FoodNetwork Site Search Results

Scott Conant brings a deft touch and an unwavering passion to creating singular dining experiences with soulful food and a convivial atmosphere. His career spans nearly 30 years and includes multiple restaurants, an enthusiastic following of fans and an ever-expanding brand. He has established himself as one of the country’s top chefs and restaurateurs. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Scott broke out onto the restaurant scene in his 20s, running the kitchens of famed Italian spots such as il Toscanaccio, Chianti and City Eatery, which earned glowing reviews under his leadership. Scott officially put his name on the map when he opened the beloved L’Impero in 2002. It garnered a three-star review from The New York Times, the title of Best New Restaurant from the James Beard Foundation, and praise from top publications such as Gourmet and Food & Wine, which named Scott one of America’s Best New Chefs in 2004. Following the success of L’Impero, Scott opened Alto, an elegant Italian restaurant in midtown Manhattan. Always looking to raise the bar, Scott eventually moved on to bring his own vision of sophisticated, savory Italian cooking to life with Scarpetta, which he now operates in Las Vegas and Miami. In March 2016 Scott opened Impero Caffè, a relaxed Italian spot for all-day dining at the INNSIDE New York Hotel that serves a variety of antipasti and housemade pastas, the hallmarks of his cuisine. In the same year he opened Mora Italian, a modern, convivial osteria in Phoenix. In recent years Scott has also opened D.O.C.G. Enoteca, a casual wine bar at The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, and unveiled his SC Culinary Suite, a beautiful private loft in SoHo where he can interact directly with guests and bring them his special brand of hospitality through private dinners, cocktail parties and cooking demos. In 2013 he debuted a signature menu at McCarran International Airport’s new American Express Centurion Lounge. Scott has appeared on the Today Show, The Chew, CBS’ The Talk, Live with Kelly & Michael, and Good Morning America, and he is a regular judge on Chopped, consistently one of Food Network’s highest-rated programs. He has also published three cookbooks: New Italian Cooking, Bold Italian and The Scarpetta Cookbook. As Scott continues to embark on new opportunities, he looks forward to sharing his enduring philosophy: Savor the pure pleasure of food, down to its last taste.

From Istanbul to Hong Kong, Paris to Dubai, London to Bangkok, Chef Michael Lewis has spent decades gathering experience, lessons, and knowledge from the world's most exciting culinary centers. But it all started at home, in the good old United States.After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Lewis immediately began intense, on-the-ground training with David Bouley at Bouley and Bouley Bakery and Eric Ripert at Le Bernardin, where he built on the classical cooking techniques he'd developed in school. He was only 25 when he was elevated to Chef de Cuisine at Jean-Georges, one of just a few American restaurants boasting three Michelin stars at that time. "I learned the business side of running a restaurant from Jean-Georges," Lewis says, by helping the chef open several restaurants, including locations in Paris and the Bahamas.But Lewis has learned just as much from his international travels as he has from his technical education and brilliant mentors. "I have spent over 10 years trying to travel as much as possible — seeing, tasting and experiencing everything from the cheapest street food in Asia to the prix fixe menus of molecular geniuses in Europe,” explains Lewis. “I thrive off of these types of food and life experiences, and the unforgettable stories that come out of them.” As co-founder and executive chef at KYU in Miami, Lewis has given free rein not only to his creativity, but also all that he's gleaned from his years of globetrotting. Strong flavors like garlic and chile play nicely with refined French cooking techniques, while wood-fired Asian dishes get a surprising touch of elegance from delicate micro greens. His inventive, incredibly delicious dishes for Panna, from deep-fried kale leaves to red snapper basted with an indulgent miso brown butter, are unlike anything you've ever tried before—and have to be tasted to be believed.Michael's Restaurant:KYU (Miami, FL)