What Happens When We Don't Kick The Ladder Away | Asma Khan

Asma Khan entered the restaurant world at 45. Then she became the first British chef on Chef's Table.  

At #MAD7, she shared how her London restaurant, Darjeeling Express, came to life. She made the bold decision to open a restaurant staffed by grandmothers and mothers—home cooks who had never worked in professional kitchens, armed with "terrible knife skills but huge hearts."
 

Chefs constantly credit their mothers and grandmothers as their biggest culinary influences. But these women are rarely part of the restaurant team. Asma built her kitchen differently, bringing softness to an industry obsessed with toughness. She’s proven that kindness is a form of strength.
 

"I don't want to break the glass ceiling. I want to bring the whole edifice down."