Michael Symon facts for kids
Symon in 2007
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| Born | September 19, 1969 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
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| Education | Culinary Institute of America |
| Spouse | Liz Shanahan (m.1998) |
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Current restaurant(s)
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Michael D. Symon (born September 19, 1969) is a famous American chef, restaurant owner, TV star, and author. You might have seen him on Food Network shows like Iron Chef America, Burgers, Brew and 'Que, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate. He was also a host on the ABC talk show The Chew.
Symon is known for his fun personality and his love for "meat-centric" cooking, which means many of his dishes feature meat. He is from Cleveland, Ohio, and has opened many popular restaurants there and in other cities. He is praised for helping make Cleveland's food scene exciting again.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Michael Symon was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in the nearby town of North Olmsted, Ohio. His family background is a mix of Greek, Sicilian, and Eastern European heritage, which influenced his cooking style.
His first job in a kitchen was as a cook at Geppetto's Pizza and Ribs while he was still in high school. After graduating in 1987, he knew he wanted to be a professional chef. He went to the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and graduated in 1990.
Career as a Chef
Building a Reputation in Cleveland
After culinary school, Symon returned to Cleveland and started working in local restaurants. He quickly became known for his delicious and creative food.
In 1997, Michael and his wife, Liz Shanahan, opened their first restaurant, Lola, in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood. The restaurant was a huge hit and received great reviews. In 2000, Gourmet magazine named it one of America's Best Restaurants. This success helped put both Symon and the Cleveland food scene on the map.
Opening More Restaurants
Over the years, Symon opened many other restaurants. Some of his most famous ones include:
- Lola and Lolita: After the original Lola became successful, he moved it to downtown Cleveland and turned the first location into a new restaurant called Lolita.
- BSpot: A popular chain of burger restaurants.
- Mabel's BBQ: A barbecue restaurant that uses a special "Cleveland-style" sauce.
- Roast: A restaurant in Detroit, Michigan, which was named Restaurant of the Year by the Detroit Free Press in 2009.
- Angeline: An Italian restaurant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, which he named after his mother, Angel.
Symon also opened restaurants in airports and even had his food served at the Quicken Loans Arena, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team. Like many restaurant owners, he has also closed some locations over the years to focus on new projects.
Television Stardom
Becoming an Iron Chef
Symon's big break on television came in 2007 when he competed on the show The Next Iron Chef. The show was a tough competition where talented chefs battled to become a new "Iron Chef" on the famous cooking show Iron Chef America. Symon won the competition and earned the title of Iron Chef. As an Iron Chef, he would compete against other chefs in high-pressure cooking battles.
Hosting and Other TV Shows
After becoming an Iron Chef, Symon became a familiar face on TV. He hosted several shows, including:
- Dinner: Impossible': He temporarily hosted this show where chefs have to complete difficult cooking missions.
- Food Feuds: Symon traveled the country to settle debates about which local restaurant had the best version of a classic dish.
- Burgers, Brew and 'Que: In this show, he explored the best burgers, beers, and barbecue across America.
- The Chew: From 2011 to 2018, he was a co-host on this daily talk show about food and lifestyle. He and his co-hosts won a Daytime Emmy Award for their work on the show.
He has also been a host for Throwdown! on Food Network, taking over for fellow chef Bobby Flay.
Author and Businessman
Besides cooking in restaurants and on TV, Michael Symon has shared his love for food through cookbooks. He has written several books, often with help from other writers like Michael Ruhlman and Douglas Trattner.
Some of his popular cookbooks include:
- Michael Symon's Live to Cook
- Michael Symon's Carnivore: 120 Recipes for Meat Lovers
- Fix It with Food
In 2011, he also launched his own line of kitchen products called the Michael Symon Live to Cook Collection by Weston.
Awards and Honors
Throughout his career, Symon has received many awards for his cooking and television work.
- 1995: Named Cleveland's Hottest Chef by The Plain Dealer Sunday Magazine.
- 2007: Won The Next Iron Chef.
- 2009: Won the James Beard Foundation Award for "Best Chef: Great Lakes," a very high honor for a chef.
- 2015: Won a Daytime Emmy Award as a host of The Chew.
In his hometown of Cleveland, a street corner in the Tremont neighborhood was named "Michael Symon Corner" to honor his impact on the city.
Personal Life
Michael Symon married Liz Shanahan in 1998. She has been his business partner in many of his restaurants. He has a stepson named Kyle.
When he was in his 20s, Symon was diagnosed with health conditions called rheumatoid arthritis and discoid lupus. He has said that this experience inspired him to write cookbooks focused on how food can help people feel better.
