Andrew Carmellini facts for kids

Andrew Carmellini is a famous American chef and restaurant owner. He owns and runs 15 restaurants, bars, and food stands with his business partners. He has won many big awards, like being named a "Best New Chef" by Food & Wine magazine. He also won "Rising Star Chef" and "Best Chef New York" from the James Beard Foundation, which is like the Oscars for food! Plus, he earned a Michelin star, which is a very special award for top restaurants. Andrew has also written two cookbooks.

Andrew Carmellini's Journey to Becoming a Chef

Andrew Carmellini started cooking when he was just 14 years old in his hometown of Seven Hills, Ohio. He loved being in the kitchen from a young age.

Learning from the Best Chefs

After working in New York City for a bit, Andrew traveled to Europe to learn from some of the world's best chefs. He worked in famous restaurants in Italy and France. These included San Domenico in Emilia–Romagna, Gualtiero Marchesi di San Pietro all'Orto in Milan, and Arpège in Paris.

When he came back to New York, Andrew continued to learn from top chefs. He spent four years working with Gray Kunz at a highly-rated restaurant called Lespinasse. He also worked as a sous chef (a head assistant chef) at Le Cirque, another very famous restaurant.

Earning Top Awards

Andrew Carmellini became the head chef at Café Boulud. There, he earned three stars from The New York Times, which is a huge honor. He also won the "Best New Chef" and "Best Chef: New York" awards from the James Beard Foundation. Food & Wine magazine also added him to their list of "Best New Chefs."

Later, as the chef at a restaurant called A Voce, he received another three-star review from The New York Times. He also earned a Michelin star, showing his cooking was truly excellent.

Opening His Own Restaurants

In 2009, Andrew Carmellini opened his own Italian restaurant called Locanda Verde. It's located in Tribeca, New York City, inside Robert de Niro’s Greenwich Hotel. He opened it with his business partners, Luke Ostrom and Josh Pickard.

Sharing His Recipes

Andrew Carmellini has also shared his cooking knowledge in books. With his wife, Gwen Hyman, he wrote two cookbooks. These books are called Urban Italian and American Flavor. They are full of recipes and stories about his food journey.