Celebrating Women on International Women’s Day
In a relentlessly busy kitchen, you often don’t have time to think about what it takes to make it as a woman in a male-dominated industry.
International Women’s Day on March 8 however, offers all of us time to thoughtfully consider our roads to success and, perhaps more importantly, what we can do to make a difference for women going forward.
In that spirit and in recognition of International Women’s Day, Manna Sacred Meals is donating a week of meals to the “Changemakers Market” — an online auction March 14-21 celebrating women-led business, artists and entrepreneurs. The proceeds go to the BC Women’s Health Foundation. We are so thrilled to be a part of this amazing initiative.
Meanwhile, prompted by International Women’s Day, I’ve been thinking about my own personal journey and how it led me to create Manna Sacred Meals, ultimately realizing my dream of a plant-based meal delivery service.
Kitchens, outside the home, have long been the bastion of men. From the get-go, I knew that being a woman would never be a factor in performing my job, even if that made things more challenging for me.
Take my height, for example. I’m short. Space is often at a premium in busy, bustling kitchens where things are stacked up high. And so, I scrambled, I climbed and I jumped to get whatever I needed.
Now in control of my own kitchen, I am trying to shift that traditional power dynamic. At Manna Sacred Meals, we have three women on our team. Without a doubt, they bring a certain female finesse to the kitchen and Manna is all the better for it.
I see this power dynamic outside the kitchen too, particularly being a part of The Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE) which has been invaluable in the last year as I worked to get Manna from a dream to a reality. Just as in the kitchen, I see the power and value in being surrounded with female leaders and risk-takers, women determined to realize their dreams. This, in turn, has empowered me.
This International Women’s Day I can honestly say to all female dreamers out there who, perhaps like me, may be thinking about taking a risk, particularly in a male-dominated field: Don’t be afraid. Find women to raise you up. You too can be unstoppable. Just as other women have helped me along the way, I want to pay it forward with any advice or encouragement or support. Let’s all find something to celebrate in International Women’s Day this year.
Honoured,
Marie Grapé | Head Chef & Co-founder