Tom Valenti facts for kids
Tom Valenti
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| Born | March 23, 1959 Ithaca, New York, U.S. |
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| Died | April 1, 2026 (aged 67) |
| Cooking style | French, Italian |
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Rating(s)
Zagat Survey 2008
Food=25 Décor=21 Service=22 |
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Previous restaurant(s)
Le Cirque
Ouest West Branch Cesca Butterfield 81 Cascabel Alison on Dominick Gotham Bar & Grill Guy Savoy Paris Guy Savoy Greenwich |
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Television show(s)
CBS The Early Show
NBC The Today Show |
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Tom Valenti (March 23, 1959 – April 1, 2026) was a famous American chef. He was known for his comforting cooking style. Chef Valenti was the Executive Chef at Jockey Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Morristown, New Jersey. He also owned and led Oxbow Tavern in Manhattan, New York City.
Valenti was also the Executive Chef of Le Cirque Restaurant. Before that, he was the Executive Chef and co-owner of Ouest Restaurant. Ouest was located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and closed in 2015. He received many awards for his cooking. He was especially famous for his salmon gravlax and slow-cooked meats. His braised lamb shanks were a favorite.
Chef Valenti wrote three cookbooks. These include "Welcome to my Kitchen" and "Soups, Stews and One Pot Meals". He also wrote "You Don't Have to be Diabetic to Love This Cookbook". This book shared recipes for people with diabetes. Valenti was also a key person in starting the Windows of Hope Family Relief Fund. This fund helped families of food service workers affected by the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Contents
About Chef Tom Valenti
Early Life and Cooking Roots
Tom Valenti was born in Ithaca, New York on March 23, 1959. His parents were Louis and Aurora Valenti. Tom was raised by his mother and his Italian immigrant grandparents.
He spent many hours after school in his grandmother Nonni's kitchen. This is where he first learned to cook traditional Italian dishes. These early experiences sparked his love for food and cooking.
Becoming a Professional Chef
Learning French Cuisine
After finishing high school, Tom Valenti started working at a French restaurant in Ithaca. He worked in the pastry section at l'Auberge du Cochon Rouge. Here, he learned about the classic Escoffier style of French cooking.
This experience inspired him to move to Rye, New York. He became a private chef for a wealthy family. He could create any menu he wanted. The only rule was not to repeat a meal for at least 200 days. This job lasted two years until the family's situation changed.
Next, Valenti got a job at a new restaurant in Greenwich, Connecticut. This restaurant was being opened by the famous French chef Guy Savoy. Chef Savoy noticed Tom's great cooking skills. He sent Tom to his main restaurant in Paris, France. Tom spent 15 months there to improve his culinary talents.
Working at Gotham Bar & Grill
After his training in Paris, Valenti met Alfred Portale at the airport. Portale was also returning from his own cooking studies. Soon after, Portale took over his famous restaurant, Gotham Bar & Grill. He hired Valenti as his first sous-chef.
As a sous-chef, Valenti used the precise cooking skills he learned in France. He worked at Gotham for two years. This time helped him become even better at his craft.
Leading His Own Kitchens
While at Gotham, Valenti became friends with Alison Becker. They soon worked together to open Alison on Dominick. This was Tom Valenti's first big chance as an Executive Chef. In 1989, Esquire magazine called it the "Best New Restaurant" in New York City.
In 1990, Food & Wine magazine named Valenti one of the "Ten Best New Chefs" in the country. After five successful years, Valenti and Becker went their separate ways in 1994. He then became the Executive Chef at Cascabel for two years.
In 1998, Valenti took charge at Butterfield 81, a bistro on the Upper East Side. Critics loved his cooking right away. New York Times food critic Ruth Reichl called him a "clairvoyant in the kitchen." She said his "meat-oriented dishes" were exactly what she wanted to eat. New York magazine's Gail Greene praised his "mythic lamb shanks." Valenti led the kitchen for two years before starting his own restaurant.
