Gray Kunz facts for kids

Gray Kunz (born February 24, 1955 – died March 5, 2020) was a famous chef and cookbook writer. He was born in Singapore but was also Swiss. Gray Kunz lived and worked in New York for many years. His childhood in Singapore helped him create a special cooking style called "fusion." He worked as a chef all over the world. In the 1990s, he was one of the most celebrated chefs in Manhattan. He worked for nine years at a famous restaurant called Lespinasse.

Life and Career of Gray Kunz

Gray Kunz was born in Singapore on February 24, 1955. He grew up there and in Switzerland. He studied cooking in Bern, Switzerland. After his training, he worked in fancy hotels. These included the Beau Rivage Palace in Lausanne and the Baur au Lac in Zurich.

Learning from a Master Chef

Kunz then spent five years learning from a famous Swiss chef named Frédy Girardet. This was in a town called Crissier. After that, he moved to the Regent Hotel in Hong Kong. There, he learned how to mix French and Chinese cooking methods. This helped him develop his unique style.

Becoming a Top Chef in New York

In 1988, Gray Kunz moved to New York. He worked at Adrienne at the Peninsula Hotel. In 1991, he became the head chef at Lespinasse. This made him the highest-paid chef in the city. He worked at the St. Regis Hotel. He had a lot of freedom to be creative with his cooking.

While at Lespinasse, he designed a special spoon. Many chefs later said it was their favorite kitchen tool. Even though he was very successful, he left Lespinasse. He wanted to open his own restaurants. Some of his restaurants included Salt and Char in Saratoga Springs, New York. He also opened Cafe Gray in the Time Warner Center in Manhattan. Another one was Grayz at 13 West 54th Street in Manhattan.

Mentoring Future Chefs

Gray Kunz helped many young chefs learn and grow. Some of them became very famous. These include Andrew Carmellini, Floyd Cardoz, Rocco DiSpirito, and Corey Lee. Gray Kunz passed away in March 2020. He died from a stroke in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Gray Kunz's Unique Cooking Style

Gray Kunz's dishes showed his travels and training. He combined classic French cooking with Asian flavors. He used ingredients he learned about in Singapore as a child. He also used what he learned in Hong Kong. He worked there as a chef for five years.

Awards and Recognition

Kunz blended cooking methods from Europe, India, China, and Southeast Asia. In 1994, a food writer named Ruth Reichl gave Kunz a four-star review. This was in The New York Times. It was the first time she had given such a high rating.

Besides the four stars, he also received many nominations. These were for "Outstanding Chef" from the James Beard Foundation. He won the Mobil 5 Diamond Award for three years. He was also added to the Restaurant Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2002, The Culinary Institute of America called him a Master of Aesthetics. A food writer named Chris Crowley compared him to famous chefs like Paul Bocuse.

Restaurants by Gray Kunz

Here are some of the restaurants Gray Kunz opened or was involved with:

• Café Gray – This restaurant had 225 seats. It was in the Time Warner Center. It opened in 2004 and closed in 2008.
• Grayz – This restaurant closed in 2008.
• Café Gray Deluxe Hong Kong – This restaurant opened in 2009. It closed permanently on January 1, 2021.
• Salt and Char – This restaurant opened in 2016. Gray Kunz left it in the summer of 2016.

The Elements of Taste Cookbook

Gray Kunz worked with Peter Kaminsky. Together, they wrote a cookbook. It was called "The Elements of Taste." It was published in 2001.