Unlike many of the other women on this list, Ana Roš didn’t always dream of a professional cooking career. As a child in Slovenia she trained as an alpine skier, before studying diplomacy in Italy. It was at university that she met her partner Valter Kramar, whose parents – as luck would have it – were about to retire from running Hiša Franko, their restaurant in the Slovenian town of Kobarid.

Valter and Roš decided to take over Hiša Franko, and she gradually climbed the ranks from waitress to head chef. The restaurant always specialised in traditional Slovenian cuisine, and Ana has made her name by giving these a modern spin – serving up dishes like asparagus and nutmeg ravioli, octopus cooked in lamb fat and pickled sardines with shallot jam.

In 2017, Roš was named the world’s best female chef – and this year, Hiša Franko is rated as the world’s 48th best restaurant. Not bad for someone who taught themselves to cook.

Key quote: “As a child, I had visions of being the ambassador in Tanzania, sipping my cocktails by the swimming pool. So when [being a chef is] really hard, I sometimes think that would be the easier option.”

These 5 women have been named the best female chefs on the planet