A number of recent books, magazines, and television programs have emerged that promise to take viewers inside the exciting world of professional chefs. While media suggest that the occupation is undergoing a transformation, one thing remains clear: being a chef is a decidedly male-dominated job. This week on Eat Your Words, host Cathy Erway is on the line with Taking the Heat: Women Chefs and Gender Inequality in the Professional Kitchen co-author Deborah Harris. Deborah goes on to highlight the book, examining big issues like how the world of professional chefs is gendered, what conditions have led to this gender segregation, plus how women chefs feel about their work in relation to men. Tune in for a great conversation! This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA. Its rare. Only about 20% of head and executive chefs are women. [4:00] I really respected the women who said when they became management... they purposefully tried to make a more humane kitchen. [25:00] Chefs today want to be seen as professionals not hash slingers. [26:10] --Deborah Harris on Eat Your Words