Michael Symon
Michael Symon is a Cleveland nativeand chef known for his bold and flavorful cooking style. Growing upin a Greek and Sicilian family, he developed a passion for food and cooking from a young age. Afterattending culinary school, Michael honed his skills at some of the country’s top restaurants beforeopening his own establishments and sharing his exuberant and approachable cooking style in otherareas of the culinary world.
Michael’s television career spans over two decades and includes a wide range of appearances andhosting gigs. He made his debut on the Food Network back in 1998, and since then, he has been aregular on the network with shows like “The Melting Pot,” “Sara’s Secrets,” “Symon’s Dinners,” “CookLike an Iron Chef,” and “The Next Iron Chef,” which he won in 2008, earning hima permanent spot as anIron Chef. In 2011, he joined the cast of ABC’s “The Chew” as one of the show’s five hosts, where theshow ran for seven seasons and won a Daytime Emmy Award. Michael also hosted “Burgers, Brew andQues” on the Cooking Channel, where he traveled throughout the United States tasting the best ofAmerica’s classics. Michael’s most recent shows include “Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out” filmed in hisvery own back yard, “BBQ Brawl” with best pal Bobby Flay, and “BBQ USA” where he checks out some ofthe nation’s most prestigious BBQ competitors
Michael Symon’s restaurant career spans over two decades and has earned him numerous accolades.Michael was named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine in 1998, earned The James BeardFoundation Award for Best Chef Great Lakes in 2009, and was the first and only chef to host the annualFarm Aid Benefit Concert in 2009. He opened his flagship restaurant Lola in Cleveland in 1997, whichquickly became a cornerstone of the city’s dining scene for 24 years and was featured on GourmetMagazine’s “America’s Best Restaurants” list in 2000. In 2008, he brought his meat-centric cooking toDetroit’s Westin Book Cadillac with Roast, which was named Detroit’s Best Restaurant and one of theten best steakhouses inthe country by Playboy. Symon’s Mabel’s BBQ, which opened in 2016,introduced a new style of mustard-based barbecue to Cleveland and was recognized nationally as USAToday called their ribs the best in the U.S. He opened Angeline at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa inAtlantic City in 2017, which was named Atlantic City’s best new restaurant.
Michael published his first cookbook, Michael Symon’s Live to Cook Recipes and Techniques to RockYour Kitchen, in 2009, sharing home cook‐friendly recipes that draw onthe flavors of his heritage. Sincethen, he hasreleased xxx more cookbooks includingCarnivore, 5 in 5, 5 in 5 For Every Season, Playingwith Fire,Fix It with Food,and Fix It with Food: Every Meal Easy. Carnivore, 5 in 5 and Fix It with Foodmade The New York Times Book Review best sellers list.
