Gavin Kaysen facts for kids
Chef Kaysen in July 2022
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| Born | Thousand Oaks, California |
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| Cooking style | French, Mediterranean, Contemporary American |
| Education | New England Culinary Institute |
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Current restaurant(s)
Spoon and Stable, Bellecour Bakery, Demi, Socca, Mara
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Television show(s)
The Next Iron Chef, Iron Chef America, Top Chef
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Award(s) won
James Beard Foundation Award:
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Gavin Kaysen was born in Thousand Oaks, California. He is a famous chef and owns several restaurants in Minneapolis. These restaurants include Spoon and Stable, Bellecour Bakery, Demi, Socca, and Mara.
He won a special award called the James Beard Award for being the Best Chef in the Midwest in 2018. Before moving to Minneapolis, he worked for another famous chef, Daniel Boulud, in New York City. He helped manage Daniel Boulud's restaurants in different cities. Earlier, he led the kitchen at a restaurant called El Bizcocho in San Diego. In 2007, he represented the USA in a big cooking competition called the Bocuse d'Or. He also competed on the TV show The Next Iron Chef.
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Gavin Kaysen's Career Journey
Starting Out as a Chef
Gavin Kaysen went to the New England Culinary Institute. He first felt inspired to become a chef while working at a Subway in Bloomington, Minnesota.
In 2007, Food & Wine magazine named Kaysen one of the top 10 "Best New Chefs." Before becoming the head chef at Cafe Boulud, he worked at other famous places. These included Domaine Chandon in Yountville, California, Auberge de Lavaux in Lausanne, Switzerland, and L'Escargot in London, England.
Competing on TV
Chef Kaysen was on the TV show The Next Iron Chef. He was eliminated during the third episode. The judges said his food didn't have enough seasoning or salt. After the show, he explained that the food had been stored incorrectly by the show's crew. It had been in an ice water bath, which washed away the salt and seasonings. One of the judges, Michael Ruhlman, later said he would have judged differently if he had known about the problem.
Winning Awards and Opening Restaurants
In 2008, Chef Kaysen won a James Beard Foundation Award for Rising Star Chef of the Year. This award recognizes talented young chefs.
Kaysen opened his first restaurant, Spoon and Stable, in Minneapolis in November 2014. It quickly became very popular. Food & Wine named it a Restaurant of the Year in 2015. Bon Appetit also called it a Best New Restaurant. It was a finalist for the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 2015.
In March 2017, he opened Bellecour in Wayzata, Minnesota. The restaurant was named after a famous square in Lyon, France. This city was the birthplace of two of his mentors, Daniel Boulud and Paul Bocuse. In 2018, the James Beard Awards named him Best Chef: Midwest. Kaysen closed Bellecour in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, its bakery part moved and reopened inside Cooks of Crocus Hill stores in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Working with Athletes
In 2017, Kaysen worked with chef Andrew Zimmern to create KZ ProVisioning. This program first partnered with the NHL's Minnesota Wild hockey team. Later, it also worked with the Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team and the Minnesota Lynx basketball team. Through this program, special meals are made for professional athletes. These meals are designed to meet the players' health needs.
Newer Restaurants and Projects
Kaysen opened his third restaurant, Demi, in 2019. Demi is a small restaurant with only 20 seats that offers a special tasting menu. It was a finalist for the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 2020.
During the winter of 2020, when his restaurants were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaysen started a virtual cooking class series called GK at Home. This series allowed people to learn cooking from him online, and it is still ongoing.
His fourth restaurant, Mara, opened in the Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis. Mara serves Mediterranean food. He also opened Socca, a more casual café, in the same hotel.
Television Appearances
- The Next Iron Chef, 2007
- Iron Chef America, 2009 - participant
- Top Chef, 2009 (season 6) - guest judge
Books
Gavin Kaysen released his own book in October 2022. It is called At Home.
