Woman in WACS Profile of the Month Stacey LeeChan

The Women in WACS initiative strives to increase visibility of women chefs worldwide as well as supporting them in their efforts to advance their careers while balancing work and family. Women in WACS also seeks to establish a national/ international network whose purpose is to mentor, recruit, and retain female membership in Chefs organizations.

Profile of the Month

Stacey Lee Chan

March 2013

Name:  Stacey lee Chan

Age:  26

Home Town/Country:  Lonehill, Johannesburg

Position(s) currently held: Brand chef for SMEG

Career Highlights:

• Winner of the regional and national round of Chaine des Rotisseurs in South Africa 2010
• Winner of the 2010  International Chaine des Rotisseurs competition in Finland
• 2010 Mc Cain chef of the year
• Winner of the 2011 Hudson and Knights pastry competition

What kind of formal education do you have?

• 3 year grand diploma at Silwood School of Cookery
• 1 month patisserie course at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris

What made you decide to enter the culinary profession?

• Passion and love of food and creating flavors

Do you have culinary childhood memories?

• Baking Christmas mince pies with my gran every December
• Baking cupcakes or cakes on Sunday with my mom

At what age did you first enter the food service industry? What was your first job?

• At 18 years
• My first official job after studying was at the Boutique hotel the Cellars Hohenort.

What were important stepping stones to reach your current position?

• Starting from the bottom
• Respect of the superior chefs
• Experimenting with flavours and textures
• Hard work and training to do competitions

Did you or do you have a mentor?

• Every chef is a mentor; it’s a hard industry to be in.

What, if any, problems did you encounter in your career?
Being a girl in a male dominated kitchen is always a slight obstacle but nothing to bad.

What, if any, was the greatest obstacle? 
Wanting to win an international competition and achieving my goal.

How did you overcome that hurdle?
Lots of training and hard work and experimenting with lots of international foods.

What is the male/female ratio in your current job?
It’s just me so manly female driven

Describe your current work conditions.

• Fine dining dinners and wine pairings
• Casual dinners and wine pairings
• Demonstrations
• Hands on cooking classes

What is your advice to young women entering your specific field?
Give as hard as you can give and try stick it out until the end, you can do a lot more than you think if you really want it

What are your interests outside the culinary field?
Walking and reading

What are personal and professional interests that you would like to pursue within the next 5 years? 
I would love to have my own 40 seater restaurant along with a deli that sells freshly made artisanal breads, pastries and a few other delicious treats.

Would you be willing to be a mentor to other women in WACS? 
Always

e-mail: Stacey@smegsa.co.za

facebook: Stacey lee Chan