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 (born in 1974) is a famous chef from Britain. She is known for opening popular restaurants in New York City. Two of her well-known restaurants were The Spotted Pig (which closed in 2020) and The Breslin Bar & Dining Room. Before moving to New York, April worked at several top restaurants in the United Kingdom, like The River Café and Bibendum.
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Becoming a Chef
April Bloomfield was born in Birmingham, England. Her dad was an engineer, and her mom painted small decorative items called bomboniere from home.
When she was younger, April thought about becoming a police officer. But she missed the chance to join the police cadet program. That's when she decided to go to a cooking college with her sister. There, she discovered her passion for cooking and realized it was the career for her!
Early Cooking Jobs
After college, April started working at the Holiday Inn in Birmingham. She then moved to London to work at places like Kensington Place and Bibendum. She even worked for a short time in Northern Ireland before returning to London.
April learned a lot at The River Café. She says that working there with chefs Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers truly taught her how to cook.
Opening Restaurants
While working at The River Café, another famous chef, Mario Batali, heard about April. He was looking for someone to open a bistro-style restaurant in New York City.
April flew to New York and had a long, ten-hour interview with Mario Batali. They ate at many different restaurants in the city. She got the job! To get ready for cooking in America, she spent a summer learning about American ingredients at a restaurant called Chez Panisse.
The Spotted Pig
In the fall of 2003, April moved to New York. She opened a gastropub called The Spotted Pig with her business partner, Ken Friedman. A gastropub is a pub that serves high-quality food.
In 2005, The Spotted Pig earned a Michelin star. This was a big deal because it was the first time a Michelin Guide list was made specifically for New York City. A Michelin star is a special award for excellent restaurants.
More New York Restaurants
April opened a second restaurant called The Breslin inside the Ace Hotel New York. It 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 Friedman opened "Salvation Taco" and helped reopen "Tosca Cafe" in San Francisco. In 2016, they opened "Salvation Burger" in New York City.
Sailor Restaurant
In September 2023, April Bloomfield opened a new restaurant called Sailor. It's located in the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn. She opened it with another restaurateur named Gabriel Stulman.
A food critic from New York Times, Pete Wells, gave Sailor a great review in 2023. He even put it on his 2024 list of the top one hundred restaurants in New York City!
Achievements and Awards
April Bloomfield has achieved many great things in her cooking career.
Iron Chef America
In 2008, April appeared on the TV show Iron Chef America. She won her battle against chef Michael Symon with a score of 56–53. This was the highest score any single challenger had ever gotten on the show!
Michelin Star Recognition
As of 2012, April was one of only ten female chefs in the United States to hold a Michelin star. She later lost the star for a few years, but her impact on the food world remains significant.
