Michelin in the frying pan over all-women kitchen tweet

AS AN arbiter of fine dining, The Michelin Guide is used to causing controversy with its rulings on restaurant standards.

Yesterday, the industry bible instead became embroiled in a sexism row, after an ill-judged tweet about an allfemale kitchen was roundly condemned by critics.

A member of staff at Michelin Guide UK used its official social media platform to praise Darjeeling Express, a

‘Dear old @michelinguide is startled that an all female kitchen isn’t full of panicking laydees’

London restaurant specialising in Indian food run by, it said, “a female kitchen team coping effortlessly with the demand.”

Condemned by followers as “ridiculously patronising”, “clueless” and “Jurassic” in outlook, it attempted to clarify the point in a second message which provoked yet more anger.

“It’s rare to see a completely female kitchen team – and one so utterly calm under so much pressure as the place was packed,” it said.

Criticism came from diners including restaurant critic Jay Rayner, who tweeted: “Dear old @michelinguideuk is startled that an all female kitchen isn’t full of panicking laydees running around tearfully, wailing at the sky.” Another critic said: “There was no need to mention the sex of the kitchen team.”

Darjeeling Express was founded by Asma Khan, a woman, and according to its own website runs its kitchen with “an all-women team of housewives”.