Geoffrey Zakarian

Geoffrey Zakarian Speaker Biography

Internationally Renowned Chef and Restaurateur; Co-Host, Food Network’s The Kitchen and Host, Cooks vs. Cons

Throughout a career spanning 30 years, Geoffrey Zakarian has made his mark as a chef restaurateur known for his sophisticated taste and signature style. An accomplished chef, host, and culinary consultant, Zakarian has presided over some of the country’s top kitchens, traveling the world for new inspiration to marry with his classical training and techniques in a lifelong effort to deliver paramount hospitality experiences.

Chef

Zakarian’s rise to culinary prominence began at Le Cirque, where he first worked in a professional kitchen. In five years, he worked his way up from Pastry Sous to Chef to Chef de Cuisine under Chef Alain Sailhac. During these formative years, Zakarian staged at places such as Arpège and Au Quai des Ormes in Paris, Auberge de l’Ill in Alsace, The Dorchester in London, Le Chantecler with Jacques Maximin in Nice, and Pierre Orsay in Lyon. In 1987, Zakarian took his first turn as Executive Chef at the legendary 21Club. In 1988, he became the Executive Chef of 44 at the Royalton Hotel, before opening the Blue Door at the Delano Hotel in Miami in 1995. In 1997, Zakarian became Executive Chef of Patroon.

Restaurateur

In 2001, Zakarian opened his first restaurant, Town, to which he brought his culinary and decorative vision to life. Both Patroon and Town were awarded Three Stars from The New York Times. Zakarian next opened Country, a restaurant that paired his passion for food and wine with his innate sense of hospitality, grace, and old world elegance. Country was awarded a Michelin Star along with Three Stars from The New York Times. In 2007, Zakarian signed on to conceptualize and oversee the entire food and beverage program at The Water Club at Borgata in Atlantic City.

In the Fall of 2010, Zakarian opened both The Lambs Club at The Chatwal Hotel and The National at The Benjamin Hotel in New York City. In June 2011, Zakarian returned to Florida to open Tudor House at Dream South Beach, a neighborhood Gastro-Cafe rated as 2012’s Best Hotel Restaurant in Miami.

Norwegian Cruise Lines

In May 2013, Zakarian partnered with Norwegian Cruise Lines in a three-restaurant deal aboard their vessels, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway. On board, Zakarian oversaw Ocean Blue, The Raw Bar, and Ocean Blue on the Waterfront. The same year, Zakarian was named Culinary Director at The Plaza, where he oversaw the relaunch of iconic hotel’s The Palm Court, The Champagne Bar, The Rose Club, and In-Room Dining.

Montage Beverly Hills

In June 2016, Zakarian opened two new concepts at Montage Beverly Hills. Georgie is a vibrant restaurant serving exceptional breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. The Garden Bar is an ideal destination for handcrafted cocktails and light fare.

Books

Outside of the kitchen, Zakarian is an accomplished author, philanthropist, and notable television personality. In 2006, Clarkson Potter published his debut book, Geoffrey Zakarian’s Town / Country, which was named Editor’s Choice by The New York Times Book Review and was celebrated as “…one of the best cookbooks of 2006.” His second cookbook, My Perfect Pantry: 150 Easy Recipes from 50 Essential Ingredients hit shelves on October 7, 2014. He also assumed the role of Chairman of the City Harvest Food Council, a food rescue organization dedicated to fighting hunger in New York City. In September 2016, Geoffrey launched a new product line, Zarkarian Pro For Home, on the Home Shopping Network. This 13-piece storage container set allows at-home chefs to organize their kitchens like the experts.

Television

Already established as America’s favorite judge on Food Network’s Chopped, Zakarian won the 4th Season of The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs , earning him the title of Iron Chef. He has been featured regularly on Iron Chef America, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and The Best Thing I Ever Made, and judged the 5th Season of The Next Iron Chef. He is currently the co-host of Food Network’s Emmy-nominated talk show, The Kitchen, and Top 5 Restaurants. Zakarian also hosts Food Network’s hit primetime series, Cooks vs. Cons. Alongside appearances on ABC’s The Chew and The Rachael Ray Show, CBS’s The Dish and NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Today shows, Geoffrey also hosts Sirius XM Radio’s Food Talk, which premiered at the 2013 South Beach Wine and Food Festival.

Food

Fashion, design, media, and the arts are also valuable sources of inspiration for the chef. “Food goes through similar style trends and redefinitions as fashion. You need to know that landscape to understand how to achieve something timeless.” He credits his staying power with this quest for timelessness and an enduring love of restaurants.

“I still dream of a small restaurant I visited in Provence decades ago that taught me the balance of simple flavors and the art of heartfelt hospitality,” he said. “Today, I dine out all the time, first because I love it, but secondly because, as a chef, you need to see restaurants from the dining room perspective, not just from the kitchen. You have to be vigilant about every facet of the meal.”