Opening Ouest Restaurant
In the spring of 2001, Valenti opened his own special restaurant, Ouest. It was located on Broadway and 84th street in Manhattan's Upper West Side. The menu featured French-style dishes. It focused on less common cuts of meat with strong, delicious flavors.
The restaurant used to be a dry cleaner. Designer Peter Neimetz transformed it into a cozy space. It had comfortable leather booths and soft lighting. The New York Times gave Ouest two stars. They said the main dishes offered a "comfort zone." New York magazine gave it three stars. They said Valenti had made the menu so good that "almost every dish resonates with love-it-in-an-instant flavors." Ouest is often recognized for bringing fancy dining to the Upper West Side. Ouest closed its doors on June 13, 2015.
In 2017, he worked for a short time as the executive chef at Sirio Maccioni's famous restaurant Le Cirque.
Other Restaurant Adventures
In March 2018, Valenti opened "Oxbow Tavern." This restaurant was on Columbus Avenue at west 71st street. It was also in Manhattan's Upper West Side neighborhood.
In 2003, Valenti opened 'Cesca at Broadway & 75th Street. The menu was a tribute to his grandmother's cooking. It featured delicious Italian dishes. 'Cesca quickly became very popular. Valenti managed the kitchen for three years. He then had a disagreement with his business partner. This led him to take full control of Ouest instead.
Valenti also had a small share in the New York location of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. This is a traditional barbecue restaurant. It is located under the Riverside Drive bridge on 125th Street.
On October 28, 2008, Valenti opened The West Branch. This new restaurant was at Broadway and west 77th St. in New York City. It was connected to the On The Ave Hotel. This restaurant closed in August 2010.
Helping Others: Windows of Hope
After the tragic events of September 11, 2001 attacks, Tom Valenti wanted to help. He gathered his friends Waldy Malouf, Michael Lomonaco, and David Emil. Together, they created the Windows of Hope Family Relief Fund. This fund was set up to help the families of food service workers who were victims.
They planned a "Dine Out" event for October 11, 2001. The idea was for restaurants in New York City to donate money from that evening. News of this event spread quickly. Soon, over 5,000 restaurants around the world joined in. Many companies also sponsored Windows of Hope. In total, over $23 million was raised to help the families in need.
In 2005, Valenti continued his charity work. He helped lead the Restaurants for Relief effort. This effort supported victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Tom Valenti's Cookbooks and TV
Chef Valenti shared his cooking knowledge in several books:
- Tom Valenti: Welcome to My Kitchen: A New York Chef Shares His Robust Recipes and Secret Techniques William Morrow Cookbooks, ISBN: 978-0-06-019819-0
- Tom Valenti: Tom Valenti's Soups, Stews, and One-Pot Meals: 125 Home Recipes from the Chef-Owner of New York City's Ouest and 'CescaScribner, ISBN: 978-0-7432-4375-9
- Tom Valenti: You Don't Have to be Diabetic to Love This Cookbook Workman, ISBN: 978-0-7611-5550-8 June 2009
He also appeared on television shows:
- The Martha Stewart Show – 3 episodes
- The Today Show – 3 episodes
- The Early Show – 7 episodes
- Boy Meets Grill - 1 episode
A Look at His Personal Life
Tom Valenti was described as a chef who "cooks to live." He enjoyed spending his free time fishing. He loved fishing in the Beaverkill River in Upstate New York. He owned a small seasonal fishing cabin there. He always practiced catch and release angling. This means he would release the fish back into the water.
He lived in Northern New Jersey. He shared his home with his Maine Coon cat, Cosmo. Tom Valenti passed away on April 1, 2026, at the age of 67.
Awards and Recognition
Tom Valenti received many honors for his culinary skills:
- Food & Wine Magazine – Best new Chef (1990)
- James Beard Foundation – Best Chef of New York Nominee (2004)
- James Beard Foundation – Best New Restaurant Nominee (2004)
- New York Magazine – Top 10 Chefs of the Year (2002)
- New York Magazine – Best Italian Restaurant (2004)
