WOMEN OWNED RESTAURANTS & BAKERIES

ESTER CHOI Esther Choi is the Chef and owner of Mokbar and Ms.Yoo in New York City. Inspired by the time-honored techniques of her grandmother’s cooking, Esther believes that food is the ultimate expression of a country’s culture. From its history and social customs to its language, geography, and arts, Esther seeks to offer guests an understanding and appreciation of Korean food. Since the 2014 opening of her first venture, Mokbar in Chelsea Market, Esther has been hailed as a “New Rising Chef” by the Food Republic and in 2015 was named “Zagat 30 under 30” NYC Culinary Rockstar. From 2018 to 2019, Choi hosted Eater’s “The Kitchen Gadget Test Show”. Currently, she hosts Get Down with K-Town, a podcast about Korean-American Culture, which features Roy Choi, Judy Joo, Charlotte Cho, Dumbfoundead, and more. Mokbar has three locations, one in Chelsea Market, Midtown, and Brooklyn. MARICEL GENTILE Maricel Gentile is Chef/Owner of Maricel’s Kitchen which specializes in Filipino Cuisine. Filipino Food is the new “hot food” trend and Maricel is on the leading edge of that trend. With over thirty years of professional food service experience, Maricel has a passion for Asian food. Maricel attributes her most important cooking lessons to the ones she received as a child from her grandmother. Growing up in the Philippines with her grandmother meant fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and trips to the market for meats and fish. She taught Maricel the essence of flavors and instilled in her a passion for cooking. The Philippines is the crossroads of Asia and it’s cuisine is infused with flavors from all over the world. EINAT ADMONY Einat Admony , also known as the ultimate balaboosta, (meaning "perfect housewife" in Yiddish) is the chef and owner of Balaboosta, the fine-dining Middle Eastern restaurant; Kish-Kash, New York’s first couscous bar; and the beloved falafel chain, Taim. She is also the author of two cookbooks: Balaboosta, and Shuk: The Heart of Israeli Cooking. Einat, named a "fiercely determined chef" by The New York Times, grew up in Tel Aviv, worked as a cook in the Israeli Army, walked away from college after two months, roamed around Germany as a gypsy, then packed up her life to move to New York City. Now, after 20+ years in New York, Einat persists in her work and expansion with her new ventures, including Kish-Kash. Hand rolled couscous, deemed "fine as sand" by Eater, is served fresh there every day and is a perfect example of how Einat continues to innovate and push the food scene. “Cooking is a way to express my love and compassion for those around me,” Einat says. “It is also a way to connect the past with the present and future. The flavors, the smells, the sounds, they flood me with memories and bring me instantly back to my childhood. And make me feel whole.” When she is not at one of her restaurants, she can be found at home in Brooklyn, cooking for her two children, Liam and Mika, her husband and business partner, Stefan Nafziger, plus, a constant flow of dinner parties with family and friends. SYLVIA WOODS Sylvia Woods , the “Queen of Soul Food,” was the founder and owner of the world famous Sylvia’s Restaurant, located in the historical village of Harlem, since 1962. Sylvia, born and raised on her mother’s South Carolina farm, had dreams at a very young age of marrying her childhood sweetheart Herbert and of one day trading in the cotton fields for the bright lights of New York City. Young and determined, Sylvia received her beautician’s license at night while attending Junior High School during the day and opened the first farmhouse salon in her hometown of Hemingway, South Carolina. Sylvia and Herbert met when she was eleven and he was twelve while picking beans after school. In 1944, Sylvia married Herbert and started her journey towards a brighter future. Harlem called, and Sylvia answered, as she became a waitress at Johnson’s luncheonette. In 1962, after several years of dedicated service to her employer, Mr. Johnson recognized Sylvia’s entrepreneurial spirit and sold her the luncheonette. Julia Pressley, Sylvia’s mother, whom was a farmer and mid-wife, mortgaged her farm to loan her the money for the purchase. The then small luncheonette which consisted of 15 stools and six booths, has now flourished into a family-owned enterprise which consists of: Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem, Sylvia’s Also, a full-service catering hall, Sylvia’s Catering and Special Events Division, a nationwide line of Sylvia’s Food Products, two deliciously amazing cookbooks, and ATOC, Inc., a real estate holding company. MELBA WILSON The legendary restaurant Melba’s was the vision of founder, Melba Wilson . Being born, bred and buttered in Harlem, Melba knew she wanted to stay close to home so she could nurture and provide an exquisite yet comfortable dining experience to the community that raised her. As a young adult working at Sylvia's, Rosa Mexicano and Windows on the World restaurants, Melba saw firsthand what it took to own and operate a successful business. She quickly became aware that diners have the opportunity to eat wherever they choose. When great food is combined with remarkable service, the result is a dining destination that patrons come to regard as home. It is the commitment to exceptional customer service, coupled with great food that make the standard of excellence that exists today. On any given day, you can find Melba greeting guests with hugs, her trademark smile and inquiring of her customers as to whether there is anything she can do to enhance their dining experience. After all, dining at Melba's is like coming home for dinner, whenever you're away from home. CHRISTINA TOSI Christina Tosi is a multiple-award-winning American celebrity chef. She is also a successful author of four cookbooks and a TV personality. After graduating in pastry arts from the 'International Culinary Center,' she started working as a safety consultant with fine-dining restaurants in New York City. She got her breakthrough as a pastry chef when she started working with David Chang, the founder of the 'Momofuku' chain of restaurants. She initially assisted him with safety and licensing regulations, but later joined him as his pastry chef. She also partnered with David to establish the 'Momofuku Milk Bar,' which evolved into a chain of bakeries. In 2011, she authored her first cookbook and also appeared on TV for the first time. She became a household name after appearing in the series 'MasterChef’.