April Bloomfield facts for kids
| Born | 1974 (age 50–51) Birmingham, West Midlands, England |
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| Cooking style | Modern American |
| Education | University College Birmingham |
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April Bloomfield is a famous British-American chef. She was born in England in 1974. April is known for opening popular restaurants in New York City. She has also worked in many well-known restaurants in the United Kingdom.
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Early Life and Education
April Bloomfield grew up in Birmingham, England. Her dad was an engineer. Her mom painted small decorative boxes for a company called Halcyon Days.
At first, April wanted to be a police officer. But she missed out on a special police training program. So, she decided to go to cooking college with her sister. That's when she discovered her love for cooking.
After college, April started working in restaurants. She worked at the Holiday Inn in Birmingham. Then she moved to London and worked at places like Kensington Place and Bibendum. She also worked in Northern Ireland for a short time.
April learned a lot at The River Café in London. She says her time there taught her how to cook.
Becoming a Chef in New York
While working at The River Café, April met famous American chef Mario Batali. He heard about her cooking skills from another chef, Jamie Oliver. Mario invited April to open a new restaurant in New York City.
April flew to New York and had a long interview with Mario. She got the job! To get ready, she spent a summer learning about American ingredients. In 2003, she moved to New York.
Opening The Spotted Pig
April opened her first New York restaurant, The Spotted Pig, with her business partner Ken Friedman. It was a "gastropub," which means it served high-quality food in a relaxed pub setting.
The Spotted Pig quickly became very popular. In 2005, it earned a Michelin star. This was a big honor, as it was the first time New York City had its own Michelin Guide.
More Restaurants in New York
April opened a second restaurant called The Breslin inside the Ace Hotel New York. The Breslin also earned a Michelin star. She also opened an oyster bar in the same hotel, called The John Dory Oyster Bar.
Later, April and Ken opened "Salvation Taco" in the Pod 39 Hotel. They also helped reopen "Tosca Cafe" in San Francisco. In 2016, they opened "Salvation Burger" in Midtown East, New York.
Sailor Restaurant
In September 2023, April Bloomfield opened a new restaurant called Sailor. It is located in the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn. She opened Sailor with another restaurateur, Gabriel Stulman.
New York Times food critic Pete Wells gave Sailor a great review in 2023. He gave it 3 stars. In 2024, he even included Sailor on his list of the one hundred best restaurants in New York City.
Achievements and Awards
April Bloomfield has achieved many impressive things in her career. She competed on the TV show Iron Chef America in 2008. She won her battle against Chef Michael Symon with a very high score. It was one of the highest scores ever for a challenger on the show!
In 2012, April was one of only ten female chefs in the United States to hold a Michelin star. This shows how talented and respected she is in the cooking world.
