Grant Achatz facts for kids
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Grant Achatz preparing a dish tableside at Alinea in 2011
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| Born | April 25, 1974 St. Clair, Michigan, US |
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| Cooking style | Modernist cuisine |
| Education | The Culinary Institute of America |
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Grant Achatz (born April 25, 1974) is a famous American chef and restaurant owner. He is known for his unique cooking style called molecular gastronomy or progressive cuisine. This means he uses science to create new and exciting food experiences.
Grant Achatz has won many important awards for his cooking. These include "Best New Chef" from Food & Wine magazine and several awards from the James Beard Foundation. His restaurant in Chicago, called Alinea, is very famous and has received many honors.
Contents
Becoming a Chef: Early Life & Training
Grant Achatz started cooking when he was a teenager. He worked in his parents' restaurants in St. Clair, Michigan. After high school, he went to a top cooking school, The Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, New York.
After graduating in 1994, Achatz got a job at a well-known restaurant called Charlie Trotter's in Chicago. Later, he moved to Yountville, California, to work at Thomas Keller's highly praised restaurant, The French Laundry. He spent four years there and became a sous chef, which is like a head assistant chef.
A Chef's Journey: Opening Famous Restaurants
In 2001, Grant Achatz became the Executive Chef at Trio, a restaurant in Evanston, Illinois. When he arrived, Trio already had a great reputation. Under his leadership, the restaurant became even more famous. In 2004, it earned a rare fifth star from the Mobil Travel Guide, making it one of only 13 restaurants in the country with this honor.
Alinea: A Unique Dining Experience
In 2005, Achatz decided to open his own restaurant. He partnered with Nick Kokonas and opened Alinea in Chicago. The restaurant is special because it doesn't have a big sign or a bar. It only seats 64 guests.
At Alinea, diners enjoy a special "tasting menu" with about 18 small courses. Each dish is a surprise and an experience. Just two years after opening, Alinea also received the Five Star Award from the Mobil Travel Guide.
Alinea quickly became one of the best restaurants in the world. In 2006, Gourmet magazine named it the best restaurant in America. Restaurant magazine also listed Alinea among the top 50 restaurants in the world. It kept moving up the list, reaching number 6 in 2011.
In 2011, Alinea earned three stars from the famous Michelin Guide for Chicago. This is one of the highest honors a restaurant can receive. Alinea has kept its three Michelin stars every year since, showing its consistent excellence.
Other Exciting Restaurants
Grant Achatz has opened other unique places too. One is Next, a restaurant in Chicago that changes its menu completely several times a year. It's so popular that tickets to eat there are very hard to get!
He also opened The Aviary, which is a special bar known for its creative drinks. Under The Aviary, there's a hidden cocktail bar called The Office. These places offer different kinds of fun and delicious experiences.
In 2016, Achatz and his team closed Alinea for a big renovation. During this time, they even opened temporary restaurants in Madrid, Spain, and Miami, Florida. This allowed them to share their unique cooking with more people.
Sharing Knowledge: Books by Grant Achatz
Grant Achatz has also written several books. In 2008, he and Nick Kokonas published Alinea. This book is like a cookbook, but it also tells the story of what it's like to work in Alinea's kitchen. It has over 100 recipes and many behind-the-scenes photos.
In 2011, they released Life, On the Line. This book shares their journey of creating Alinea and also talks about Grant Achatz's battle with cancer.
They have also released digital cookbooks for Next Restaurant. These books share the exact recipes from some of Next's famous menus, like "Paris 1906" and "Tour of Thailand."
Overcoming Challenges: Health Journey
In 2007, Grant Achatz was diagnosed with a serious type of mouth cancer. Doctors first thought he would need a major surgery that could affect his ability to taste and speak. However, doctors at the University of Chicago suggested a different treatment plan.
He received special chemotherapy and radiation treatments. This treatment was successful, and he became cancer-free! While he temporarily lost his sense of taste, it eventually returned. This was a huge relief for a chef whose job relies on taste.
Personal Life
Grant Achatz has two sons, Kaden and Keller. He named his son Keller after his mentor, the famous chef Thomas Keller. In November 2023, Grant Achatz married Samantha Lim.
Awards and Recognitions
Grant Achatz and his restaurants have received many awards over the years. Here are some of them:
- Best New Chefs, Food & Wine, 2002
- Best Restaurant in America, Gourmet, 2006
- AAA Five Diamond Award, 2007–2017
- Mobil Five Star Award, Mobil Travel Guide, 2007–2017
- Jean Banchet Award – Best Celebrity Chef, 2007
- The S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants, many times from 2007 to 2019
- James Beard Foundation Award – Rising Star Chef of the Year, 2003
- James Beard Foundation Award – Outstanding Chef, 2008
- James Beard Foundation Award – Outstanding Restaurant, 2016
- 3 Michelin Stars, every year from 2011 to 2024
- One of the 2011 Time 100 most influential people
- Elite Traveler Top 100 Restaurants in the World - #1, many times from 2011 to 2018
