Food: Brette Warshaw
Taking a big bite out of food news.
This article is part of our Create & Cultivate 100 List created in collaboration with KEDS, you can view the full Food List Here.
Taking a big bite out of food news.
In 2017, that nagging, draconian phrase “a woman’s place is in the kitchen” is taking on a whole new meaning, and by that we mean becoming totally meaningless. After decades of battling the boys' club for recognition — about half of culinary school grads are women but they make up only about 20 percent of chefs, does that seem very fair to you? — female chefs are finally getting accolades they deserve.
Creating a platform for this generation of female culinary-world rock stars is Lucky Peach Chief Operating Officer Brette Warshaw, who, at the age of 25, is reinventing how we devour the news of food. As inspiring as it is, Warshaw’s is no overnight success story — and luck has absolutely nothing to do with it. As a sophomore in college, she interned at foodie website Food52 and became Managing Editor upon graduating. Later, she was hired as Managing Editor at Lucky Peach, promoted to editor, and recently, all-the-way-up to COO. Attention college kids: time to apply for those internships (bonus points if they’re paid!).
If there’s one teachable moment in Warshaw’s rise in the ranks (and there are many), it’s that it pays to take the initiative. “I got my job at Food52 because I asked one of the founders, Amanda Hesser, if I could profile her for a creative writing class I was taking,” says the self-starting COO, who admits to having little business experience before accepting the role of COO. “From there, I got the internship, and got my foot in the door at a place that was poised for some really exciting growth. I would not be here today if I hadn't worked up the guts to ask her.” Learning on the job is just one of the many tricks this culinary chieftain excels at. “I’ve become a lot more sure of myself, mostly by forcing myself into unfamiliar situations and figuring them out, and emerging with new skills and perspective."
While Warshaw’s more operations, less knife skills, she’s no stranger to the double standards faced by the female chefs her team regularly reports on. “I've gotten things like ‘You must be Brette's assistant’ when I get on calls or walk into meetings—it's definitely surprising to some that a twenty-five year old woman would be at the other end of the table.” That a woman in her position, with her experience, is greeted with skepticism is hardly surprising — Glassdoor finds that female chefs make 28.3% less in base pay than their male counterparts. “At first, I would be shy or would make excuses or feel the need to justify what I was doing and where I was at. I don't do that anymore. If people don't take me seriously, that's their problem.”
"If people don't take me seriously, that's their problem.”
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Growing a cutting-edge food magazine into a “modern, sustainable, gangbuster” media business by the age of twenty-five is no small feat. Although you wouldn’t know it by her down-to-earth vibes and unpretentious appetite. She swears by a twice-weekly ritual of eating at the diner across the street from her apartment, accompanied only by her favorite magazines — “I feel like a superhuman afterwards!” For Warshaw, female empowerment means two things: “breaking glass and cashing checks.” AMEN. And by that we mean, HELL YES.
So, what’s next for this young culinary world mover-and-shaker changing the face of food media? Hopefully, she says, to be interviewed for the New York Times Corner Office section of the Sunday Business paper. Sounds more than doable.
Styling provided by Reservoir LA. Hair and makeup provided by Glamsquad. Photography courtesy of Light Lab and Woodnote Photography.
Brette is wearing Keds' Triple Solids.
C&C Classifieds: Job Positions at 6 Rad Female-Led Companies
Fridays at Glossier - @glossier on Instagram
Some boss ladies want to start their own companies,and others want to support those companies and be a part of an amazing team. If you're looking to make the next step in your career and help support an amazing company, we've got you covered with some amazing positions at some of our favorite companies founded by kick-ass female entrepreneurs. Check out the positions down below!
Glossier - New York, NY
Not only are Glossier’s products one of our favorites when it comes to our daily skincare routine, but we’re in love with the way Emily Weiss has been able to grow the amazing brand in just over a year. Working on Emily’s team not only means that you’ll be working on amazing and fun brand that embraces natural beauty, but you’ll be working on a team that knows how to execute quality work and means business. Check out their openings below, and if they don't have what you're looking for, click here to get on their radar!
Positions Available:
Away - New York, NY
Away Luggage isn’t your ordinary luggage company. Just launched this month, Away is one of the companies that focuses beyond the product and applies the culture of travel to its brand. If you’re about that travel life, and want to contribute to a brand that embodies that vision, Away is for you.
Positions Available:
- Operations Associate - New York, United States
- MBA Intern - New York, United States
- Undergrad Intern - New York, United States
Food52 - New York, NY
Food52 is the destination for all culinary enthusiasts that. Not only is Food52 the perfect site to find amazing new recipes, but you’ll be able to find the perfect accessories for your kitchen and cooking needs. If you have the hunger to work with a company that can feed your career needs, you should apply to Food52’s positions below.
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Ipsy - Select US Cities
If you’re a beauty junkie, Ipsy is the company you want to work for. Ipsy, the brainchild of YouTuber Michelle Phan, is a monthly subscription that delivers new makeup samples right to your doorstep. Just in 4 years since it’s inception, Ipsy has already racked in more than $150 million in revenue. Want to be a part of this continuously-growing company? Check out the positions below!
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- Merchandise Planning Manager New York, NY, United States
- Art Director Santa Monica, CA, United States
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- Customer Care Content Manager San Mateo, CA, United States
- Customer Care Representative - Tier III San Mateo, CA, United States
- Front End Developer San Mateo, CA, United States
- Email Operations Specialist San Mateo, CA, United States
- Loyalty Marketing Director San Mateo, CA, United States
- Social Media Coordinator Santa Monica, CA, United States
- Associate Producer Santa Monica, CA, United States
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Tradesy - Santa Monica, CA
Tradesy is the destination for turning the items in your closet to cash, all through the use of their simple-to-use app. In just three years, Tradesy has had over a million customers and had been backed by investors such as Richard Branson and John Doerr. Not only that, but the company’s core values about being fearless, sharing your style, and transparency breeding trust are things we’re behind 100%. If Tradesy speaks to you, check out their positions below!
Positions Available:
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- User Experience Designer - Santa Monica, CA
- Senior Frontend Engineer - Santa Monica, CA
- Senior Software Engineer - Santa Monica, CA
- Software Engineer (Data Engineer) - Santa Monica, CA
- Software Engineer (Data Scientist) - Santa Monica, CA
- Head of Technical Recruiting - Santa Monica, CA
- Intern for Public & Community Relations - Santa Monica
- Customer Support Representative - Santa Monica, CA
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Rent The Runway - Select US Cities
Rent The Runway has established itself as one of the go-to online destinations that have given fashion enthusiasts access to some of the most coveted designer pieces on the market, at less than half the price of retail. RTR is definitely a company that has thought outside of the box and capitalized on an opportunity that no one else had touched on. Now, it’s become a $400 million + business. Talk about a success story! Looking to work with a company that has set itself apart from the e-commerce world? Look at Rent The Runway’s positions, and become a part of the team!
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- Fashion Copywriter Rent - The Runway HQ, Union Square, New York, NY
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- Senior Software Engineer - New York, NY
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- Head of UX/UI Design - New York, NY
- Associate Manager of Sales Associates - Georgetown, Washington DC
- Associate Manger of Stylists - New York, NY