Women Chefs and Restaurateurs Applauds Selection of First Woman as White House Chef Historic Appointment Shines Spotlight on Contributions of Women in Culinary Professions Around the World

Statement by Bonnie Moore, president of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs

Women Chefs and Restaurateurs applauds the White House and First Lady Laura Bush for taking an unprecedented step to hire the first woman as executive chef for the prestigious White House kitchen. With the appointment of Cris Comerford, First Lady Laura Bush is making a visionary decision that will provide women in culinary professions around the world with a strong role model in the nation’s most visible kitchen.

As Executive Chef Comerford steps forward into this new leadership position, women chefs across America take a step forward as well. More than 50 percent of the food service industry workforce are women, yet few reach the upper echelons of their profession. This appointment represents a triumph for the more than 1.5 million women in culinary professions.

We extend our congratulations to Cris Comerford and look forward to working with her to further advancement for all women in the culinary professions.

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Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR) was founded in 1993 by eight prominent female chefs and restaurateurs with the mission of promoting the education and advancement of women in the restaurant industry and betterment of the industry as a whole. Today, WCR has more than 2300 members who represent all sectors of the industry, from culinary students to restaurant owners.