Rocco DiSpirito facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rocco DiSpirito
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Rocco DiSpirito in 2008
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| Born | November 19, 1966 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Culinary Institute of America Boston University |
| Occupation | Chef, author |
Rocco DiSpirito (born November 19, 1966) is a famous American chef and reality television star. He is known for his cooking skills and for appearing on TV shows like The Restaurant. Rocco lives in New York City.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Rocco DiSpirito was born in Queens, New York. He loved cooking from a young age. He went to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and finished in 1986. Later, in 1990, he earned a business degree from Boston University.
Cooking Career and TV Shows
Rocco DiSpirito is well-known for his delicious Italian American food. He also likes to mix different cooking styles, which is called fusion cooking.
Becoming a Celebrity Chef
Rocco became a celebrity chef and has written many cookbooks. In 1997, he opened his own restaurant called Union Pacific in Gramercy Park in Manhattan. A famous food critic, Ruth Reichl, gave his restaurant a great review. She said the food was so good it made people very happy! Rocco left Union Pacific in 2004.
TV Appearances and Challenges
From 2003 to 2004, Rocco starred in an NBC reality television show called The Restaurant. The show followed him as he opened and ran a new restaurant in Manhattan called Rocco's on 22nd. The show was canceled, and the restaurant eventually closed.
Rocco also hosted a radio show called Food Talk and a TV show called Rocco Gets Real on A&E. He appeared in commercials and was a guest judge on Bravo's Top Chef. He even helped contestants on The Biggest Loser by teaching them how to cook healthy meals.
In 2008, Rocco was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars with professional dancer Karina Smirnoff. He finished in ninth place.
More TV and Cooking Projects
Rocco has continued to appear on many TV shows. In 2010, he was on the ABC show Castle. In 2011, he hosted his own cooking competition show called Rocco's Dinner Party on Bravo TV.
He also hosted a TV show called Now Eat This! with Rocco Dispirito, which focused on healthy eating. In 2013, he hosted Restaurant Divided on the Food Network. On this show, he helped struggling restaurants decide on the best way to improve.
Rocco has competed on Guy's Grocery Games and Tournament of Champions, both hosted by his friend Guy Fieri. He has also been on Guy's Ranch Kitchen.
In 2019, Rocco returned to working in a restaurant kitchen as the chef at the Standard Grill in New York City. However, he left the restaurant later that year.
Health Journey
In 2015, Rocco had an emergency surgery on his spine because of a condition called sciatica. After the surgery, he had to use a wheelchair and learn to walk again.
Awards and Achievements
Rocco DiSpirito has won several important awards for his cooking and his books:
- He won a James Beard Foundation Award for his cookbook Flavor.
- In 1999, Food & Wine magazine named him America's Best New Chef.
- In 2000, Gourmet magazine called him the Most Exciting Young Chef.
- He was nominated for Best Chef: New York City by the James Beard Foundation multiple times.
- In 2004, he won a James Beard Award for Best Cookbook.
Cookbooks by Rocco
Rocco DiSpirito has written many cookbooks, sharing his recipes and cooking tips. Some of his books include:
- Flavor (2003)
- Rocco's Italian American (2004)
- Rocco's Five Minute Flavor: Fabulous Meals with 5 Ingredients in 5 Minutes (2005)
- Rocco Gets Real: Cook at Home, Every Day (2008)
- Now Eat This!: 150 of America's Favorite Comfort Foods, All Under 350 Calories (2010)
- The Pound a Day Diet: Lose Up to 5 Pounds in 5 Days by Eating the Foods You Love (2014)
- Rocco's Healthy & Delicious: More than 200 (Mostly) Plant-Based Recipes for Everyday Life (2017)
- Rocco's Keto Comfort Food Diet: Eat the Foods You Miss and Still Lose Up to a Pound a Day (2020)
See also
In Spanish: Rocco DiSpirito para niños
