Michael White (chef) facts for kids
White interviewed at the James Beard Foundation Awards 2010
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| Born | Michael John White Beloit, Wisconsin |
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| Cooking style | Italian |
| Education | Kendall Culinary Institute |
| Spouse | Giovanna White |
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Michael White is a very famous chef. He used to own and lead a group of restaurants called the Altamarea Group. This group had many popular restaurants in places like New York, New Jersey, and Hong Kong.
Some of his restaurants, like Marea and Ai Fiori, even earned special awards called Michelin stars. These stars are a big deal in the cooking world! In 2021, Chef White decided to leave the Altamarea Group. He moved to his country home in the Hamptons.
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Chef Michael White's Journey
Michael White grew up in Beloit, Wisconsin. He started his cooking journey in 1989. That's when he went to the Kendall Culinary Institute to learn how to cook.
After culinary school, he spent seven years in Italy. He trained at a famous restaurant called Ristorante San Domenico. He also learned more about cooking in Paris and the South of France. This helped him become a master of Italian cooking.
Opening His First Restaurants
In 2002, Michael White became the main chef at Fiamma Osteria. This restaurant won several awards, including a Michelin star. In 2006, he even wrote a cookbook about Italian cooking called Fiamma: The Essence of Contemporary Italian Cooking.
In 2007, Chef White teamed up with Ahmass Fakahany. They opened two restaurants in New Jersey called Due Terre and Due Mari. Both of these restaurants also won awards.
Later, he took over two restaurants in Manhattan, New York. One was called L'Impero, which he changed to Convivio. The other was Alto. Both of these restaurants also earned Michelin stars.
New Adventures: Paranza
In 2023, Chef White opened a new restaurant called Paranza. It is located at the Atlantis Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas. He named it Paranza because it means "Small Fishing Boat" in Italian.
Chef White said that opening Paranza was one of the most important moments in his cooking career. It was as important as when he opened Marea in New York. Paranza is one of three special restaurants at Atlantis that feature Michelin-starred chefs.
More Restaurants by Chef White
- In September 2008, Chef White and Ahmass Fakahany opened Due Mari in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
- In May 2009, they opened Marea. This restaurant received many awards, including two Michelin stars. It also got three stars from The New York Times.
- In October 2010, they opened the first Osteria Morini in downtown Manhattan. This Italian restaurant focused on food from a region in Italy called Emilia-Romagna. Later, two more Osteria Morini restaurants opened in New Jersey and Washington D.C.
- In November 2010, Chef White opened Ai Fiori. This restaurant served Mediterranean food and earned one Michelin star. It also received three stars from The New York Times.
- In May 2011, Chef White and the Altamarea Group opened Al Molo in Hong Kong.
- Nicoletta Pizzeria opened in New York in June 2012. More Nicoletta pizzerias opened later in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
- In 2013, White and Altamarea opened a steakhouse called Costata in New York. This restaurant later closed, but the Altamarea Group still uses its name for a steak delivery service.
- In December 2013, the Altamarea Group opened Ristorante Morini in New York. Another restaurant with the same name opened in Istanbul, Turkey.
- In September 2015, the Altamarea Group opened its first French restaurant, Vaucluse, in New York. It closed permanently in 2020.
See also
- List of Michelin starred restaurants
