Earlier this March Striders got a chance to hear the stories of three female restaurateurs who own and operate restaurants in the Bay Area. While women make up a fair portion of the restaurant workforce, only 6% of restaurants in the Bay Area are owned and operated by women. Since there are so few women restaurant owners, we wanted to learn a bit more about the restaurant industry and the issues that a woman would encounter in running a restaurant. 

Meet the three female restaurateurs who shared their delicious food and inspiring stories with us: Brenda Juarez of El Pípila, Shannon Madison of Bistro 112 at The Tannery, and Natalia Bushyager of Picnic on Third. These women visited Stride’s office for a lunch panel where they shared stories of underestimation, resilience, and progressive leadership in the male-dominated restaurant industry.

Each panelist has taken a different path to ownership. While Brenda had gone into business with her mom to run El Pípila, she casually joked that her entry into the industry was largely due to her ability to speak English and translate for her mother. 

On the other hand, Natalia and Shannon both worked in professional kitchens before starting their own ventures. Shannon worked in the kitchens at Google Headquarters after originally starting at Google as an Engineer and now offers the UCSC students who often eat at Bistro 112 free cookies and lemonade if they’re doing homework.

Natalia went the fine-dining route, working at culinary institutions like Chez Panisse in Berkeley before starting Picnic on Third. Each woman took such a different journey, and each met unique challenges on their path to restaurant ownership. They shared stories of how sexism and racism fueled skeptics. And they opened up to us about overcoming obstacles and navigating their journey towards becoming successful restaurateurs in the Bay Area. 

The delicious lunch panel was catered by these three restaurants, and the women donated their earnings to La Casa de las Madres, a local women’s shelter. 

Take a look at what we ate down below!

El Pipila

• Chips, Guacamole, And Salsas 

• Sautéed Veggies

• Kale And Bean Salad Tossed With Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (Vegan & Vegetarian) 

Picnic on Third

• Salad with Red Romaine Lettuce With Rainbow Carrots, Cucumber, Seeds, Pickled Red Onion, Picnic Vinaigrette

• Cilantro & Lime Roasted Chicken Thighs

• Chile Braised Brisket With Onions

• Jackfruit Stew With Peppers (Vegan)

Bistro 112 At The Tannery

• Capirotada

• Cookies (Vegan)

We want to take a moment to thank Brenda, Shannon, and Natalia for sharing their experiences with our team here at the Stride office. And we want to thank them again for letting us experience their delicious food!

Note: Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many restaurants have had to close their dining rooms and adapt to survive. Currently, El Pípila and Bistro 112 at The Tannery have temporarily closed their doors due to the shelter order. However, you can still support Picnic on Third by ordering premade meals and catering orders.