How to celebrate NSW's amazing women of food and wine on International Women's Day 2022

What's the best way to celebrate women in the world of food and wine? We asked a bunch of awesome women in hospitality what we can all do on International Women's Day (Tuesday, March 8), and here's what they said: Be active! Seek out female business owners, winemakers, brewers and chefs. Go to their restaurants, buy their products, drink their wine, read their cookbooks. Then go and do it all year round. Hear, bloody hear.

Mem Hemmings, group beverage manager, Three Blue Ducks

As well as her hectic day job with Three Blue Ducks, Mem is studying a bachelor of viticulture and making her own wine (@meredithbymem). On International Women's Day, she'll be working in the vineyard to bring her own wine to life alongside fellow winemaker Peta Kotz, of Sabi Wabi wines, who is breathing new life into Hunter Valley semillon. True to sommelier form, there will be wine with lunch.

"On our lunch break we'll be drinking a chardonnay from Lucy Kendall and Alysha Moscatt of Alle Vare in Gippsland, two of the people behind the 'Joans of Marc', a female-led initiative that pushes for more diversity in the industry," says Hemmings.

And in case you missed it, there's a free glass of bubbles for women diners at Three Blue Ducks in Byron, Rosebery and Melbourne on IWD. "I work with so many incredible women at the Ducks, and it's awesome we get to shout about it on this exciting day." threeblueducks.com

Your turn Snag a ticket to lunch at Claire van Vuuren's Bloodwood in Newtown this Sunday, March 13, organised by the formidable WoHo (Women In Hospitality) group. "But only," says Hemmings, "if you want to be surrounded by the most exciting, inspiring women in Australian distilling, while enjoying amazing food and cocktails." womeninhospitality.org

Kylie Kwong, owner-chef, Lucky Kwong, South Eveleigh

"For me, this year's theme of Break the Bias is all about action," says Kylie Kwong, whipping up another batch of prawn dumplings at South Eveleigh's Lucky Kwong Canto-canteen. "I'm inspired by local food activist Rosanna Barbero, CEO of Addison Road Community Organisation, who works to break the bias against disadvantage and nourish people both physically and spiritually, distributing up to 8000 meals a week to people who need it."

The big message, says Kwong, is that Addison Road is not government-funded, so donations are its lifeblood. "Together with South Eveleigh, I'll be working all this week to get that message out." luckykwong.com.au

Your turn You know what to do. addiroad.org.au

Penny Lawson, owner, Penny's Cheese Shop, Potts Point

"I'll be featuring the amazing products produced by the great women cheese-makers of Australia," says Lawson, from her sparkling new cheese shop, which has moved around the corner to the top of Macleay Street, Potts Point, opposite the El Alamein Fountain. "That means people like Cressida Cains of Pecora Dairy, and Mahlah Grey of The Pines – their guardianship of all aspects of their businesses from livestock and pasture management, milking through to the retail of their cheese is evident in the quality and style."

Lawson also pays tribute to Holy Goat from Victoria. "Ann-Marie Monda and Carla Meurs make some of the most outstanding cheese you will ever try, with attention to detail every step of the way." pennyscheeseshop.com.au

Your turn Crack out a cheese platter with tangy Holy Goat La Luna, creamy Dream from The Pines and Pecora Dairy's raw-milk Yarrawa, paired with Sue Heward's Singing Magpie sun-dried fruit from the 100-year-old Heward family orchard in the Riverina. "The semi-dried figs are a revelation" says Lawson. singingmagpieproduce.com.au

Sharon Winsor, Indigiearth and Warakirri cafe, Mudgee

For Ngemba Weilwan woman Sharon Winsor, being a woman in the food industry is about more than food. "It's my healing; my connection to culture, language, spirituality and connection to mother earth," she says. "Our foods have been here for thousands of years. Our culture has survived for many thousands of years, and my culture has never given up on me."

Her shout-outs travel across this big brown land. "I work with Aunty Pat Torres of Mayi Harvests in the Kimberley, and Rayleen Brown of Kungkas Can Cook in Alice Springs," she says. "And my team at Warakirri Cafe is purposely all women, young women. I want other women in the industry to grow and be strong, and be more visible." indigiearth.com.au

Your turn Book a table at Sharon's Warakirri Cafe in Mudgee for a four-hour, five-course dining experience designed to help others connect with Indigenous culture through (delicious) food. As of this month, you can also stock up on Indigiearth chutneys, native herbs and spice blends at Woolworths Double Bay (rolling out to more stores in coming weeks). woolworths.com.au

Palisa Anderson, organic farmer and restaurateur

"The people who make the world a better and more beautiful place are not always seen," says the unstoppable Palisa Anderson, owner of the Chat Thai restaurant group. "But like magical fairies, you know they exist."

For her, that list of people includes fellow farmers such as Maree Bracker, the creative force behind Wiccawood Farm in northern NSW. "Her flowers and vegetables at Kenrick Riley's stall at Byron and Mullumbimby markets are stunning sculptural artworks."

Anderson also sends a shout-out to Pam Brook, regenerative farmer, cookbook author and matriarch at Brookfarm near Byron (home of Cape Byron Distillery and Brookie's Gin). "She never ceases to inspire me," says Anderson. "As well as volunteering in the local RFS and Landcare, she helms Coolamon Community, providing essential goods and services to Indigenous mothers in the Ballina Shire." chatthai.com

Your turn Watch Palisa Anderson's inspiring Water Heart Food TV series on SBS On Demand as she talks to top chefs and farmers, exploring the connections between cultures and borders. sbs.com.au/ondemand​

O Tama Carey, owner-chef Lankan Filling Station

When she's not pounding spices, cooking Sri Lankan sambols, keeping bees, making salumi or doing three Sunday sittings of crab curry at her Darlinghurst restaurant, O Tama Carey is writing recipes for The Saturday Paper and doing live Instagram classes to promote her new book (see below).

What helps to keep her grounded, she says, is a certain calmness in the kitchen; having a gentle touch and a measured way with her staff. It's something she absorbed from the strong female chefs she trained with – Allegra McEvedy in London, Kylie Kwong in Sydney – and aspires to pass on to the women who work with her in Lankan's tiny kitchen.

"It's equally as important to have young male chefs mentored by women," she notes. "I think this is a great way to encourage a sense of equality and show both men and women that it is just as natural to have a female boss as a male boss." lankanfillingstation.com.au

Your turn Pre-order Carey's gleaming gold cook book, Lanka Food (which acclaimed chef Christine Manfield calls "an adventure for the palate"), before its March 30 release. Hardie Grant books, $55. booktopia.com.au