From Traditional Kitchens to Food Entrepreneurs: Women Redefine Goa’s Culinary Landscape

Written by Intern Rency Gomes | Team Allycaral 

For generations, the kitchen at home was closely associated with women, while professional kitchens and food businesses were largely dominated by men. Mothers cooked for families, but titles such as chef, restaurateur or culinary entrepreneur were often held by men. Today, that contrast is steadily changing as women across Goa step into commercial kitchens, launch food ventures and mentor the next generation of culinary professionals.

Across the state, women chefs, bakers and food entrepreneurs are redefining the culinary profession. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, several women from the food industry shared their experiences of navigating the field, building successful ventures and challenging long-held perceptions about who belongs in the kitchen.

Chef Seema Milena Silva, who has spent nearly nine years in professional kitchens, recalls entering a workplace where women were still rare. At one stage in her career, she was the only woman among dozens of male chefs.

“I was once the only woman in a kitchen where there were 72 male chefs,” she says. “But I never felt like I was being dominated. If you enter with a positive attitude and take your craft seriously, people respect that.”

Silva believes the perception of kitchens as male territory is gradually fading, noting that more women today are pursuing culinary careers, particularly in baking and pastry arts.

For Parvati Parkkot, founder of the artisanal ice cream brand Mrs P, the journey into food entrepreneurship began in an unexpected field—law. Parkkot credits her legal training for shaping the structured approach she applies to her culinary business.

“Law teaches you discipline. Ice cream demands it,” she says. “Training as a lawyer makes you structured and process-driven, and a professional kitchen thrives on that.”

Her brand focuses on handcrafted ice creams made without preservatives or stabilisers, using premium ingredients such as fresh fruit and high-quality chocolate.

Chef Pratiksha Dessai, a faculty chef at Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts, says her experience in professional kitchens inspired her to guide young women entering the industry.

“There were moments when I had to prove that I belonged there, not just as a woman but as a professional,” she says. “Now I focus on helping my students build the confidence to pursue leadership roles in hospitality.”

Dessai notes that many young women entering culinary institutes today are ambitious and determined to build successful careers in the industry.

For Nadia Aslam, founder of Nadia’s SweeTooth Studio in Panaji and winner of the Cake Artist of the Year award at the Asia Cake Oscars 2025 and the World Cake Artistry Competition 2026, entrepreneurship began at home.

Her baking studio operates from her residence, allowing her to manage business responsibilities while caring for her family.

“When I step into the baking room, I am the chef and the baker. When I step out, I am the mother,” she says. “Balance is key.”

Across hotel kitchens, artisanal food ventures, culinary classrooms and home-based studios, women are steadily reshaping the food industry. What was once viewed as a male-dominated profession is evolving into a more inclusive space driven by skill, innovation and determination.

As more women pursue culinary careers and entrepreneurial ventures, they are not only expanding the food landscape but also inspiring the next generation to see the kitchen—professional or otherwise—as a place of opportunity and creativity.