Biography of Todd English

One of the most decorated, respected, and charismatic chefs in the world, Todd English has enjoyed a staggering number of accolades during his remarkable career.  He has been recognized by several of the food industry’s most prestigious publications, established one of the best known restaurant brands in the nation, published three critically acclaimed cookbooks, and was named one of People Magazines 50 Most Beautiful People.

In the spring of 1991, English caught the culinary world’s eye when the James Beard Foundation named him their National Rising Star Chef.  English followed through on that promise, as the James Beard Foundation subsequently named him Best Chef in the Northeast in 1994.  Nations Restaurant News named English one of their Top 50 Tastemakers in 1999.  In 2001, English was awarded Bon Appetit's Restaurateur of the Year award and was also named one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People.  Todd has recently been named to the James Beard Foundation's Who’s Who in Food and Beverage in America.

Todd is currently the chef and owner of Olives in Charlestown, Massachusetts.  Olives opened in April of 1989 as a 50-seat storefront restaurant.  It has drawn national and international applause for English's interpretive rustic Mediterranean cuisine.  Olives now occupies a larger space down the street from its original location in Charlestown, Massachusetts.  In recent years, English has established Olives as one of the most prestigious names in the nation by opening other locations around the world: Olives New York in the W Hotel in Union Square, Olives Las Vegas at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Olives D.C. in the heart of Washington D.C., Olives Aspen at the St. Regis Hotel in Aspen, Colorado and most recently Olives Biloxi at the newly renovated Beau Rivage Resort and Casino.

English also has two Figs restaurants in the greater Boston area as well as a location at LaGuardia Airport in New York City.  Figs serves traditional and eclectic pizzas and handmade pastas.  Among English's other restaurants are Tuscany at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, which serves Italian inspired foods and pays homage to his Italian roots; Bonfire, a steakhouse in Boston's Park Plaza Hotel that is a celebration of ranch cooking around the world from the U.S. to Australia; and KingFish Hall, Todd's first seafood concept in Boston's historic Faneuil Hall.  Todd's second seafood concept, Fish Club, at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront opened in the spring of 2003.  In early 2004 Todd added two more locations to his repertoire: the Cunard Lines Queen Mary 2 welcomed the restaurant Todd English, and Orlando hosts BlueZoo at the Walt Disney World Resort's Dolphin Hotel.  In 2006 he opened his first French restaurant, Riche, a brasserie that serves up bistro classics at the Harrah's Hotel in New Orleans.  Also at Harrah's is 528, a jazz club that serves up red sauce classics and is English's first foray into the nightclub scene.

Like English himself, his restaurants have received numerous accolades.  The original Olives opened to immediate acclaim, as it was voted Best New Restaurant by Boston Magazine.  Since then, it has been honored as Best Food and Top Table by Gourmet Magazine and is consistently named Boston's #1 Favorite Restaurant by Zagat.  Figs was given the Hot Concept award from Nations Restaurant News.  KingFish Hall was named Best of Boston by Travel and Leisure Magazine. 

Todd English began his cooking career at the young age of 15 when he first entered the doors of a professional kitchen.  At 20, he attended the Culinary Institute of America and graduated in 1982 with honors.  He continued to hone his craft with Jean Jacques Rachou at New York's La Cote Basque and then relocated to Italy where he apprenticed at the well established Dal Pescatore in Canto Sull Olio and Paraccuchi in Locando DAngello.  It was in Italy that Todd, drawing from his Italian heritage, developed his unique style and approach to cooking.  English returned to the U.S. at 25 and was asked to be the Executive Chef of the award-winning northern Italian restaurant Michelas in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  He served there as an executive chef for three years, garnering high praise from both the press and the public. 

Some of English's television credits include the national public television series, Cooking Under Fire, produced by WGBH-TV in Boston, Public Television's Cooking With Todd English, Iron Chef USA, Martha Stewart Living, Food Network's Opening Soon, Bobby Flay's Food Nation, and The Main Ingredient, Good Morning America, the Tony Danza Show, Extra, CBS This Morning, Live with Regis and Kelly, The Today Show, VH1's My Coolest Years, Discovery Channel's Party Planners, B. Smith Style, Great Chefs of the Northeast and Fox News channel's Fox and Friends.  Debuting in January of 2007 is Food Trip, English's 13 episode travel and cooking seris on PBS. 

Todd has authored the critically acclaimed cookbooks, The Olives Table, The Figs Table and The Olives Dessert Table, published by Simon and Schuster.  In 2005 his line of cookware and lifestyle products, The Todd English Collection, debuted on HSN breaking electronic retail records in the houseware category.  Also in 2005 English served as the Executive Celebrity Chef for MTV's Video Music Awards in Miami.

Todd is very involved with several local and national charities including Big Brother, the Anthony Spinazzola Foundation, Community Servings, Share Our Strength, the Boys and Girls Clubs, and City Year.