A More Equitable Kitchen: Mary Sue Milliken’s Fight for Women in Hospitality

When Mary Sue Milliken co-founded Regarding Her in the early days of the pandemic, she wasn’t entirely sure what it would become. “We didn’t know what it was going to be,” she says, “hence the name.” But what started as an emergency response to support women-owned restaurants in Los Angeles quickly evolved into something much more lasting: a nonprofit platform dedicated to accelerating the careers of women in food and beverage, creating opportunities, building networks, and fostering community across generations.

Over the past five years, Regarding Her has become one of the most robust and nimble organizations of its kind, with 1,000 members across Los Angeles and North Orange County, a growing beta community in the DMV, and programming that ranges from educational workshops and accelerator grants to collaborative dinners and public festivals.

And at the center of it all is Milliken, an industry veteran, tireless fundraiser, and active mentor whose career has always combined advocacy with action.

What Regarding Her Does

From the start, Regarding Her set out to serve women entrepreneurs at every stage of their culinary careers. “Over 50 percent of culinary students are women,” Milliken points out, “but fewer than 20 percent hold executive roles. That’s a huge drop-off.” Regarding Her was created to help bridge that gap, offering support where the industry historically has not.

At its core, the nonprofit is built around community, collaboration, and education. Regarding Her hosts year-round workshops on everything from marketing to financial literacy, connects early-stage operators with seasoned restaurateurs through mentorship programs, and organizes collaborative events that pair “OG chefs” like Milliken or Nancy Silverton with rising talent across LA.

That mentorship is more than symbolic—it’s hands-on. “Nancy did a beautiful dinner last year during Women’s History Month with Danielle from Amiga Amore,” Milliken recalls. “She was so thrilled to cook alongside her.” These kinds of chef-to-chef partnerships help demystify the industry and offer a powerful reminder that success doesn’t have to be a solo endeavor.

Regarding Her’s flagship initiative is its 10-week accelerator program, known as the Regarding Her Academy, which supports women whose businesses are generating between $500,000 and $1.5 million annually and are ready to grow. The cohort meets regularly throughout the year, supported by a grant component and a curriculum of targeted coursework. “We’ve now graduated 30 women,” Milliken says. “And they stay close. They’ve built a real network.”

But just as important as the programming is the peer support system Regarding Her fosters. “We have an internal platform where people can ask for help—anything from ‘my electrician’s ghosted me’ to ‘does anyone have an extra table base?’” Milliken says. “It’s that hyper-local connectivity that makes this work.”

Women’s History Month, Celebrated Across Los Angeles

Each March, Regarding Her brings its mission to the forefront with the Women’s History Month Festival, a citywide celebration of women in food and beverage. Now in its fifth year, the festival has grown into one of the most dynamic showcases of female culinary talent in the country, featuring over 80 events across Los Angeles County.

The lineup includes chef collaborations, pop-ups, markets, panels, and special menus—all designed to spotlight the resilience, creativity, and compassion of women in hospitality. Events are hosted in neighborhoods from Venice to Highland Park, offering locals and visitors alike the chance to experience the strength of the Regarding Her community firsthand.

This year’s festival carries a particularly meaningful tone. In response to the devastating January wildfires, Regarding Her launched a fire relief fund to provide microgrants to women-owned businesses that experienced significant losses. “We’re giving out 20 to 25 grants,” Milliken says. “The women in our network show up when it matters—and this festival is one way to honor that.”

Expanding the Mission

While Regarding Her is rooted in Los Angeles, Milliken envisions a much broader impact. The organization has already begun piloting programs in other regions, including Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, with a goal to expand into 20 cities over the next five years.

Her focus remains on supporting women operators at all levels—whether through mentorships, workshops, collaborative dinners, or accelerator programs—and continuing to build the kind of community she believes is essential for real progress.

“We’ve created something that feels local, tangible, and deeply connected,” she says. “And the goal is to bring that model to more cities, where women can support each other, share knowledge, and grow stronger together.”

The Long Game

For Milliken, all of this work—Regarding Her, the Women’s History Month Festival, the late-night calls between restaurateurs, the monthly workshops, the fire relief funds—is rooted in one belief: that hospitality can, and must, take better care of its people.

“This industry attracts women like crazy,” she says. “But it hasn’t historically supported them once they’re in.” Changing that means more than offering a seat at the table—it means reshaping the table entirely.

Whether she’s mentoring early-career chefs or helping women find their footing as entrepreneurs, Milliken remains focused on the same goal she’s carried throughout her career: to create a food world that is more inclusive, more equitable, and more connected. “The more women we support,” she says, “the better this industry is going to become.”