Recent discussion in the literature focuses on how female relatives influence those who become professional chefs and the importance of social and domestic examples in inspiring the provision of commercial hospitality. Using findings from a sample of six case studies in Southeast Asia, this study suggests that female relatives have an effect in occupational choice for classically trained Asian male chefs and restaurant owners. Social and domestic examples were identified as less important in this sample, raising questions about how different cultural attitudes to the role of food and its sharing may influence occupational choice among non-western professional cooks.