Anita Lo facts for kids
| Born | 1965 (Age 59-60) Detroit, Michigan |
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| Education | Concord Academy Columbia University (BA) |
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Anita Lo is a famous American chef and restaurant owner. She was born in 1965. In 2001, Food & Wine magazine named her one of the top ten "Best New Chefs in America." She is known for her creative cooking style.
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About Anita Lo
Her Early Life
Anita Lo grew up in Birmingham, Michigan. Her family came from Malaysia. She went to Concord Academy for high school. Later, she studied French literature at Columbia University. While learning to cook at L’Ecole Ritz-Escoffier in Paris, she trained with famous French chefs like Guy Savoy and Michel Rostang.
Her Cooking Career
After finishing culinary school, Anita Lo came back to New York. She worked at several restaurants, including Chanterelle and Can. She then moved to Mirezi restaurant. There, her cooking received great reviews from food critics, including Ruth Reichl from The New York Times.
In 2000, Anita Lo and her business partner Jennifer Scism opened their own restaurant called Annisa. It was in Greenwich Village in New York. Annisa quickly became very popular. The New York Times gave it a two-star review. Food & Wine magazine again named Lo one of the "Best New Chefs in America." In 2006, Annisa earned a Michelin star, which is a very special award for restaurants.
In 2005, Anita Lo also helped start Rickshaw, a dumpling restaurant. It had several locations in New York City. She left Rickshaw in 2010 to focus more on Annisa. In 2008, she opened another restaurant called Bar Q. It served a mix of barbecue and Asian food. Bar Q closed after about ten months.
On July 4, 2009, Annisa was damaged by a fire. But Anita Lo worked hard to reopen it. The restaurant opened again in April 2010 in the same spot. The New York Times reviewed it again and gave it two stars. In 2011, Annisa received a Village Award for its excellence. In 2014, Annisa earned three stars from The New York Times, showing it was one of the best restaurants.
In 2015, Anita Lo made history. She was the first female guest chef to cook for a State dinner at the White House. She prepared a special four-course meal for the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, and his wife, Peng Liyuan. After 17 years, Annisa closed its doors in May 2017.
Television Shows
Anita Lo has appeared on several cooking television shows:
- 2005: She was on the first season of Iron Chef America. She competed against Iron Chef Mario Batali in a "Battle Mushrooms" challenge. Anita Lo won the battle, making her the first challenger to win on the show.
- 2009: She was a contestant on the first season of Top Chef Masters. She finished in fourth place out of 24 chefs. She won $20,000 for her chosen charity, SHARE.
- 2011: She competed on Chopped: All-Stars Tournament.
- 2018: She was featured in a documentary film called The Heat: A Kitchen (R)evolution.
Books by Anita Lo
- Solo: A Modern Cookbook for a Party of One, published in 2018.
See also
