Flynn McGarry facts for kids

Flynn McGarry, born on November 25, 1998, is a super talented American chef based in New York City. Some people even call him the "Justin Bieber of food" because he started his own special dinner club, Eureka, in Los Angeles and New York City when he was only 11 years old! He learned from the best, working in famous kitchens like Eleven Madison Park and Alinea. Flynn's cooking style is called "modern American cuisine." He became a young restaurant owner in New York City, opening his successful restaurant, Gem, when he was just 19.

Flynn's Early Life

Flynn's parents are Meg and Will McGarry. His maternal grandfather was a comedian named Larry Daniels.

Flynn got really interested in cooking because he wanted to try new foods. His parents often ate the same things or ordered takeout food. He taught himself by cooking recipes from famous cookbooks, watching YouTube videos, and reading food blogs. His supportive parents even built a special kitchen in his bedroom! It had cool tools like a vacuum sealer and an immersion circulator to help him practice.

Flynn started homeschooling in seventh grade. This gave him more time to focus on his cooking passion. When he was 12, Flynn started his own dining club called Eureka in Los Angeles. Guests paid US$160 to enjoy his special meals.

Flynn's Amazing Career

When Flynn was 16, he finished his high school exams. He then moved to New York City. There, he opened his own pop-up restaurant, Eureka NYC, in the West Village. Flynn was the only chef at Eureka NYC. He cooked a special 14-course tasting menu. His international travels often inspired these dishes.

By 2014, Flynn was already writing his autobiography. He looks up to other famous chefs like Daniel Humm, René Redzepi, and Thomas Keller.

In 2015, Time magazine named Flynn one of the thirty most influential teens. This was a big honor! In 2016, Flynn even presented a dish on the TV show MasterChef Australia. He was part of a "pressure test" challenge.

In early 2018, Flynn opened his first permanent restaurant, Gem. It is located in the Lower East Side of New York City. At Gem, guests enjoy a 12-15 course menu for $200. The dining room holds 12 guests, and the meal lasts about two hours. In June 2019, Gem closed for three months. This allowed Flynn to travel and find new ideas for his cooking. He visited Los Angeles, Barcelona, London, Paris, and Copenhagen.

In 2018, a documentary film about Flynn was released. It was called Chef Flynn. The movie first showed at the SXSW festival. In 2021, Flynn appeared as a guest on an episode of MasterChef Italia.