This study explores how female chefs in professional kitchens manage food waste in their predominantly masculine occupational culture. By adopting the Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model and applying the method of in-depth, semi-structured interviews (n = 20), the study reveals the complex interplay of personal, organisational, and contextual influences on how female chefs in Turkey and England manage food waste. The study highlights the significance of proximal processes, and organisational and occupational socialization in shaping food waste management practices of female chefs. The study underscores the importance of gender dynamics, organizational size, and occupational culture in these practices. The need for integrating resourcefulness training in preparation for future generations of chefs is highlighted. The findings enable a better understanding of how professional kitchens can be advanced towards the fulfilment of such sustainable development goals as gender equality and resource efficiency. The study emphasizes the need to consider a broader cultural context in future research on sustainability in tourism and hospitality. It suggests a comparative gender analysis to examine the unique challenges that female chefs encounter in food waste management.