The spotlight turned on women who have carved a niche for themselves in the food and hospitality industry at an event organised by Anusreea Paul and Luna Chatterjee, in collaboration with Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata, with My Kolkata as the digital media partner.
From chefs to hoteliers, partners to entrepreneurs, remarkable achievements were acknowledged and applauded.
The stage became a podium of empowerment as 21 remarkable women were felicitated for their outstanding contribution. Their stories of resilience, creativity and passion served as a source of inspiration for the audience, reaffirming the power of determination and hard work.
Shilpa Chakraborty, partner at Tribe & Dastaan Cafe and (right) Sutapa Barua, owner of Himur Hensel
Sharing her story with My Kolkata, Himur Hensel owner Sutapa Barua said: “As a woman, I choose to work hard every single day. I come from Bangladesh. I was in Kolkata for my higher studies, after which I married an Indian citizen. I had to quit my job for my son, as I was transferred to another district. It was a difficult period for me. Then, I decided to work on my passion, realising that people did not have any idea about the present Bangladeshi food. It was pretty challenging at the beginning but now in Kolkata, I have established myself.”
Shilpa Chakraborty, partner at Tribe & Dastaan Café, was happy that women entrepreneurs from the food and hospitality industry were being celebrated. “I strongly believe that in today’s world, there is no competition but cooperation and collaboration, which Gastronomic Divas 2024 highlights very well. As women, we all have something to learn from each other and at the same time, celebrate for each other. I liked the spirit of the event more than anything as those days are gone when we used to say ‘kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi’. Today, one woman has to fix up the crown of another woman and we need to continue to lift each other up.”
In a touching gesture, the event also extended accolades to the Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata team for its tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to excellence.
The dynamic duo of Anusreea Paul and Luna Chatterjee
“As a co-curator of the event, along with Luna Chatterjee, this is our debut event together with an intention to award women from the food and hospitality industry only. It has been days of hard work to bring these women forward and in future we plan to take this pan-India,” Anusreea Paul said.
“There is a saying that when like-minded people come together, then nothing is impossible and that's how Gastronomic Divas 2024 happened. I wanted to do something unique because there are so many women who have achieved so much in the field of food and hospitality but have not been recognised. Tonight, my motive was not only to felicitate them but also create a platform where they can know and help each other to grow,” Luna Chatterjee said.
