Andrew Gruel facts for kids
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| Born | 1980 (age 44–45) Bridgewater, New Jersey |
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| Cooking style | Seafood, chicken, vegan |
| Education | Bates College Johnson & Wales University |
| Spouse |
Lauren Gruel
(m. 2013) |
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Current restaurant(s)
Big Parm
Two Birds Butterleaf Calico Fish House |
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Andrew Gruel (born 1980) is an American chef and TV star. He lives in Orange County, California. You might have seen him as a judge on Food Network's Food Truck Face Off. He also hosted Say It to My Face! on FYI.
Andrew Gruel started a seafood restaurant chain called Slapfish in 2012. He later sold it in 2022. Today, he is the founder, CEO, and head chef of several other restaurants. These include Big Parm, a pizza place in Tustin, California, and Two Birds, a chicken restaurant in Irvine, California. He also runs Butterleaf, a plant-based restaurant in Irvine, and Calico Fish House, a seafood spot in Huntington Beach, California.
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Early Life and School
Andrew Gruel was born and grew up in Bridgewater, New Jersey. He finished high school at Pingry School in 1998. He shared that he loved cooking from a young age. He would pretend to be sick to stay home from school. Then he would watch cooking shows on TV.
While he was a student at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, he worked in local lobster restaurants. Later, he earned his cooking degree. He studied at Johnson & Wales University's College of Culinary Arts.
Andrew Gruel's Career
Cooking Adventures
Andrew Gruel started his cooking journey in fancy restaurants. He also worked in hotels and diners in New Jersey. He was a cook at the Ritz Carlton in Boston. He also cooked at Jack's of New London in New London, New Hampshire.
In 2009, he moved away from the East Coast. He became the director of Seafood for the Future. This was a special program at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. It was a non-profit, meaning it helped a cause instead of making money.
When the COVID-19 pandemic caused many restaurants to close, Andrew Gruel decided to help. In December 2020, he started a fund. It raised money for restaurant workers who had lost their jobs. In just three weeks, he raised over $230,000! This fund is called 86 Restaurant Struggle. It is a charity that helps struggling and unemployed restaurant workers.
TV Appearances
Andrew Gruel first appeared on TV in 2007. It was on a BBC show called The Endless Feast. He was a judge on the Food Channel shows Food Truck Face Off and Chopped Junior. He also appeared on Eat St. on the Cooking Channel. You might have seen him on Today on NBC. He was also on On the Rocks on the Food Network.
In 2015, Gruel was the host of a reality TV show. It was called Say It To My Face!. Since 2020, he has often been a guest on different national news shows.
Radio Shows
In 2015, Andrew Gruel hosted his own cooking radio show. It was called Cooking with Gruel. Since 2012, he has also co-hosted a weekly show. It's called The SoCal Restaurant Show on KLAA.
Personal Life
Andrew Gruel is married to Lauren Gruel. They have four children together.
Images for kids
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Andrew Gruel
