Wylie Dufresne facts for kids
Wylie Dufresne in 2007
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| Born | 1970 (age 54–55) Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
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| Education | Colby College French Culinary Institute |
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Current restaurant(s)
Du's Donuts (closed)
WD-50 (closed) Alder (closed) Stretch Pizza |
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Award(s) won
James Beard Foundation:
* Rising Star Chef nominee 2000 * Best New Restaurant nominee 2004 * Best Chef in New York nominee 2007 * Best Chef in New York winner 2013 |
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Wylie Dufresne (born June 3, 1970) is an American chef known for his creative and scientific approach to cooking. He is a leader in a cooking style called molecular gastronomy. This style uses science and new techniques to prepare and present food in surprising ways. Wylie Dufresne used to own popular restaurants like WD-50 and Alder. Today, he owns Stretch Pizza in Manhattan, New York.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Wylie Dufresne was born in 1970 in Providence, Rhode Island. He went to Friends Seminary school in New York. Later, he studied philosophy at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, finishing in 1992. After that, he went to the French Culinary Institute (now called The International Culinary Center) in New York to learn how to cook.
Chef's Journey and Unique Cooking Style
Wylie Dufresne started his cooking career in 1994. He worked for a famous chef named Jean-Georges Vongerichten for five years. He became a sous chef, which is like a head assistant chef. In 1999, he became the first chef at a restaurant called 71 Clinton Fresh Food.
Opening WD-50: A New Kind of Restaurant
In April 2003, Chef Dufresne opened his own restaurant, wd~50, in Manhattan. The name "wd~50" came from his initials and the street address. It was also a fun play on the name of a popular spray, WD-40. This restaurant became famous for its unique dishes. Chef Dufresne created amazing and unusual foods, like Pickled Beef Tongue with Fried Mayonnaise. WD-50 closed in 2014.
Awards and Recognition
Chef Dufresne has won many important awards for his cooking.
- In 2001, Food & Wine magazine named him one of America's Ten Best Chefs.
- In 2006, his restaurant WD-50 was ranked among New York's best by New York Magazine.
- He also received a star in the Michelin Guide for New York City in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
- In 2013, he won the prestigious James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef in New York City. This was a big achievement after being nominated many times!
Television Appearances
Wylie Dufresne has also appeared on television.
- In 2006, he competed on Iron Chef America against Chef Mario Batali.
- He has been a judge on Bravo's popular cooking show, Top Chef, for several seasons.
- He also appeared on Top Chef Masters in 2009.
- He even taught the winner on the United Kingdom version of Masterchef.
New Ventures: Donuts and Pizza
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In April 2017, Chef Dufresne started a new project called Du's Donuts & Coffee. It began as a small pop-up shop and grew into a chain with locations in New York City. He also wrote a cookbook called wd~50 with Peter Meehan, which came out in 2017. Today, Chef Dufresne owns and runs Stretch Pizza, continuing his journey of creating delicious and interesting food.
