Sarah Grueneberg facts for kids
| Born | Sarah Jayne Grueneberg August 20, 1981 Houston, Texas, United States |
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| Cooking style | Italian cuisine |
| Education | The Art Institute of Houston |
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Sarah Grueneberg is a famous American chef. She owns and is the main chef at Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio in Chicago. Before opening her own place, she was the head chef at Spiaggia, where her cooking earned a special award called a Michelin star for three years.
In 2017, Sarah won a big award, the James Beard Foundation Award, for being the Best Chef in the Great Lakes area. You might also know her from TV shows like Top Chef, where she came in second place, and Iron Chef Gauntlet.
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Sarah's Journey to Becoming a Chef
Sarah Grueneberg grew up in Houston, Texas. She became interested in cooking by spending time with her German grandparents. They taught her many things about food.
After high school, Sarah went to The Art Institute of Houston. She studied cooking and graduated in 2001 with a special degree in applied science. This degree helped her learn the skills she needed to become a professional chef.
Early Cooking Experiences
After finishing her studies, Sarah started working at Brennan's of Houston. She worked hard and by 2003, she became a sous chef. A sous chef is like the second-in-command in a kitchen, helping the main chef.
In 2005, Sarah moved to Chicago to work at a well-known restaurant called Spiaggia. She worked under a famous chef named Tony Mantuano. Sarah kept learning and growing her skills there.
Rising Through the Ranks
Sarah was promoted several times at Spiaggia. In 2007, she became a purchasing sous chef. This meant she was in charge of buying all the ingredients for the restaurant. A year later, she became the Chef di Cucina, which is another important role in the kitchen.
By 2010, Sarah Grueneberg became the executive chef at Spiaggia. This meant she was in charge of the entire kitchen and all the food. While she was the executive chef, Spiaggia earned a Michelin star for three years in a row. A Michelin star is a very high honor for a restaurant, showing it has excellent food.
Becoming a TV Star
Sarah also became known for her appearances on television. She competed in the ninth season of the cooking show Top Chef. She did very well and finished in second place, showing off her amazing cooking skills to a wide audience.
In 2013, Sarah won the first episode of another TV show called Beat Bobby Flay. On this show, chefs try to cook a dish better than the famous chef Bobby Flay.
Opening Her Own Restaurant
In 2016, Sarah Grueneberg opened her very own restaurant called Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio. She had been planning this dream with her friend Meg Sahs since 2013.
Monteverde specializes in Italian cuisine, which means they serve delicious Italian food, especially pasta. The restaurant quickly became very popular.
Winning Top Awards
In 2017, Sarah was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award for the first time. This award is like the "Oscars" for chefs in America. She won the award for Best Chef Great Lakes, which was a huge achievement.
That same year, she also appeared on the TV series Iron Chef Gauntlet. On this show, chefs compete in tough cooking challenges. Sarah continues to be a respected and successful chef in the culinary world.
