MADISON, ALA., May 18, 2010 — Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (WCR) is pleased to announce its revitalized Web site at www.WomenChefs.org.
Following a months-long overhaul, WCR’s new site is both engaging and easier to navigate, with all of the most trafficked and requested pages up front, according to Lieann O’Brien, WCR’s executive director. The site is now more user-friendly for chefs, restaurateurs, F&B managers and directors, foodservice educators and students, with dedicated pages that allow a more focused opportunity to search for what is precisely of interest to each group.

“We’ve added some exciting new features that women in the culinary and hospitality fields won’t find all in one place anywhere else,†says Chef Jamie Leeds, WCR’s president and co-owner of CommonWealth Gastropub and owner of Hank’s Oyster Bar in metropolitan Washington, D.C. “Now, WCR members can scan for relevant news, industry resources, job openings and professional-development scholarships and internships more conveniently than ever. And culinary students can interact with other students and women professionals throughout the foodservice industry, giving them access to a world of answers to their questions.â€

While many of the site’s features provide valuable benefits of WCR membership, several sections of the site are accessible by all. New or enhanced features at www.WomenChefs.org include:

Local Exchange information for members and prospective members to engage with their communities through food, beverage and cooking;
Dining Guide, listing member-owned and/or managed restaurants throughout the country;
WCR’s Bookstore, recommending meaningful resources to women in culinary and hospitality;
Job Bank, offering regularly updated employment opportunities;
Member Forums, encouraging discussion among women to enhance professional development; and
Soon to come: WCR’s revamped e-newsletter and member outreach, Aperitif.

O’Brien is particularly proud of the launch of “Women in Food,†a new section on the site that highlights the pioneering efforts of WCR members and their contributions to the foodservice industry, and “The 411,†which regularly updates industry news of particular interest to or with special meaning for women professionals and students.

Meanwhile, existing site features have been streamlined for easy, at-a-glance review. “Our Web site is a tool for many different and unique interests—those of women chefs and restaurateurs, certainly, but also of women sommeliers and hotel and inn managers, as well as roles allied to foodservice, such as farmers, producers and marketing and HR professionals,†says O’Brien. “We tracked how each of these groups was using our site and then fine-tuned those features to make them eminently more relevant and valuable.â€
WCR’s 2010 National Conference will be held Nov. 6-9 in Pasadena, Calif. For more information, visit www.WomenChefs.org, call (877) 927-7787 or e-mail admin@womenchefs.org.

About Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (WCR)

Founded in 1993 by eight prominent women chefs and restaurateurs, WCR’s mission is to promote and enhance the education, advancement and connection of women in the culinary industry. WCR offers a variety of networking, professional and support services to more than 2,000 members representing all industry sectors. To learn more about the opportunities offered by WCR, visit www.WomenChefs.org.