International Women's Day: Angela Hartnett, Jillian Maclean and Carrie Wicks discuss women in hospitality

International Women's Day 2012 is celebrated on Thursday 8 March under the theme 'Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures'. Ahead of the event BigHospitality spoke to three leading women in hospitality to get their take on the industry approach to women.

In this short video Angela Hartnett, chef patron at Murano, Carrie Wicks, director of operations at Firmdale Hotels and Jillian Maclean, founder of Drake & Morgan discuss how the industry approach to women has changed, the challenges female employees still face and their advice to young women.

Whether it is by getting ahead in a male dominated kitchen under the tutelage of Gordon Ramsay to achieve Michelin-star status, founding a bar company led by women at the height of the recession or promoting female general managers; all three have helped women in the sector so do they see being a role model as an important responsibility in their respective careers?

Women are still under-represented in the top hospitality jobs so on International Women's Day 2012 BigHospitality asked if the sector was still a challenging place for women.