Her Story
About Madhumitha
Madhumitha Kannan is a professional in the hospitality and food service industry, where she has worked in management and kitchen operations for three to four years. She is pursuing a bachelor's degree in food business management with a focus on culinary arts and a concentration in wines, with an anticipated graduation in 2026. As a member of Eta Sigma Delta, the global hospitality honor society, Kannan completed a three-month internship in Portugal, which stands as one of her notable professional achievements to date. She aspires to become a chef while advancing in kitchen roles. Kannan attributes her success to the unwavering support of the people around her and values kindness above all in both her professional and personal life. She advises that when something does not work, one should change the plan but never the goal, and encourages young women entering the male-dominated hospitality field to recognize that their strength lies in standing out. Kannan views the ever-changing nature of the industry as both a challenge and an opportunity for flexibility and innovation.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Madhumitha
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think it would be the unwavering support of the people around me. It's very important that we all lean on those people that we have, and we be those people that others can lean on. Even on days when I don't believe in myself, there's the people who believe in me still, and I'm able to push through. And I think much of my success I owe to them.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
When something doesn't work, you change the plan, but never the goal. So, your goal always stays the same, and you just keep coming up with different plans to get to the goal, and if one plan doesn't work, you always have another, so you just put one foot in front of the other, and you change the plan, but never the goal.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
This is something I wish someone had told me. It is that their strength is the fact that they stand out. There's not very many women in hospitality. There's very much a male-dominated industry, especially in the kitchens. And the fact that they stand out, the fact that they're not the same as everyone else in that room, that's what makes them special, and that's what needs to keep them going. Because they are representing a part of the world of their life that needs to be represented in the kitchen, in the food world. So, the fact that they stand out is what makes them special.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The world is ever-changing, so tourism, hospitality, food service is always going to be ever-changing, and it's always a challenge, just sort of determine what people want. We'll have to keep up with that change, and particularly now, the world is changing very quickly. So it's not just about keeping up with the change, it's about keeping up with the changing pace. But on the other hand, I would argue that it is also your opportunity. That very circumstance is your opportunity, because it allows you to be flexible. You don't have to be static, you don't have to put roots down, you can keep changing with whatever comes, and that flexibility is such a delightful opportunity, because you can just keep trying new things and see what sticks the landing.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think I would say kindness, because I work in hospitality, and kindness is overlooked, whether that's professional, personal, I think the least we can be as people to each other is kind. It's free, and it's the easiest thing that can be to someone. And I think with kindness automatically comes all else. You would be respectful if you are kind, you would be honest if you are kind. Yes, but I think kindness is such a being a person in society.
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