Women in Food & Design Who Inspire Us

March is Women’s History Month - a time to celebrate the women who have shaped culture, creativity, and the way we experience food and design.

We asked around the Pinch studio and kitchen: Which women inspire the way you think, cook, host, and create?

The answers span chefs, architects, designers, tastemakers, activists, icons - and the women who taught many of us how to cook in the first place.

Here are a few of the women who continue to inspire how we think, design, and cook.

American Chef & Founder, Chez Panisse

Alice Waters changed the way we eat. Through Chez Panisse, she pioneered the farm-to-table movement long before it became a buzzword, championing seasonal, local, and responsibly sourced food. Her philosophy continues to influence how we think about ingredients, community, and the responsibility that comes with cooking.

Iraqi-British Architect

We’re lucky to work on the same block as the only residential building in NYC designed by Zaha Hadid. Walking past it daily is a reminder of her radical vision and boundary-pushing approach to form, movement, and space. A true icon whose work continues to inspire designers across disciplines.

Mexican Chef & Founder, Contramar + Entremar

Gabriela Cámara is a force in the culinary world. As the chef behind Contramar and Entremar in Mexico City, she inspires us with food that feels both effortless and deeply intentional. Her cooking blends Mexican tradition with a quiet nod to Italian simplicity, proving that restraint can be powerful. For over two decades, Contramar has remained one of the most beloved restaurants in CDMX, a testament to her clarity of vision, hospitality, and consistency.

French Architect & Designer

Charlotte Perriand was one of the few women to shape modernist design in the 20th century, breaking ground in a male-dominated field. Her work championed functional living spaces, guided by the belief that better design helps create a better society, a philosophy that continues to resonate today.

Director of Guest Relations & Experience, Babbo

Tizzy runs the room with warmth, confidence, and sincerity. With years of experience in hospitality, including opening a restaurant in Milan, she leads by example, showing how thoughtful service and strong leadership shape unforgettable guest experiences.

Chef & Owner, Lilia + Misi

Missy Robbins is known for her passionate cooking and warm hospitality. Through Lilia and Misi, she has helped define modern Italian dining in New York City, with a deep focus on simplicity, regional inspiration, and exceptional ingredients, a philosophy she continues to champion today.

London-Based Designer

Grace Prince’s work is effortlessly eclectic, playful yet serious, bold yet deeply considered. Her designs feel personal, layered, and joyful, reminding us that good design doesn’t have to be rigid to be impactful. She inspires us to embrace intuition, texture, and emotion in the creative process.

The Original Chefs

The matriarchs of our families. The women who fed everyone first. From childhood hours spent cooking alongside them to the care and love embedded in every dish, our grandmothers shaped how many of us understand food, as nourishment, memory, and connection.

American Entrepreneur & Media Icon

From a home catering business to a billion-dollar media empire, Martha Stewart built an entire universe around taste, hosting, and craft. She showed generations of women that cooking isn’t just domestic, it’s creative, professional, and powerful. Her influence on American food culture and her unmatched attention to detail continue to inspire us.

Former White House Executive Chef

Cristeta Comerford made history in 2005 as the first woman and first Asian American Executive Chef at the White House. Born in the Philippines and trained in French cuisine, she brought fresh, seasonal, globally inspired cooking to one of the most visible kitchens in the world, redefining what leadership in hospitality can look like.

American Culinary Icon

Ina Garten is an American treasure. From her calm confidence to her iconic Hamptons kitchen (our dream kitchen, obviously), she’s taught generations that good food doesn’t need to be complicated,  just made with care.

Sous Chef, Pinch Food Design

Born and raised in Korea and professionally trained in Japan, Eunjin is our daily inspiration. She is kind, deeply talented, and endlessly curious, making food feel approachable while always encouraging experimentation and growth. We’re lucky to learn from her every day.

British-American Chef, Sailor

April Bloomfield is celebrated for her influential role in New York’s culinary scene, known for refined, ingredient-driven cooking with heart and precision. At Sailor in Fort Greene, she brings her signature seasonal approach to a relaxed yet elevated bistro setting.

Israeli Chef & Restaurateur

Einat Admony’s cooking feels inviting, joyful, and deeply personal. Known for blending Israeli and Mediterranean flavors with Italian influence, her food celebrates simplicity and generosity. Her iconic hummus, a masterclass in restraint, reminds us how something simple, when done well, can bring immense joy.

Chef, Crane Club

Melissa Rodriguez is the acclaimed chef behind Crane Club in New York City. A James Beard Award–winning chef, she is known for her refined, ingredient-driven approach and soulful flavors. Her cooking blends classic technique with a distinctly contemporary New York sensibility, creating food that feels both elevated and deeply personal.

To the women who inspire us, through food, design, leadership, care, and creativity,  this month (and always), we celebrate you.