Chris Schlesinger facts for kids

Chris Schlesinger is a well-known chef and restaurateur based in Boston, USA. A restaurateur is someone who owns or manages restaurants.

Early Life and Training

Chris Schlesinger was born in Virginia. He loved cooking and decided to make it his career. In 1977, he graduated from The Culinary Institute of America, which is a famous school for chefs. Before that, he briefly attended Northeastern University. After finishing culinary school, one of his first jobs was working as a chef at the Sakonnet Golf Club in Rhode Island.

Chris Schlesinger's Restaurants

Chris Schlesinger is famous for opening several popular restaurants.

• In 1986, he opened the East Coast Grill in Cambridge. This restaurant was very popular for many years but has since closed.
• In 1989, he opened Jake and Earl's Dixie BBQ, which had locations in Cambridge and Waltham. This restaurant also closed later.
• In 1990, he opened The Blue Room in Kendall Square, working with another chef named Stan Frankenthaler.
• In 1999, he opened The Back Eddy in Westport, MA. This restaurant had a great view of the Westport River.
• Later, he teamed up with Dave Cagle to open The Automatic, also located in Kendall Square.

Awards and Television Appearances

Chris Schlesinger has received important awards for his cooking.

• In 1996, he won the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award for "Best Chef of the Northeast." The James Beard Awards are like the "Oscars" for chefs in the United States, recognizing top talent in the food world.
• He has also appeared on television shows, sharing his cooking skills. He was on the WGBH-TV show "A Moveable Feast With Fine Cooking."
• He was also featured in an episode of the PBS show "How to Cook Everything: Bittman Takes On America's Chefs."