harassment in the workplace as more tools become available. 60 per cent of women in hospitality report that sexual harassment is an uncomfortable aspect of their work lives, but increasingly, employers are adopting zero tolerance policies, creating codes of conduct, and investigations are taking place.
This is an important step in creating lasting change. “In many cases, women would rather leave than report harassment, and we are working to support women and create an environment where they feel safe to speak up,” says Joanna. Change does not happen overnight, and challenges persist for women in hospitality, but keeping them in the field, engaged and connected with their passions, is a fundamental goal for Joanna Jagger and WORTH.
How can women help change the future of hospitality and tourism?
Joanna advises women seeking a future in hospitality to “not play small,” stressing that while it is not all up to women to fix every issue, thinking big can help them avoid feeling insignificant in their careers.
“There are so many wonderful employers and businesses that want to work with talented women and promote diversity on their teams and in their leadership,” Joanna says. “That’s the environment we need to help women find, to continue to work on building systems so that women don’t feel compelled to look for that off ramp.”
Amid all the challenges that the foodservice industry faces, gender equity doesn’t always take centre stage, but Joanna and WORTH are working to prove that investing in developing women offers significant ROI for operators, results in more diverse representation, minimizes turnover culture, and creates a desirable environment for the next generation seeking development, support, and mentorship.
This article was originally published in the 2026 Spring/Summer edition of CRFN magazine.
