# List of female chefs with Michelin stars

Women chefs were among some of the earliest to be awarded Michelin stars. Within the Michelin Guide, stars were first introduced in 1926 with the present three star system added in 1931. When three stars were first awarded in 1933, two female chefs, Eugénie Brazier and Marie Bourgeois, were among them. Several female chefs have been awarded three stars since, including Marguerite Bise, Sophie Bise, Nadia Santini, Elena Arzak, Clare Smyth, Anne-Sophie Pic, Carme Ruscalleda and Ana Roš.
In recent years, the number of male chefs awarded stars has greatly outnumbered those given to women. However, there has been an increase in the number of women from different nations awarded, due to the expansion of the areas covered by the guide. The lack of women holding stars has repeatedly led to criticism of the Michelin Guide, who have in turn pointed to the lack of female chefs overall in the industry.

## History

The Michelin Guide was first published in 1900 in France to promote driving. In 1926, it began to specialise in fine dining reviews, introducing a single-star system. The current three-star system began in 1931, however, three stars were not awarded until the 1933 edition.
The first women chef to hold a Michelin star was Élisa Blanc in 1929.
The first women chefs to hold three Michelin stars came in that 1933 edition, namely Eugénie Brazier and Marie Bourgeois. However, Brazier won three stars at both of her La Mère Brazier restaurants in Lyon and at Col de la Luère. She held all six for 20 years, and her record for holding the most stars stood until beaten by Alain Ducasse in 1998. It then stood as the record for a female chef until Carme Ruscalleda won her seventh star across several restaurants.
Some female Michelin-starred chefs prefer not to make an issue out of gender. For example, when three-star chef Dominique Crenn was named the world's best female chef by the prestigious World's 50 Best Restaurants List in 2016, she was outraged, considering referring to her gender "diminishing, unnecessary and irrelevant".

### Recent awards

Following the Second World War, Marguerite Bise became the third woman to win three Michelin stars at her restaurant Auberge du Père Bise in 1950. It is then often reported that there was a 50-year gap before Anne-Sophie Pic became the fourth woman to win a set of three stars, despite Bise's granddaughter Sophie regaining the family restaurant's three stars in 1985, and similar awards made by Michelin to female chefs such as Nadia Santini, Elena Arzak and Clare Smyth in the interim.
While the number of women chefs with Michelin stars has increased in recent years, they are still relatively few. This is partly due to the percentage of female chefs; 4.7% of chefs in the United States are women, while the figure is 20% in the United Kingdom. The low number of female chefs with stars has led to criticism of the Michelin Guide, alongside other issues such as the pay gap between male and female chefs.
The problem was raised with Michelin director Michael Ellis following the publication of the 2018 New York City edition, who said that the company "can't do anything" to resolve it. Subsequently, a spokesperson said, "Increasingly, more women are entering the profession in this country and around the world. Michelin is not involved in culinary education or recruitment. We deeply value diversity of all kinds and are pleased to see the trend toward greater diversity in the culinary field."

