kids encyclopedia robot

Ford Fry facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Ford Fry (born on June 17, 1969) is a famous American chef and restaurateur. He owns many restaurants, mostly in Atlanta, Georgia, but also in other cities like Houston, Charlotte, and Nashville. In total, he has 23 restaurants across the United States! Some of his well-known restaurants include JCT. Kitchen & Bar, The Optimist, and Superica. Many of his restaurants have won special awards. People often call him one of the best and most active restaurant owners in the country.

About Ford Fry

Ford Fry grew up in Texas. When he was younger, he went to the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont to learn how to cook. After culinary school, he worked as a chef in fancy restaurants in Florida, Colorado, California, and Georgia.

In January 2007, Ford Fry moved to Atlanta, Georgia. There, he opened his very first restaurant, called JCT. Kitchen & Bar. Today, he lives in Roswell, Georgia, with his wife and two sons. When he's not busy with his restaurants, he likes to play the guitar and spend time with his family.

Awards and Recognition

Ford Fry and his restaurants have won many awards over the years.

Awards for Ford Fry

  • He was a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurateur Award several times (from 2013 to 2017). This is a very important award in the food world!
  • In 2013, Eater Atlanta called him the "Empire Builder of the Year." This means he was recognized for building a large and successful group of restaurants.
  • Also in 2013, he won the Georgia Restaurant Association's "Restaurateur of the Year" award.

Awards for His Restaurants

  • His restaurant, The Optimist, was named the "Best New Restaurant of the Year" by Esquire magazine in 2012.
  • Condé Nast Traveler magazine also said The Optimist was one of the 50 best new restaurants in the world.
  • Bon Appetit magazine listed The Optimist as the #7 best new restaurant in America in 2013.
  • Another one of his restaurants, King + Duke, was named one of the best new restaurants of 2013 by Esquire magazine.
  • The company that designed his restaurant St. Cecilia won a James Beard award in 2017 for "Outstanding Restaurant Design."
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Ford Fry Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.