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Frank Stitt III

Born and bred in Alabama, Frank Stitt III has almost single-handedly raised the consciousness of cooks in the Deep South, said Southwest Airlines' Spirit magazine.

Born and bred in Alabama, Frank Stitt III has almost single-handedly raised the consciousness of cooks in the Deep South, said Southwest Airlines' Spirit magazine.

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Birmingham, AL, USA
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Frank Stitt III Biography

Frank Stitt’s fondness for humble southern ingredients comes from his own roots in rural Alabama. “I feel a real spiritual connection to the food and the land because of my southern agrarian upbringing.” As a child, Stitt was equally at home experiencing some of the great restaurants of New York and New Orleans while, traveling with his family, as he was picking the first tender shoots of asparagus with his Grandmother White in early spring.

Stitt’s culinary journey took him from Cullman, Alabama to San Francisco where, as a philosophy student, he began to find himself piling high the cookbooks and leaving Plato and Kierkegaard behind. After learning and honing his kitchen skills in various Bay Area restaurants, he was finally allowed into the kitchen of the now legendary Chez Panisse. Alice then introduced him to Richard Olney, who at the time was working on the Good Cook series for Time-Life Books and needed an assistant. Stitt was able to work with Jeremiah Tower, Stephen Spurrier and Simca Beck, eventually traveling throughout the French countryside. Frank worked in vineyards in Provence and Burgundy, then returned home to the foods and traditions that continue to be so much a part of his present day vision. He remains highly committed to the ideals of sustainable agriculture and humane animal husbandry.

“Most modern cooks don’t have a close connection to the land or small family farming,” Stitt says. “When I grew up in Cullman, it was the leading agricultural county in Alabama, and there was a lot of pride in being a small family farmer.” Today, Stitt is involved with Slow Food and is a standing board member with Jones Valley Urban Farm and Pepper Place Farmer’s Market both in Birmingham. Recognizing his own responsibility to promote sustainable agriculture, Stitt supports produce from area farmer’s markets for his own restaurants as much as possible.

The flagship, Highlands Bar and Grill, opened in 1982 and combines humble southern ingredients such as stone ground grits and country ham meet French sauces and braises, creating superb flavors and elegant balance. Highlands was an immediate success, and soon after, he opened Bottega (1988), Café Bottega (1990), and Chez Fonfon (2000)—all in Birmingham.

Chef Stitt and Highlands Bar and Grill have been the recepient of numerous James Beard Foundation accolades. Highlands Bar and Grill is a finalist for James Beard Awards' Outstanding Restaurant 2011. And as owner and chef of Highlands, Stitt was named a 2011 James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America Inductee. Highlands was also nominated by the James Beard Foundation for Most Outstanding Restaurant in both 2009 and 2010. Stitt received the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2001, and was nominated in 2008 and 2009 for Outstanding Chef. He was a semifinalist for Outstanding Chef 2010 and 2011.

2004 marked the release of Stitt’s first cookbook, Frank Stitt’s Southern Table, Recipe and Gracious Traditions from Highlands Bar and Grill (Artisan). The Southeastern Booksellers Association named Southern Table best cookbook of 2005, and it is now in its fifth printing. Stitt’s second cookbook, Bottega Favorita: A Southern Chef's Love Affair With Italian Food (Artisan), was released nationally in January 2009. Bottega Favorita showcases Stitt’s love of the Mediterranean and Italy.

In 2006 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Foodways Alliance. He has appeared on the “Martha Stewart Show”, PBS’s “Chefs A ‘Field”, and the CBS “Early Show”. His restaurants have been featured in The New York Times, Gourmet, Food Arts, Southern Living, Garden & Gun, and Newsweek.

Stitt lives in Birmingham with his wife and business partner, Pardis.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 12/29/2023.

Frank Stitt III Videos

  • A Tribute to Frank Stitt
  • Garden & Gun: Frank Stitt
  • "Great Chef" Segment

FAQs on booking Frank Stitt III

  • How do I book Frank Stitt III to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Frank Stitt III for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Frank Stitt III, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Frank Stitt III or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Frank Stitt III

    Speaking fees for Frank Stitt III, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Frank Stitt III are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Frank Stitt III, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Frank Stitt III speak about?

    Frank Stitt III is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Celebrity Chefs, Food & Beverage, Lifestyle.
  • Where does Frank Stitt III travel from?

    Frank Stitt III generally travels from Birmingham, AL, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Frank Stitt III’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Frank Stitt III for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Frank Stitt III for your next private or corporate function.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Frank Stitt III or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
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    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Frank Stitt III is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Frank Stitt III for your event is $5,000 - $10,000. Frank Stitt III generally travels from Birmingham, AL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Sue Torres, Dominique Ansel, Susur Lee, Jamie Malone and Bobby Deen. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Frank Stitt III for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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