Abbi Merriss facts for kids
Abbi Merriss is an American chef from Indianapolis. She is well-known for her cooking. She has been nominated many times for the James Beard Award, which is a very important honor for chefs. Her restaurant, Bluebeard, was also nominated for a top award in 2012. Abbi Merriss specializes in a type of food called New American cuisine.
Early Life and First Steps
Abbi Merriss was born in Evansville, Indiana. She is one of four children. As a young child, her family moved several times, living in places like Louisville, Kentucky, Daytona Beach, Florida, and Quincy, Illinois, before returning to Evansville.
Even as a preteen, Abbi showed an interest in cooking. She even made a video called "Cooking with Abbi" where she showed how to bake a cake. When she was 15, she got her first job in a restaurant, helping to clear tables.
Becoming a Chef
In 2001, when Abbi was 18, she finished high school. She moved to Portsmouth, Virginia, and started working at a place called Top Ten Cafe. There, she took orders, prepared food, and eventually even helped manage the restaurant. She really enjoyed the work.
Later, she moved to another nearby restaurant, Cora, to work as a line cook. She learned a lot there, even from a tough boss. Abbi learned that "Having tantrums is not a way to fix a problem. You fix a problem by communicating quickly and politely." This taught her how important good communication is in a busy kitchen.
In 2005, at age 22, Abbi moved to Indianapolis to be closer to her family. She got a job as a line cook at a restaurant called Elements. The chef there, Greg Hardesty, became a great mentor to her. He even helped her get a scholarship to a local cooking school.
After culinary school, Abbi did internships in New York City. When she came back to Indianapolis, she worked at R Bistro. Later, she worked with Greg Hardesty again as a sous chef at his new restaurant, Recess. Recess was special because its four-course menu changed every single day.
In 2012, Abbi Merriss opened her own restaurant, Bluebeard. She started it with her then-husband John Adams and partners Tom and Edward Battista. Bluebeard is a "gastropub," which means it's a pub that serves really good food. It's located in an old warehouse built in 1924. The restaurant was named after Bluebeard, a book by Kurt Vonnegut, who was from Indianapolis. Just like Recess, Bluebeard's menu changes daily. The restaurant is known for its cozy, "writerly" style, and its outdoor patio is considered one of the best in the city.
In 2019, Abbi and her partners planned to open a second restaurant called Kan-Kan Cinema and Brasserie. However, its opening was delayed due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.
Abbi Merriss is also known for helping and guiding young chefs who are just starting their careers.
Awards and Nominations
Abbi Merriss has been recognized many times for her cooking skills. She was a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard Award in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. In February 2020, she received her fifth nomination.
Her restaurant, Bluebeard, was also nominated for a James Beard Award in 2012 for Best New Restaurant in America.
Personal Life
In 2012, Abbi Merriss married chef John Adams. They have since divorced.
