Rohini Dey broke the Indian cuisine mold when she opened Vermilion restaurant in Chicago. The Indian-Latin independent is still going strong 18 years later, and Dey is now on a mission to break through the gastro ceiling, collaborating with other women chefs and restaurateurs to boost their businesses and impact in the industry.

Last year, she launched “Let’s Talk Womxn,” banding operators together to meet the challenges of the pandemic. The initiative evolved into “Let’s Talk and Dine Together,” a series of tasting dinners, live panels and other events that brought in revenue, grew visibility and increased opportunities for women. The program has now expanded to 13 cities and on March 8—International Women’s Day—women restaurateurs around the country will host a mega-culinary event.

Listen as Dey shares her passion and plans for this and other programs coming up in the near future and how “Let’s Talk Womxn” is revolutionizing change in the industry.