The internet is showing their love and support for Bon Appetit’s assistant food editor Sohla El-Waylly after the company faced backlash for their treatment of staff members of colour, including a pretty hefty pay disparity.
In case you missed it, the whole saga kicked off after a photo (former) editor-in-chief Adam Rapoport doing brownface surfaced online. Although Rapoport quickly resigned following the ordeal, the picture was enough to spark a conversation around racism in the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen.
El-Waylly, who is regularly seen cooking circles around other chefs in the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen, took to Instagram to allege that only white editors at the company were compensated for their video appearances (on top of their usual salary).
In case you’ve missed it: Not only is Sohla one of the only front facing Bon Appetit editors to denounce EIC Adam Rapoport doing brown face, apparently only white BA editors are paid for their video appearances. Here’s her Instagram story just now pic.twitter.com/h0uPMlJYHN
— Sarah Manavis (@sarahmanavis) June 8, 2020
Sohla was hired on a salary of $50,000USD ($71,899AUD) per year to “assist mostly white editors with significantly less experience than me,” she alleges. While that’s not exactly a nothing salary, it doesn’t get you much when you’re living in NYC. And it’s especially not great when you’re working as an entertainment personality and not getting compensated accordingly.
Following her statement, thousands of Bon Appetit fans on Twitter were quick to point out that she’s one of the Test Kitchen’s most talented chefs, highlighting her countless incredible moments in the show.
the fact that sohla was hired at bon appetit for $50K/year and doesn’t get paid for video appearances like her white colleagues is digusting. anyways here’s a montage of her cooking circles around everyone at ba pic.twitter.com/uzZsRMGIwf
— sarah (@s_whip_) June 11, 2020
When it’s highlighted like this, it truly illustrates just how important Sohla is to the Test Kitchen team, and she deserves to be compensated for that.
Anyways, to celebrate our queen Sohla, here are some of the most wholesome tweets about her.
anyway stan sohla el-waylly pic.twitter.com/YpMI4E34eO
— casey (@caseyyconway) June 8, 2020
We simply cannot help but stan.
Sohla El-Waylly only making 50k a year, given her experience as a chef and food expert, in NYC, is fcking criminal and infuriating.
She once operated her own restaurant with her husband, Ham El-Waylly. She has worked in two Michelin starred restaurants. 15+ years of experience.
— Willow (@thedreamcreek) June 8, 2020
All hail Sohla, the most talented member of the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen
I’m still stuck on @bonappetit paying Sohla $50,000 salary in New York City, as talented and experienced as she is.
She turned carbonara into a dessert.
— Brittany Luse (@bmluse) June 8, 2020
With this sword I will defend Sohla from Bon Appétit
— Julia Claire (@ohJuliatweets) June 8, 2020
Give us the Sohla cookbook deal we all want.
https://twitter.com/twelveoclocke/status/1270078963575140352
Sohla is a goddamn treasure and she deserves love and respect. All hail our QUEEN.
💖 IN THIS HOUSE WE LOVE AND RESPECT SOHLA FROM THE BON APPETIT TEST KITCHEN 💖 pic.twitter.com/fIfdpoNTdO
— ripley ᛥ 🍂 🤎 | ERAS TOUR 8-4 💖 (@dazzlinghaaze) June 9, 2020