roadMAPP San Diego Recap | September 17-19, 2023

Performance does not always translate to higher pay.

San Diego, CA – From September 17-19, culinary aficionados from around the world gathered at the Town & Country Resort and Hotel for the highly anticipated Chef's Roll Anti-Convention. Among the event's many highlights was a thought-provoking panel, presented by MAPP Impact, that delved into the intricate balance of work and life in the culinary world.

Our star-studded panel featured some of the industry's brightest minds:

  • Tanya Holland (Acclaimed Chef, Author, Board Member of the James Beard Foundation and Bravo’s Top Chef Alumna)

  • Andi Van Willigan (Executive Chef at Honest Hospitality, former chef for Michael Mina & Gordon Ramsey, and Hell’s Kitchen Alumna)

  • Dayanny De La Cruz (the 1st female chef of the Super Bowl and VP of Culinary at Levy)

  • Ferdinand Metz (Certified Master Chef and former President of The Culinary Institute of America)

  • Brother Luck (Award-Winning Chef, Restaurateur, and Bravo’s Top Chef Alumna)

  • Jon Palsson (Executive Chef at The Town & Country Resort & Hotel)

Guiding this discussion was our esteemed Moderator and MAPP Mentorship Coordinator, Georgeann Leaming who is also an accomplished chef, former restaurant owner, and Food Network Alumna.

The panel engaged in a lively conversation, bringing together over a century's worth of culinary experience. They shared insights into the evolution of their work hours over the years and tackled the ever-important question of whether female panelists felt they had to work harder to prove their worth in the industry. While on the topic, panelists had to address a controversial statement from an audience member, sparking a passionate discussion among attendees. He stated the remark was “a lie, illegal. Whether you are male, female, black, white, gay, it didn’t f*cking matter. Performance base gets you more money.”

This pivotal moment was captured on video and is now the focus of reflective discussions in MAPP's Facebook community group (access this here).

One of the Community group members, shared statistic from a paper they published on gender equity in the workplace to counter the controversial statement, further emphasizing the importance of conversations like these. They spotlight the need for continued dialogue on gender equality and empowerment in the culinary and hospitality industry.

“I covered this topic on an industry commentary paper I submitted. In 2021, Kentz surveyed of 16,000 employees in 14 countries, it was determined that majority groups continue to underestimate the obstacles that diverse employees face. As of 2022, of the 2,286 Michelin Star restaurants and 100 best restaurants, only 6.04% of them were female led. Women make up 52% of all restaurant employees yet only 23% of them are chefs or head cooks, and they make approximately $9,000 less than males in the same job title. As of 2022, only 16% of the senior-level executive positions in food & beverage are held by women and overall 2% of both Fortune 500 CEOs. Tell me again how performance is the only determining factor to jobs…”

- Lindley Thacker

The MAPP Impact panel at Chef's Roll Anti-Convention proved to be an enlightening and inspiring event. It reinforced the importance of these conversations and set the stage for continued progress in our mission to empower women in culinary and hospitality. Stay tuned for more insights and discussions in our community group as we work together towards a brighter and more inclusive future for all. Join the MAPP Facebook Community Group.

Event photos and video coming soon.