Katy Sparks and Female Chefs in NY

Gothamist will leave Amanda Hesser critiquing to Eurotrash and, instead, we'd like to take a look at Katy Sparks, the new chef at Upper West Side restaurant Compass, which received 1 star in Hesser's review today. Sparks seemed to be the only reason why Compass received any stars at all, because while Hesser notes the atmosphere, once "clean and cool," is "worn," the sound level is loud and service is "[a]t its worst, like a T.G.I. Friday's," she says Sparks "is holding her head high, turning out a menu that is distinctively her own." Katy Sparks returning to restaurant cooking was exciting news to Gothamist, not only because we loved her old SoHo restaurant, Quilty's, but because she's one of the few female name chefs in the city, even based on her tiny restaurant. Yes, there's Lidia Bastianich, but where is the new guard? Aside from the many talented female pastry chefs, maybe there's Rebecca Charles of Pearl Oyster Bar, Patricia Yeo, Anita Lo of Annisa, and Sara Jenkins of 50 Carmine. Diane Forley left for California...let us know who we're forgetting.

Gothamist went to Compass the day her addition was announced in the Times. Many others had the same idea, and Katy Sparks was circulating in the room (we're pretty sure that's her in this picture, on the left), with many diners telling her how excited they were to see her. The low point of the meal was, in fact, the service: Our server freaked out at a busboy, yelling at him and demanding to know where the receipt from the table the busboy had just cleared gone; it turned out another server had taken the receipt to be rung up. Our server apologized with complimentary champagne, but it was still distressing. So, Gothamist can attest to the crappy time it seems Amanda Hesser had.

Sparks on her signature oyster dish, oysters in gew�rztraminer cream with grapes and leeks, (" it made sense to punctuate them with the ingredient that wine is produced from") and a few of her recipes. eGullet on Compass with Sparks.

And on Hesser's reviewing, besides Eurotrash and the Village Voice, the Observer weighs in.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Food on April 7, 2004 10:38 AM

Comments [rss]

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Can ayone tell me how to locate a group of women classical musicians who are also cake bakers and have recently formed a small company called Sound Bites? Heard about them on the radio-was not sure if they are located in NY and did not find the story listed on the radios website.

Thanks

Jen

I'm trying to point out that, relative to the many names of male chefs that come to mind easily, we tend to hear less about female chefs. yuri, thanks for the adds.

yuri

Patty Jackson, chef at Le Madri

April Bloomfield,chef at The Spotted Pig

Anne Rosenzweig

Diane Forley

amanda freitag

Tom Valenti's Cesca has a female chef. How about that, how about recognizing the females that make the male chefs looks so great and are not really cooking they are just press hogs. Amanda has worked with Diane Forley and Sara Jenkins and has been recognized by all the other chef's named. Maybe you should look a little harder for talented women chef in New York.Look beyond the paid P.R. agencies that are telling you what to think!!!!!!!!1

Jen

Gabrielle Hamilton - that's right! Thanks.

Moges

Prune's got a lady chef: Gabrielle Hamilton. And the food and service is great. Not that it needs an endorsement; it's already way too crowded at brunch.