This year on International Women's Day Aramark Ireland launched a new hub of the company’s women focused employee resource group (ERG), EMPOWER, with a female culinary competition called The EMPOWER Culinary Challenge.
The competition, held in Dublin’s Guinness Storehouse, featured 10 of Aramark Ireland’s most talented women chefs. The EMPOWER Culinary Challenge required the chefs to showcase their culinary talent using local, Irish ingredients, and steps to minimized food waste through innovative ingredient usage, like vegetable peelings or comparable elements.
2024 competitors included:
- Amy McLoughlin, Sous-Chef: Croke Park
- Anna Damasiewicz: Brabazon House
- Cyrene Princess, Chef de Partie: Guinness Storehouse
- Janette Byrne, Head Chef: Avondale House
- Jennifer Rabe, Head Chef: Allianz ParkWest
- Jiwon Choi, Chef de Partie: Avoca Rathcoole
- Malgorzata Rudnicka, Chef de Partie: SAP CityWest
- Megan Delaney, Chef Manger: AIB Naas
- Nora O'Malley, Head Chef: Aras Ronain
- Rebecca Gibney, Chef de Partie: Avoca Kilmacanogue
2024 Winner
The inaugural winning team was Megan Delaney from AIB and Malgorzata Rudnicka from SAP who took the competition with their impressive cauliflower based vegetarian dish.
“At Aramark Ireland we take great pride in our exceptionally talented chefs, and this competition showcases the remarkable in-house expertise across our network of women chefs,” said Tom Neville, President & CEO at Aramark Ireland. “Both myself and the judging panel were thoroughly impressed by the culinary excellence demonstrated by our chefs. I want to congratulate Megan and Malgorzata and all the other finalists on their amazing creations.”
Impacting People and the Planet
In line with Aramark’s Be Well. Do Well. commitments, the EMPOWER Culinary Challenge adhered to unique standards that underscored the company’s commitment to local and environmentally friendly practices.
Beyond the kitchen, the competition reflected the core values upheld by the EMPOWER ERG, which is dedicated to championing the advancement of female leaders within the organization. The EMPOWER Culinary Challenge was an opportunity for chefs to showcase their talents, contribute to a culture of diversity and inclusion, and inspire others in the culinary world.
