Business owner and head chef Nina Matsunaga, from Sedbergh’s Black Bull, has been included in CODE Hospitality’s – 100 Most Influential Women In Hospitality for 2022.
Each year, CODE champions women in every part of the hospitality industry from sommeliers to human resources, chefs to PRs, there are brilliant women at the heart of hospitality.
This year Code has introduced six special awards, celebrating the standout women in the fields of sustainability, drink, community, mentorship and entrepreneurship, with one overall ‘Most Influential Woman of 2022’.
Since nominations opened in spring, the esteemed panel of judges made up of the likes of Melissa Thompson, Jimi Famurewa, Will Beckett, Claire Koffman and Elizabeth Carter, have been overwhelmed. With the help of a panel of expert industry judges they’ve managed to work their way through more than 600 stories of brilliant women working well beyond their normal line of duty, influencing and inspiring their colleagues, friends and communities, to whittle down the list to just 100.
The overall focus for the judges was to identify those in the industry who have made a particularly significant impact over the past 12 months. Along the way they encountered some standout examples and so, for the first time ever, they’ve introduced a number of special awards for sustainability, community, drink, entrepreneurship, and mentorship, and have also crowned one woman the most influential of 2022.
This year’s list includes women making their mark on the industry, from the figures we recognise on our TV screens, to the lesser-known figures working tirelessly behind the scenes, each doing important things in their own fields of expertise.
The categories in the 2022 list includes chefs, operators, teams, support, drinks, leaders, management, comms and media, and suppliers.
Nina is the only Cumbrian to feature in this year’s list, featuring in the category of Most Influential in Community 2022, alongside the likes of Olia Hercules, Chef and food writer, Ruth Hansom Rigby, Head chef, Princess of Shoreditch Rachel Rumbol, Founder, Queers in Food and Beverage, Ravinder Bhogal Founder, Jikoni, Zan Kaufman, Founder, Bleecker and Nicole Pisani, Co-founder and executive chef, Chefs in Schools and other notable nominees.
Nina Matsunaga commented, ‘’To be included is amazing, especially for the third year. Each year the CODE List gives every woman in the industry the opportunity to be recognised for what they do, highlighting the whole range of opportunities available to women across the industry and hopefully encouraging more women to become involved in hospitality, enjoy a rewarding career and really make their mark in the process.’’
IMAGE: Nina Matsunaga Photo credit Phil Rigby Photography
