One of the reasons someone would return to a hotel or restaurant is because of the meals they’ve had there. No matter how good the hotel is, if the food is not up to standard, they will not come back.
Many are impressed with the dishes they receive at various places, but they don’t get to know the people behind their preparation, and these individuals are crucial.
Cooking professionally is a challenging task and can be exhausting for those who do it, but it is also dominated by a significant number of males as many women believe it requires a lot of physical strength.
Rutagengwa Mugeni Julienne is among the few women who ventured into professional cooking. She initially pursued studies in Science and Mathematics.
Though skilled in her field, she felt an urge to learn about cooking, seeing it as a future-filled profession and a gift to her.
Mugeni has spent four years as a chef at Century Park Hotel and Residences, where she began working solely on salads. Now, she’s one of the leading chefs in the hotel.
Rutagengwa stated that even though she studied science, she ventured into chefdom because that’s where her passion lies.
She says, “I studied science, but I’ll continue learning about cooking. Even if I understand Nutrition and other aspects, it will assist me in preparing meals.”
In various hotels and restaurants, most top chefs are male. Mugeni asserts that no job is reserved solely for men such that women can’t do it without facing challenges. It all requires passion.
She says, “I face no obstacles here. When you love what you do, you’ll find people appreciating your work. When customers tell you that you’ve done well, it motivates you to exceed your own expectations.”
She further says that those who think cooking is a male-dominated profession are greatly mistaken.
She argues, “People who believe this is a man’s job are very wrong because now is the time to shed such gender stereotypes. They should be supportive, helping their male partners progress in the family, and we should also move forward. It’s not right always to say I depend on someone to provide for me; that’s not the endpoint.”
After learning about cooking, Rutagengwa tried her hand at the profession in Century Park Hotel and Residences. They recognized her talent and offered her a job. She says her four years there have brought about significant changes in her life and that of her family.
She mentions, “There are many things I’m proud of, both what I know and what I learn from others. Another thing is that my family lives well, the children study, and the family is in good shape without any problems.”
Rutagengwa encourages everyone to love what they do and even have grounded dreams. As for her, she aspires to be in leadership in her sector.