## List of female chefs with Michelin stars

Key
* † This symbol denotes chefs who won a Michelin star as an executive chef under a Chef Patron, who is also considered to have won the star.
* ‡ This symbol denotes chefs who won a Michelin star as a co-executive chef alongside another chef.
* § This symbol denotes chefs who initially held stars under a Chef Patron or as a co-executive chef but later retained or earned those stars on their own.
List of women chefs with Michelin stars :
| Chef | Restaurant | Location | Country | Cuisine | Year to star | Year to star | Year to star |
| Lisa Allen | Northcote | Langho, Lancashire | United Kingdom | British | 2004 | — | — |
| Myrtle Allen | Ballymaloe House | Shanagarry, County Cork | Ireland | Irish | 1975 | — | — |
| Aurelie Altemaire† | L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon | Covent Garden, London | United Kingdom | French | | | — |
| Garima Arora | Gaa | Bangkok | Thailand | Indian | 2018 | — | — |
| Elena Arzak‡ | Arzak | San Sebastián | Spain | New Basque | — | — | 1989 |
| Frances Atkins | Yorke Arms | Ramsgill, North Yorkshire | United Kingdom | British | 2003 | — | — |
| Adejoké Bakare | Chishuru | Fitzrovia, London | United Kingdom | West African | 2024 | — | — |
| Nieves Barragán Mohacho | Barrafina | Covent Garden, London | United Kingdom | Spanish | 2013 | — | — |
| Thalía Barrios García | Levadura de Olla | Oaxaca City, Oaxaca | Mexico | Oaxacan | 2024 | — | — |
| Danni Barry | Eipic | Belfast, Northern Ireland | United Kingdom | European | 2016 | — | — |
| Virginie Basselot | Saint James Paris | Paris, Île-de-France | France | French | 2014 | — | — |
| Caroline Baum | Reisers am Stein | Würzburg, Bavaria | Germany | | 2013 | — | — |
| Emma Bengtsson | Restaurant Aquavit | New York City, New York | United States | Nordic | 2014 | 2014 | — |
| Erika Bergheim | Nero | Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia | Germany | | | — | — |
| Rosa Beutelspacher | hallmann & klee | Berlin | Germany | Modern | 2024 | — | — |
| Heidi Bjerkan | Credo | Trondheim, Trøndelag | Norway | Norwegian | 2019 | — | — |
| Élisa Blanc | Villages Blanc | Vonnas | France | French | 1929 | 1931 | — |
| April Bloomfield | The Spotted Pig | New York City, New York | United States | Modern American | 2005 | — | — |
| Marie Bourgeois | La Mère Bourgeois | Priay, Ain | France | French | | | 1933 |
| Cristina Bowerman | Glass Hostaria | Rome, Lazio | Italy | Molecular gastronomy | 2010 | — | — |
| Nicola Braidwood‡ | Braidwoods | Dalry, North Ayrshire | United Kingdom | Scottish | 2000 | — | — |
| Tessa Bramley | Old Vicarage | Sheffield, South Yorkshire | United Kingdom | | | — | — |
| Eugénie Brazier | La Mère Brazier | Lyon, Rhône | France | French | | 1968 | 1933 |
| Marguerite Bise | Auberge du Père Bise | Talloires-Montmin, Haute-Savoie | France | French | | — | 1950 |
| Sophie Bise | Auberge du Père Bise | Talloires-Montmin, Haute-Savoie | France | French | — | 1983 | 1985 |
| Andrea Carlson | Burdock & Co | Vancouver, British Columbia | Canada | Contemporary | 2022 | — | — |
| Shelley Cerneant‡ | Applewood Inn | Guerneville, California | United States | American | 2011 | — | — |
| Laetitia Cosnier‡ | Côté Cuisine | Carnac, Morbihan | France | French | 2019 | | |
| Nolwenn Corre | Hostellerie de la Pointe Saint-Mathieu | Le Conquet, Finistère | France | French | 2019 | | |
| Dominique Crenn | Atelier Crenn | San Francisco, California | United States | French | | 2012 | 2019 |
| Naoëlle D'Hainaut | L'Or Q'idée | Pontoise, Île-de-France | France | French | 2019 | | |
| Hélène Darroze | Restaurant Hélène Darroze | Paris, Île-de-France | France | French | | 2003 | — |
| Amélie Darvas | Äponem - Auberge du Presbytère | Vailhan, Hérault | France | French | 2019 | | |
| Lydia Egloff | La Bonne Auberge | Forbach, Moselle | France | French | | | — |
| Nicole Fagegaltier | Le Vieux Pont | Belcastel, Tarn | France | French | | | — |
