Chef Clare Smyth at work in the kitchen of her London restaurant, Core by Clare Smyth
As the first British female chef to acquire three Michelin stars, Clare Smyth is demonstrating to women all round the world that it is indeed possible to be a leading chef in the 21st century. She?s fearless in the kitchen, having worked under the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Alain Ducasse, and is now not only sharing her talent in London, but in Sydney, too.
LUX: You have previously mentioned that if you weren?t a chef, you would have been a showjumper. So, what attracted you to the culinary world over the equestrian one"

Clare Smyth: I started cooking at a young age and loved it. I decided it was more attractive to me because I wanted to travel and see the world, rather than being a showjumper training in one place all the time. LUX: Gordon Ramsay famously once said that he didn?t think you would last a week in his kitchen. What do you make of this" And what were the biggest challenges you faced early on in your career"

CS: That?s always misconstrued, because most people didn?t last a week in his kitchen! It was tough, but I chose to work at the most difficult places so I could challenge myself. I knew that if I wanted to be the best, I needed to work with the best. It was long, intense hours and a lot of pressure, but I thrived in that environment.
Scottish langoustine, served at Core by Clare Smyth
LUX: Is it true that sexism is still rife in the culinary indus...