Jody Adams (chef) facts for kids

Jody Adams is a well-known American chef and restaurant owner. She owns and runs popular restaurants like TRADE and Porto in Massachusetts. For more than 20 years, she was also the owner and head chef of Rialto in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1997, she won a very important award called the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Northeast region of America.

Early Life and Education

Jody Adams grew up in New England, a region in the northeastern United States. Her mother often cooked traditional New England cuisine, which is how Jody learned to love food from a young age.

She went to Brown University and studied anthropology, which is the study of human societies and cultures. While at college, Jody worked at a cooking school in Providence, Rhode Island. She found that she enjoyed working in the kitchen much more than her college classes.

Around 1980, a famous chef named Julia Child visited Providence. Jody volunteered to help at a special event where Julia Child was present. After the event, Jody met Julia Child and another chef named Sara Moulton. Both encouraged Jody to become a chef. They even suggested she work for a chef named Lydia Shire in Boston.

After finishing college, Jody traveled around Europe for five months. This trip likely gave her new ideas about different kinds of food.

Career Highlights

Jody Adams decided to follow her passion for cooking after getting encouragement from Julia Child and Sara Moulton. In the early 1980s, she started working for Lydia Shire at her famous Seasons Restaurant in Boston. In 1983, she helped open Gordon Hamersley's bistro as the sous chef, which is the second-in-command in a kitchen.

In 1990, Jody became the head chef at Michaela's in East Cambridge, Massachusetts. There, she created menus that mixed Italian and New England flavors. Because of her excellent work at Michaela's, Food & Wine magazine named her one of the top ten chefs in the United States in 1993.

Opening Rialto and Winning Awards

In September 1994, Jody Adams and her partner Michela Larson opened Rialto at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square. The restaurant quickly became very popular. Within four months, The Boston Globe newspaper gave it four stars, which is a very high rating.

During her time at Rialto, Jody was nominated five times for the James Beard Award for Best Chef in America (Northeast). She finally won this prestigious award in 1997, showing how talented she was.

In 2002, Jody Adams shared her cooking knowledge in a book called In the Hands of a Chef: Cooking with Jody Adams of Rialto Restaurant.

In 2007, Jody became the sole owner of Rialto. That same year, Esquire magazine named Rialto one of the best restaurants in the country.

New Restaurants and Ventures

Jody Adams continued to expand her restaurant business. In 2011, she opened her second restaurant, TRADE, in the Waterfront area of Boston.

Five years later, in 2016, she opened two more restaurants. Saloniki is a Greek fast-casual restaurant, meaning it serves quick, tasty Greek food. Porto is a Mediterranean restaurant located in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. She opened Saloniki and Porto with partners Eric Papachristos and Jon Mendez.

In April 2016, it was announced that Jody would be leaving Rialto. The restaurant closed its doors in June 2016.

In October 2019, Jody opened Greek Street at Time Out Market Boston with her partners Eric Papachristos and Jon Mendez. More recently, in September 2022, two new Saloniki locations opened on Newbury Street and in Beacon Hill.

Television and Writing

Jody Adams has also appeared on television. She was a contestant on the second season of Top Chef Masters, a cooking competition show.

She also writes a blog with her husband, Ken Rivard, called The Garum Factory. This blog shares recipes for people to cook at home and features Ken Rivard's photographs.

Jody also appeared as a chef in an episode of the children's show Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman.

Her Thoughts on the Restaurant World

Jody Adams has shared her thoughts on what it's like to own a restaurant. She says that some of the biggest challenges are the high costs and finding talented and skilled employees.

She believes it's most important to hire people who truly believe in the restaurant's goals. She says that skills can be taught if someone is passionate and committed. Jody also works to make sure that restaurant kitchens are fair and respectful places for everyone.

Personal Life

Jody Adams is married to Ken Rivard, and they have two adult children. She is also involved in charity work. She supports organizations like the Greater Boston Food Bank, Partners in Health, and Share Our Strength, which help people in need. She is also a founding member of Massachusetts Restaurants United, a group that supports restaurants in her state.

One of her favorite ingredients to cook with is scallops. She describes them as a "quintessential New England fare," meaning they are a classic food from the New England area.