Johanne Killeen facts for kids
Johanne Killeen is a famous American chef. She owns restaurants and writes cookbooks. With her husband, George Germon, she started Al Forno Restaurant. This restaurant is in Providence, Rhode Island. Many people say Al Forno is where flatbread pizza began! Johanne also wrote two cookbooks. They are called Cucina Simpatica (from 1991) and On Top of Spaghetti... Macaroni, Linguine, Penne, and Pasta of Every Kind.
How Al Forno Began
Johanne and George were both artists. They studied at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). They wanted to find a new way to earn money. This led them to open Al Forno in 1980. When they first thought of the idea, Johanne was working at a restaurant near Florence, Italy. At the same time, George was teaching at RISD in Rome.
On Television
Johanne and her husband appeared on a TV show. It was called In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs. On the show, they cooked a dish called "dirty steak with hot Fanny sauce."
Awards and Honors
Johanne Killeen has received many important awards for her cooking.
- In 1988, Food & Wine magazine started a "Best New Chef" award. Johanne was in the very first group to win. She was the only woman chosen that year!
- She and her husband won the "Best Chef of the Northeast" James Beard Award. They received this award in 1990.
- In 2018, Johanne was a semifinalist for the "Outstanding Chef" award. This shows she is still one of the best chefs around!