| Jay Fai | Raan Jay Fai | Bangkok, Central Thailand | Thailand | Thai street food | 2017 | — | — |
| Annie Féolde | Enoteca Pinchiorri | Florence, Tuscany | Italy | Italian | 1981 | 1982 | 1992 |
| Sharon Frannais | Le Pẻchẻ Gourmand | Briançon, Hautes-Alpes | France | French | | | — |
| Virginie Giboire | Racines | Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine | France | French | 2019 | | |
| Ana Dolores González‡ | Esquina Común | Mexico City | Mexico | Mexican and Spanish | 2024 | — | — |
| Tanja Grandits | Restaurant Stucki | Basel, Basel-Stadt | Switzerland | German | 2009 | 2012 | — |
| Adeline Grattard | Yam'tcha | Paris, Île-de-France | France | French/Chinese fusion | 2010 | | — |
| Suzette Gresham | Acquerello | San Francisco, California | United States | Italian | | 2014 | — |
| Rose Gray‡ | The River Café | Hammersmith, London | United Kingdom | Italian | 1998 | — | — |
| Maria Groß | Clara-Restaurant im Kaisersaal | Erfurt, Thuringia | Germany | | 2013 | — | — |
| Sarah Grueneberg | Spiaggia | Chicago, Illinois | United States | Italian | | — | — |
| Katell Guillou | Toit pour Toi | Schouweiler, Dippach | Luxembourg | French | 2006 | | — |
| Skye Gyngell | Petersham Nurseries Cafe | Richmond, London | United Kingdom | European | 2010 | — | — |
| Elizabeth Haigh | Pidgin | Hackney, London | United Kingdom | British | 2016 | — | — |
| Sarah Hallman | hallmann & klee | Berlin | Germany | Modern | 2024 | — | — |
| Angela Hartnett § | Angela Hartnett at The Connaught | Mayfair, London | United Kingdom | Italian | 2004 | — | — |
| Zineb Hattab | Kle | Zürich | Switzerland | Vegan | 2022 | |
| Catherine Healy | Dunderry Lodge | Navan, County Meath | Ireland | Irish | 1986 | — | — |
| Sarah Henke | Spices | Sylt, Schleswig-Holstein | Germany | | 2013 | — | — |
| Georgianna Hiliadaki† | Funky Gourmet | Keramikos, Athens | Greece | Contemporary Greek | 2012 | 2014 | — |
| Rachel Humphrey† | Le Gavroche | Mayfair, London | United Kingdom | French | — | 2007 | — |
| Julie Hyde | Restaurant 20 Victoria | Toronto, Ontario | Canada | Contemporary | 2023 | — | — |
| Patti Jackson | Delaware and Hudson | Williamsburg, New York | United States | Mid-Atlantic | 2015 | — | — |
| Celia Jiménez | El Lago | Marbella, Province of Málaga | Spain | Spanish | | | — |
| Dalad Kambhu | Kin Dee | Berlin | Germany | Thai Contemporary | 2019 | | |
| Chiho Kanzaki‡ | Virtus | Paris, Île-de-France | Japan | French | 2019 | | |
| Karen Keygnaert | Restaurant A'Qi | Bruges, West Flanders | Belgium | Asian/European fusion | 2012 | — | — |
| Beverly Kim‡ | Parachute | Chicago, Illinois | United States | Korean fusion | 2016 | — | — |
| Ida Kleijnen | De Lindenhorst | Valkenburg aan de Geul | Netherlands | | 1983 | — | — |
| Anita Klemensen | Den Røde Cottage | Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark | Denmark | New Nordic | 2011 | — | — |
| Julia Komp | Loersfeld Castle | Kerpen, North Rhine-Westphalia | Germany | German | 2016 | — | — |
| Nicole Krasinski‡ | State Bird Provisions | San Francisco, California | United States | | 2014 | — | — |
| Vicky Lau | Tate Dining Room and Bar | Hong Kong | China | French/Japanese fusion | 2013 | — | — |
| Karina Laval ‡ | Le Château de Vault-de-Lugny | Vault-de-Lugny, Yonne | France | French | 2019 | | |
| Stéphanie Le Quellec | La Scẻne | Paris, Île-de-France | France | French | | | — |
| Kwen Liew‡ | Pertinence | Paris, Île-de-France | France | | 2018 | — | — |
| Liya Lin‡ | Terrapin Creek | Bodega Bay, California | United States | Californian | 2011 | — | — |
| Léa Linster | Restaurant Léa Linster | Frisange, Esch-sur-Alzette | Luxembourg | French | 1987 | — | — |
| Anita Lo | Annisa | New York City, New York | United States | | 2006 | — | — |
| Karime López | Gucci Osteria | Florence, Tuscany | Italy | Mexican/Italian fusion | 2020 | — | — |
| Anne Majourel | La Coquerie | Sète, Hérault | France | French | | | — |
| Luisa Marelli Valazza | Al Sorriso | Soriso, Piedmont | Italy | Italian | 1982 | 1989 | 1998 |
