Barbara Lynch (restaurateur) facts for kids
Lynch in 2015
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| Born | South Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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Award(s) won
James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurateur
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Barbara Lynch is a famous American restaurateur. A restaurateur is someone who owns or manages restaurants. In 2017, Time magazine named her one of the "Top 100 Most Influential People of the Year." This was for her amazing work in the food world. She also helped local communities by focusing on growing food nearby.
In 2014, Barbara Lynch received a special award. She was the second woman to win the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurateur. This award honors restaurant owners who set very high standards. They must be excellent at running and owning restaurants.
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Early Life and First Steps
Barbara Lynch grew up in South Boston with her family. She was the youngest of six children. At 13, she found her first job in a kitchen. She made meals for priests at a church near her home.
This experience, along with help from a home economics teacher, inspired her. She decided she wanted to be a chef. Barbara did not finish high school. She believed that if she could cook, she would always have a job. At 15, she started as a waitress at the St. Botolph Club in Boston.
Building a Culinary Career
Barbara Lynch began working with other chefs in 1989. In the early 1990s, she became an executive chef for the first time. This was at Rocco's, an Italian restaurant in Boston.
After traveling in Italy, she returned to Boston. She became the executive chef at Galleria Italiana. She then won the “Ten Best New Chefs in America” award from Food & Wine magazine.
Opening Her Own Restaurants
In 1998, Barbara Lynch opened her very first restaurant. It was called No. 9 Park. This restaurant was located near the Boston Common. It was also close to the Massachusetts State House.
In 2006, she opened a store called Plum Produce. This store sold fresh fruits and vegetables. It was located on Waltham Street in Boston's South End.
The Barbara Lynch Restaurant Group
Barbara Lynch created a group of restaurants and businesses. This group was called the Barbara Lynch Gruppo. It employed many people. She oversaw a catering company that prepared food for events.
She also managed several popular restaurants. These included No. 9 Park, Sportello, Drink, B&G Oysters, and the Butcher Shop. She also had Menton, a fine-dining restaurant. Stir was an open kitchen where she taught cooking classes.
In 2023, Barbara Lynch was working on a new restaurant. It was going to be called The Rudder. This new restaurant was planned for Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Community Involvement
Barbara Lynch also cared about her community. She dedicated time and resources to local groups in Boston. In 2011, she and her employees started a special project. They promoted healthy eating habits in schools. This helped students in areas that needed extra support.
Recent Business Changes
In October 2024, an important announcement was made. All of Barbara Lynch's restaurants would close by the end of that year. This was due to business challenges.
Awards and Special Honors
Barbara Lynch has won many awards for her cooking and restaurants. She won James Beard Awards several times. In 2013, she won for being a top food and beverage professional in America. Her restaurant, No. 9 Park, won for its excellent wine program in 2012. In 2003, she was named the best chef in the Northeast.
After No. 9 Park opened, it quickly gained recognition. Bon Appétit magazine named it one of the “Top 25 New Restaurants in America.” Food & Wine magazine called it the “Best New Restaurant.”
She is also the only female grand chef in North America for Relais & Châteaux. This is a very respected group of hotels and restaurants.
In 2009, she received the Amelia Earhart Award. This award honors women who achieve great things.
Her first cookbook was titled Stir: Mixing It Up in The Italian Tradition. It won a Gourmand Award in 2009 for Best Chef Cookbook in the US. In April 2017, Barbara Lynch released her memoir. A memoir is a book about a person's life. Her book was called "Out of Line, A Life playing with Fire."
Personal Life
Barbara Lynch lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts. She is related to Stephen Lynch. He is a U.S. House of Representative from Massachusetts.
