Allyson Thurber has made a giant step for female chefs.
The executive chef of Water Grill in downtown Los Angeles just accepted a position at the 130-seat Striped Bass in Philadelphia for a salary of $110,000, among the highest in this country for female executive chefs. Neil Stein, owner of Striped Bass, confirmed the figure.
The 41-year-old native of Sacramento will leave in early May and begin at Striped Bass the first week of June. Her replacement at Water Grill has not yet been named.
When asked for comments, few chefs or restaurateurs raised an eyebrow. A six-figure salary in a high-profile restaurant in a major city goes with the territory.
But when compared to a nationwide survey on chefs' compensation, it's big dough. The median salary for an executive chef, minus bonuses, is around $38,000, according to data from the National Restaurant Assn.
No one at Striped Bass quibbled with her asking price, Thurber said: "That's where I set it. When you factor in the size and location of the restaurant, what the restaurant earns, the cost of living and relocation and that I own a home here, it worked out."
Her colleagues gave her thumbs up. "There are jobs available at that salary level," said Mary Sue Milliken, chef-restaurateur of Border Grill. "But women don't always get them. Allyson is talented. She knows how to keep costs in line. And that kind of an employee can make money for a restaurant." Other reaction:
Anne Rosenzweig (Arcadia, the Lobster Club in New York): "That's not enough. She deserves more."
Susanna Foo (Susanna Foo, Philadelphia): "I'm not surprised. There are a lot of good female chefs, especially on the West Coast. Things are changing for women. The time has come."
Cindy Pawlcyn (Mustard's Grill, Yountville, Calif.): "That high salary is not unusual. But every restaurant works salary compensation differently. I've always believed women should get the same recognition as men."
Lidia Bastianich (Felidia Ristorante, New York): "Most executive chef positions [on the East Coast] start around $50,000. So, that's a nice salary, a salary of recognition for any chef, male or female. She deserves it. And she'll earn it."
Bated Breath: The new Spago in Beverly Hills opens to the public Monday. At the helm is executive chef Lee Hefter from Granita. Replacing him in Malibu is Jennifer Naylor, an alumna of Wolfgang Puck's stable. (She most recently pitched in to open Spago Chicago.)
