Chef Emma Bengtsson has had a long culinary journey to become the only female two-star Michelin chef currently at the helm of a kitchen in New York City.

“My grandmother was definitely my first inspiration. She was always in the kitchen. From the moment I stepped inside the door, it would always have this wonderful aroma around the house, and everything was always cooked from scratch,” said Bengtsson.

She currently serves at the executive chef of Aquavit, a Nordic restaurant located in the heart of Manhattan, and while the Michelin designation is considered a gold standard worldwide, it takes years of hard work to garner the guide’s attention.

"It's a hard job. It's long hours," Bengtsson said.

Bengtsson studied her craft at the International Restaurant School in Stockholm. She was initially recruited to Aquavit as the restaurant's pastry chef in 2010, but her exceptional skills led to a promotion four years later when the executive chef post opened up. Bengtsson admits, however, cooking wasn't her first career choice.

"I really wanted to go into the military, and I wanted to fly jets. And then somewhere along the line, I fell in love with cooking, and it took my heart. So, I put the flying on the bookshelf, maybe one day I can go learn how to fly the small planes," she said.

The restaurant industry has traditionally been a male-dominated field. While the number of women has grown, the National Restaurant Association points out only about 19% of chefs nationwide are female. A 2022 study by online publication Chef's Pencil also determined that only about 6% of all Michelin-starred restaurants are run by women.

Bengtsson credits her first boss with helping her rise to the top.

"My head chef in my first job taught me to run a kitchen with respect and treat all the workers or all the cooks with you, like you want to be treated, lift them up as much. You're nothing without your team," Bengtsson said.

When it comes to equality in the kitchen, Bengtsson questions why more female chefs have not been Michelin-rated.

“This is one profession that is actually very equal. You can argue in different areas where, genetically, [men and women are] built differently and we're beautiful in different ways and strong in different ways. But, I think when it comes to cooking, it's one of the professions where we are completely the same but [women are] not always out there making our voices heard,” said Bengtsson. “So, whenever I speak to women, I always tell them that you got to speak up. You got to tell people what you want and where you want to go in life because no one will just give it to you.”

She said the best advice she can give other women interested in a culinary career is to find a strong mentor.

“It's scary. In the beginning I was like, 'Oh my God, these women are never going to talk to me. They're up here and I'm here.’ And it's not the case. I haven't met anyone who wouldn't be there for you. And I'm trying to do the same as well,” she said. “So, I think that's the most important advice: Understanding that you're not alone.”