| María Marte | El Club Allard | Madrid, Community of Madrid | Spain | Spanish | | 2012 | — |
| Françoise Mutel | La Maison Dans le Parc | Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle | France | French | | | — |
| Carrie Nahabedian | NAHA | Chicago, Illinois | United States | Modern European | | — | — |
| Niki Nakayama | n/naka | Los Angeles | United States | Kaiseki | — | 2019 | — |
| Tobey Nemeth‡ | Edulis | Toronto, Ontario | Canada | Mediterranean | 2022 | — | — |
| Nancy Oakes | Boulevard | San Francisco, California | United States | New American | | — | — |
| Camille Pailleau‡ | Rozó | Lille, Nord | France | French | 2019 | | |
| Camilla Parkner | Basement | Gothenburg, Västra Götaland County | Sweden | Swedish | 2011 | — | — |
| Melissa Perello | Fifth Floor | San Francisco, California | United States | Modern American | 2006 | — | — |
| Anne-Sophie Pic | Maison Pic | Valence, Drôme | France | French | — | 1997 | 2007 |
| Kei Pilz | Shiro | Ahakista, County Cork | Ireland | Japanese | 1996 | — | — |
| Helena Puolakka† | La Tante Claire | Chelsea, London | United Kingdom | French | — | 2001 | — |
| Titti Qvarnström | Bloom in the Park | Malmö, Skåne County | Sweden | New Nordic | 2015 | — | — |
| Iliana Regan | Elizabeth Restaurant | Chicago, Illinois | United States | New American | 2014 | — | — |
| Fanny Rey | L'Auberge Reine Jeanne | Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône | France | French | 2017 | — | — |
| Elena Reygadas | Rosetta | Mexico City | Mexico | Mexican and Mediterranean | 2024 | — | — |
| Missy Robbins | A Voce | Chicago, Illinois | United States | Italian | 2009 | — | — |
| Ruth Rogers‡ | The River Café | Hammersmith, London | United Kingdom | Italian | 1998 | — | — |
| Andrée Rosier | Les Rosiers | Biarritz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques | France | French | | | — |
| Ana Roš | Hiša Franko | Kobarid | Slovenia | Slovenian/Nouvelle cuisine | — | 2020 | 2023 |
| Marie Rougier-Salvat | La Tour des Vents | Bergerac, Dordogne | France | French | | | — |
| Emily Roux | Caractère | London | United Kingdom | French | 2025 | — | — |
| Carme Ruscalleda | Sant Pau | Sant Pol de Mar, Catalonia | Spain | Traditional Catalan | 1991 | 1996 | 2009 |
| Mariya Russell | Kumiko and Kikkō | Chicago | United States | Omakase | 2019 | | — |
| Reine Sammut | Auberge la Feniẻre | Lourmarin, Vaucluse | France | French | 1995 | | — |
| Nadia Santini | Dal Pescatore | Canneto sull'Oglio, Province of Mantua | Italy | Italian | | | 1996 |
| Sigi Schelling | Werneckhof Sigi Schelling | Munich, Bavaria | Germany | French | 2022 | — | — |
| Alexandra Seelinger | Aquarello | Munich, Bavaria | Germany | | | — | — |
| Julia Sedefdjian | Baieta | Paris, Île-de-France | France | French | 2019 | | |
| Anna Sgroi | Restaurant Anna Sgroi | Hamburg | Germany | | 2013 | — | — |
| Nancy Silverton | Osteria Mozza | Los Angeles | United States | Italian | 2009 | — | — |
| Clare Smyth† | Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | Chelsea, London | United Kingdom | French | — | — | 2006 |
| Douce Steiner | Hirschen Sulzburg | Sulzburg, Baden-Württemberg | Germany | German | 2008 | 2012 | — |
| Ulrike Stoebe | Landhaus Mühlenberg | Zemmer, Rhineland-Palatinate | Germany | | | — | — |
| Ayumi Sugiyama | Accents Table Bourse | Paris, Île-de-France | Japan | French | 2019 | | |
| Zeynep Pinar Tasdemir | Araka, Istanbul | Istanbul | Turkiye | Creative, Modern Cuisine | 2022 | | |
| Pim Techamuanvivit | Kin Khao | San Francisco | United States | Thai | 2015 | — | — |
| Mi-Ra Thuillant | L'Essentiel | Deauville, Calvados | France | | 2018 | — | — |
| Rosa Tschudi | Tschudi | Dübendorf, Canton of Zürich | Switzerland | French | | — | — |
| Georgiana Viou | Rouge | Nîmes, Gard | France | French | 2023 | — | — |
| Claire Vallée | ONA | Arès, Gironde | France | Vegan | 2021 | — | — |
| Michèle Visciano | Michel - Brasserie des Catalans | Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône | France | French | | | — |