Chef

Allen Routt

Executive Chef & Owner, The Painted Lady Restaurant

Discipline: Chef
Venue: The Painted Lady Restaurant · Restaurant

Portrait of Allen Routt

i. Biography

“The quality and sheer variety of product Bradley was bringing into the kitchen every day boggled my mind.” The line reads less like flourish than a cook taking stock of what a strong pantry can do. In Allen Routt’s work, the point is always the product first: what arrives, what holds, and what the kitchen can pull from it with discipline. That kind of attention sits at the center of Routt’s practice as Executive Chef and owner of The Painted Lady Restaurant in Newberg, Oregon.

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The Climb

Before he became a steady presence behind two Oregon restaurants, Allen Routt built his career kitchen by kitchen, service by service. He trained at Culinary Institute of America, then entered professional dining through roles that demanded repeatable execution and close attention to the room. His early path took him to One Market in San Francisco, California, where he worked as intern, and then to The Inn at Little Washington in Little Washington, Virginia, where he was line cook from 1994. From there, he moved through positions that widened his scope: cook at Pesce, chef at Mark's South Beach in Miami, Florida from 1998, and later Executive Chef at Brannan's Grill in Calistoga, California. The throughline in that progression is not reinvention but accumulation: technique sharpened in one kitchen, then tested in the next. Today, that experience sits across two Oregon businesses. Routt is owner & chef of The Painted Lady Restaurant since 2005, and owner of Storr's Smokehouse since 2014.

Today

At The Painted Lady Restaurant in Newberg, Oregon, Routt holds the paired responsibilities of Executive Chef and owner. That combination means the work extends beyond the pass: menu decisions, standards, and day-to-day operations all sit under the same hand. In that sense, his role at The Painted Lady Restaurant is as much about maintaining consistency as it is about shaping the plate.

Career - Owner & Chef — The Painted Lady Restaurant, Newberg, Oregon (2005–present) - Owner — Storr's Smokehouse, Newberg, Oregon (2014–present) - Intern — One Market, San Francisco, California - Line cook — The Inn at Little Washington, Little Washington, Virginia (from 1994) - Cook — Pesce - Chef — Mark's South Beach, Miami, Florida (from 1998) - Executive Chef — Brannan's Grill, Calistoga, California Education: Culinary Institute of America

Signature

Allen's signature dishes include pistachio-crusted filet of beef.

In Their Words “The quality and sheer variety of product Bradley was bringing into the kitchen every day boggled my mind.”

Recognition

Routt received a James Beard Award for Best Chefs in America. And the restaurant’s press page notes that he was a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chefs in America in 2016. he was a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chefs in America in 2016.

FAQ What is Allen Routt's current role? Allen Routt is Executive Chef and Owner. Where did Allen Routt train or study? Allen Routt trained at Culinary Institute of America.