North Bay Woman

10 QUESTIONS with DEBORAH KEANE the 'caviar Queen' Deborah Keane, who partners with world-famous chefs, became the first woman in the United States to own and operate a caviar company a dozen years ago Deborah Keane, the "Caviar Queen," discusses breaking into the mostly-male caviar business. – Photos courtesy of California Caviar Co. By Crissi Langwell "C aviar Queen" Deborah Keane became the fi rst woman in the United States to own and operate a caviar company when she founded California Caviar Co. in 2007 in San Francisco. She shares her passion for caviar, what it's like to work in the male dominated food industry, and how she's changed the American caviar industry through her now Sausalito-based company's sustainable practices. 1 What made you want to start working with caviar? I fell into it. I was at San Francisco Sympho- ny Director Michael Tilson Thomas' house for a benefi t when I started talking with an investor with one of the fi rst farms in the U.S. to produce caviar. While I didn't have experience with caviar, I discovered I had a unique palate and could pick up the different nuances in caviar. 2 What has been one of your challenges working in a male dominated industry? When I started, I didn't realize I was the only woman in the industry. It took a while to sink in. I grew up thinking of myself as one of the guys, so when I walked in a room full of men, I just didn't notice. But they did. I had to earn my credibility. They tested me, such as giving me dyed whitefi sh and telling me it was hackleback (American 52 NORTH BAY WOMAN | F A L L

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