Keith Famie facts for kids

Keith Famie (born February 11, 1960) is an American chef, filmmaker, and TV personality. He is most famous for competing on the reality show Survivor: The Australian Outback in 2001, where he finished in third place.

Early Career as a Chef

Keith Famie started working in restaurant kitchens while he was still in high school. After graduating, he traveled the world to learn more about cooking. He worked in hotels in places like Brussels, Monte Carlo, and New York City. In total, he worked in 27 different restaurants, doing everything from washing dishes to being the head chef.

By 1987, he was the executive chef at a restaurant called Chez Raphael in Novi, Michigan. He also wrote a travel cookbook called The Flavor of Famie.

Opening His Own Restaurants

In 1988, Famie opened his own restaurant, Les Auteurs, in Royal Oak, Michigan. It was a big success and had 70 employees. In the early 1990s, the restaurant was making nearly $2 million a year.

During this time, Famie also started a cooking school and another small restaurant. He even created a series of trading cards that featured famous chefs and their recipes. He donated part of the money from the cards to a charity that helps children with serious illnesses.

In 1993, Famie closed Les Auteurs and opened a new cowboy-themed restaurant called Durango Grill in the same location. He later sold the Durango Grill concept in 1994. By 1997, he was working as a chef at a restaurant called Forte in Birmingham, Michigan.

Becoming a Filmmaker

In 1995, Famie started his own film company called Visionalist Entertainment Productions. He began producing TV shows about cooking and travel. One of his early shows, Keith Famie's Adventures in Cooking, was popular with viewers in Detroit.

He also created documentary films. In 1999, he made a special about Vietnam called From Hanoi to China Beach: A Taste of the Exotic. In 2000, he produced a film called A Journey to Mexico, which explored the story of immigrants moving from central Mexico to Detroit.

Competing on Survivor

In 2001, Keith Famie became a household name when he appeared on Survivor: The Australian Outback. He was part of the Ogakor tribe.

Life in the Outback

On the show, Famie sometimes disagreed with his tribemate, Jerri Manthey. The tribe didn't like how he cooked their rice, but they loved the way he cooked fish.

At one point, the vote to send someone home was tied between Famie and another tribe member, Mitchell Olson. To break the tie, the show looked at past votes. Since Mitchell had received a vote against him in a previous Tribal Council and Famie had not, Mitchell was sent home. This saved Famie from being eliminated.

Making it to the End

After the two tribes merged into one, Famie won the first two individual immunity challenges, keeping him safe. The former Ogakor members worked together to vote out members of the other tribe.

Eventually, only three contestants were left: Famie, Colby Donaldson, and Tina Wesson. Colby won the final immunity challenge. He had to choose who to take with him to the final two. He chose to vote Famie out, saying he didn't think Famie deserved to be in the final two.

Famie finished in third place and won $85,000. He became the final member of the jury, which helped decide the ultimate winner of the season.

Life After Survivor

After Survivor, Famie continued his career in food and film. He wrote more cookbooks, including Famie's Adventures in Cooking and Yes I Can Cook Rice ... and So Can You. He also hosted TV shows on the Food Network, such as Taste the Adventure and Keith Famie's Adventures.

Focus on Documentaries

Famie turned down an offer to appear on Survivor: All-Stars in 2004. He wanted to care for his father, who was very sick. This experience inspired him to create documentary films about important topics.

Many of his films have honored military veterans. He made documentaries about veterans from World War II, the Vietnam War, the Iraq War, and the war in Afghanistan. One film, One's Soldier's Story, told the story of a young sergeant from Michigan who was killed in action.

He has also made films about health issues. His documentaries have explored topics like Alzheimer's disease, cancer, depression, and aging. His 2018 film, Those on the Front Lines of Alzheimer's and Dementia, was dedicated to his father.

Other films have focused on interesting people and stories, such as the life of musician Jill Jack and the journey of a priest, Solanus Casey, toward sainthood. In 2021, he released a film about the Holocaust called Shoah Ambassadors.

Personal Life

Keith Famie has two children from a previous marriage.

His biological father was Tony Tarracino, who was once the mayor of Key West, Florida. Famie has 13 biological siblings. He met his father for the first time just five years before he appeared on Survivor.

Selected Filmography

• Keith Famie's Adventures in Cooking (1990s)
• A Journey to Mexico (2000)
• Survivor: The Australian Outback (2001)
• Keith Famie's Adventures (2002)
• Detroit: Our Greatest Generation (2009)
• Our Vietnam Generation (2011)
• One's Soldier's Story (2012)
• The Embrace of Aging (2013)
• Maire's Journey (2013)
• Death Is Not the Answer (2016)
• Those on the Front Lines of Alzheimer's and Dementia (2018)
• Those on the Front Lines of Cancer (2018)
• Shoah Ambassadors (2021)
• Detroit: The City of Chefs (2024)