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Can you break through a cement ceiling? – female chefs’ possibilities for a career in the Sri Lankan culinary industry

Previous studies have shown that there are few female chefs in executive positions with a clear gender segregation in career advancements (i.e. Druckman, 2010; Harris & Giuffre, 2010). Where women as a group are prevented from rising through the ranks due to their gender (Ng & Sears, 2017), i.e. breaking through the so-called ́glass ceiling’. Taking on a Sri Lankan perspective, despite the fact that women and men have equal employment rights legally, there is evidence of an experienced gender gap. Not only are there fewer female chefs working in professional kitchens, there are also less females taking on managerial positions that indicates a “glass ceiling” within the culinary industry in Sri Lanka. By a small sampled qualitative study, this research note aims to highlight issues of gender inequality in career advancement for female chefs in the culinary industry in Sri Lanka. This research note empathizes the importance of studying women in the tourism industry, in this case with a special focus on Sri Lankan organizational culture at high-end, and according to Sri-Lankan standard, five-star hotels through the lens of Gender Organization Theory. Thirty years ago, Acker (1990) developed the Gender Organization Theory (GOT) after finding current gender-based theories failing to properly examine and provide an informative interpretation of the effect of gender in organizations. According to the GOT, normative gendered patterns exist in institutions and workplace relationships, which favour men and oppress women. According to Acker (1990), sex as an analytic category in understanding organizational culture and processes is important. GOT is a theoretical construct that focuses on the different gendered variables and behaviours that contribute to gender inequality (Nkomo & Rodriguez, 2019). Undeniably, taking a gendered approach to organizational research reveals the bias, racism, injustice, bigotry, and inequality that patriarchy and male dominance generate in the workplace (Acker, 2006:, 2012; Carvalho et al., 2019). And as such, GOT sees the company as an extension of society, with political aspects that demonstrate patriarchal structure. As a result, comprehending this theory necessitates a close examination of the institution as a tool of control that facilitates patriarchy by perpetuating male privilege.