“The flag of war will fly over our pots”: Gender and Resistance in the Nouvelle Cuisine Kitchen

At first glance, the 1970s and 1980s appear to be a zenith of French culinary greatness.  Nouvelle cuisine, a self-proclaimed “revolution” in the culinary world, arrived with great fanfare, launching the careers of major chefs and journalists alike.  Familiar names like Bocuse and Guérard traveled the world promoting France’s reputation as the culinary superpower.  However, this story of triumph masks the murkier realities of the culinary and political scenes in France during this time.  One such reality is the fact that women were fighting for—and winning—greater rights and participating in larger numbers in education and the labor force.  How does this translate into restaurants?  This paper will explore how women resisted the “phallocracy” of haute cuisine, persisting in pursuing careers as chefs.  It will delve into women chefs’ specific tactics, such as forming associations and prizes and publicly defending their food, as