Charlie Palmer (chef) facts for kids

Charlie Palmer (born in 1959) is a famous American chef. He also runs hotels and writes cookbooks. He is best known for his main restaurant, Aureole, in New York City. This restaurant has won many important awards, including 13 Michelin stars and two James Beard awards. Charlie Palmer is known for creating new and exciting American cooking styles. He has earned over 20 Michelin stars in total and helps many restaurants through his company, the Charlie Palmer Collective.

Charlie Palmer's Career in Cooking

Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, California.

After finishing his studies at The Culinary Institute of America, Charlie Palmer started his career as an executive chef. This was in 1983 at the River Café. There, he earned three stars from The New York Times. He also helped train other chefs, like Michael Mina.

In 1988, Palmer opened his own restaurant, Aureole, in Manhattan. He used fresh, local ingredients from different parts of America. Later, in 1999, he opened another Aureole in Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. He also opened Charlie Palmer Steak, a modern American steakhouse, at The Four Seasons.

In 2009, the Aureole restaurant in New York moved to a new spot at One Bryant Park. In March 2021, Aureole New York changed its name to Charlie Palmer Steak NYC. In April 2024, Charlie Palmer opened a new steakhouse called Charlie Palmer Steak IV. It is located on the fourth floor of The Knickerbocker Hotel.

In June 2022, Palmer and hotel expert Christopher Hunsberger started a new hotel brand called Appellation. These hotels will focus on amazing food experiences. The first Appellation hotel will open in Healdsburg. More hotels are planned for places like Pacific Grove and Sun Valley, Idaho. Each hotel will have a special Charlie Palmer restaurant and bar. They will also offer fun cooking demonstrations.

In October 2022, he opened AperiBar. This eatery at the Luma Hotel in Time Square focuses on aperitifs, which are drinks and snacks enjoyed before dinner.

Charlie Palmer on TV

Charlie Palmer has appeared on television shows. In 1993, he was one of sixteen chefs in the PBS series Cooking with Master Chefs: Hosted by Julia Child. He was also featured in the cookbook from that series.

In 2020, Palmer started his own video series called American Artisan. In this series, he shows off talented craftspeople from Wine Country. He has also been a guest on popular TV shows. These include NBC's Today Show, Bravo's Top Chef, and The Rachael Ray Show.

Awards and Recognition

Charlie Palmer has received many important awards for his cooking. The James Beard Foundation named him "Best Chef in America" in 1997. In 1998, they added him to their "Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America." This honor recognizes the most important people in the food and drink world.

In 2011, Palmer was added to the Gaming Hall of Fame. This is for people who have made a big impact in the hotel and casino industry.

Palmer has always supported his old school, The Culinary Institute of America. Because of this, he was asked to join their board of trustees. He even served as the chairman of the board from 2013 to 2016. The school gave him an honorary doctorate degree in April 2018. This is a special award for his achievements.

Many of Palmer’s restaurants have also won awards for their wine lists. Nine of his restaurants have received the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine. This award was given between 2001 and 2022.

Charlie Palmer's Restaurants

Here is a list of some of Charlie Palmer's well-known restaurants:

• Aureole (NYC)
• Charlie Palmer Steak NYC
• Charlie Palmer at The Knick (NYC)
• St. Cloud Rooftop Bar (Knickerbocker Hotel, NYC)
• AVA Social and Spyglass Rooftop Bar (Archer Hotel, NYC)
• Charlie Palmer Steak (Washington, D.C.)
• Aureole at Mandalay Bay (Las Vegas)
• Charlie Palmer Steak at Four Seasons (Las Vegas)
• Charlie Palmer Steak (Reno, Nevada)
• Charlie Palmer Steak and Sky & Vine Rooftop Bar (Archer Hotel, Napa)
• Dry Creek Kitchen (Hotel Healdsburg, California)
• AperiBar (NYC)

Cookbooks by Charlie Palmer

Charlie Palmer has also written several cookbooks, sharing his recipes and cooking tips:

• Great American Food (1996)
• Charlie Palmer's Casual Cooking (2001)
• The Art of Aureole (2002)
• Charlie Palmer's Practical Guide to the New American Kitchen (2006)
• Remington Camp Cooking by Charlie Palmer (2013)
• Charlie Palmer's American Fare (2015)