Michael Chiarello

Michael Chiarello (born January 26, 1962) is an American celebrity chef specializing in Italian-influenced California cuisine.[1] He hosts the cooking show Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello on Food Network[2] and hosts NapaStyle on Fine Living Network. Chiarello owns a winery called Chiarello Family Vineyards, located in Yountville, CA. He is also the owner of Coqueta, which has two locations: one in Napa Valley, California, and one in San Francisco, California. Along with Coqueta, he owns and cooks for Bottega, located in Napa Valley.[3] Chiarello also owned NapaStyle in Yountville, CA which sold a "selection of exclusive drinkware, serveware, designer tabletop pieces, and more", but closed on January 4, 2016.[4][5] He was a competitor on the fourth season of The Next Iron Chef. In spring 2013, Chiarello opened Coqueta, a tapas restaurant on San Francisco's waterfront. In March 2016, two former employees filed lawsuits alleging sexual harassment and labor law violations; the sexual harassment lawsuit was settled in 2017.[6]

Michael Chiarello
Chiarello in 2015
Born (1962-01-26) January 26, 1962
Red Bluff, California, US
EducationFlorida International University (1984), Culinary Institute of America
SpouseEileen Chiarello (m. 2003)
Children4
Culinary career
Cooking styleCalifornian, Italian
Current restaurant(s)
Television show(s)
Websitehttp://michaelchiarello.com/

Early life and career

Born to an Italian-American family, Chiarello rose to prominence at a young age. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 1982,[7] he studied hospitality management at Florida International University, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1984. The next year, he opened The Grand Bay Hotel in Coconut Grove, Florida, and Toby's Bar and Grill. He was honored as 1985's Chef of the Year by Food & Wine Magazine.

Later in the 1980s, Chiarello moved back to his home state of California, making his home in the Napa Valley. One of his first endeavors was chef at The Heritage Restaurant in Turlock which failed and went bankrupt. He opened the Tra Vigne restaurant, creating a menu influenced by the cuisine of his family's native Calabria and rife with local seasonal ingredients. He has since served as executive chef in numerous American restaurants including Caffe Museo in San Francisco, Ajax Tavern and Bump's in Aspen, Colorado, and Bisect in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Sexual Harassment

In March 2016, two former employees filed two lawsuits against Chiarello, alleging sexual harassment and labor law violations.[8][9] In 2017, the sexual harassment lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount.[10]

Media career

His first cooking show, Season by Season, debuted on PBS in 2001. He hosted two more series for PBS, Michael Chiarello's Napa and Michael Chiarello's Napa: Casual Cooking over the next two years before moving to the Food Network to host Easy Entertaining in 2003. In 2004, his show NapaStyle premiered on the Food Network's sister network Fine Living Network. In 2009, Chiarello was a contestant on Top Chef Masters, winning his preliminary round and advancing to the championship round, placing second to Rick Bayless (first place).

Reruns of Easy Entertaining now appear on Food Network's sister network Cooking Channel.

In 2011, Chiarello appeared in the Visit California promotional film aimed at boosting tourism from the UK.

Personal life

In 2003, Chiarello married Eileen Marie Gordon; with whom he has one son, Aidan, born in 2005. He has three daughters, Margaux, Felicia, and Giana from his previous marriage. In 2019, Chiarello filed for divorce from Gordon.[11]

Cookbooks
  • "Michael Chiarello's Live Fire: 125 Recipes for Cooking Outdoors" (May 1, 2013) by Michael Chiarello, Claudia Sansone and Ann Krueger Spivack photography by Frankie Frankeny
  • Michael Chiarello's Bottega (2010), photography Frankie Frankeny
  • At Home with Michael Chiarello (2005)
  • Michael Chiarello’s Casual Cooking (2002)
  • Napa Stories (2001)
  • Tra Vigne Cookbook (1999)
  • Flavored Oils and Flavored Vinegars (1995; revised edition 2006)

References

Footnotes
  1. "About | Michael Chiarello". Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  2. Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, retrieved 2022-11-15
  3. "Welcome Home". Bottega Napa Valley. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  4. Fort, Ellen (2015-12-03). "Michael Chiarello to Rebrand NapaStyle as Eataly-Style Food Emporium". Eater SF. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  5. "NapaStyle". Foursquare. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  6. Fort, Ellen (2016-03-15). "Celebrity Chef Michael Chiarello Hit With Sexual Harassment Lawsuit [Update]". Eater SF. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  7. Webmaster (2011-05-23). "Chef Michael Chiarello '82, Napa Valley Tastemaker". CIA Culinary School. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  8. Aaron-Bortel (2016-12-05). "Local Chef And Restaurateur Michael Chiarello Arrested For DUI". Aaron Bortel. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  9. Fort, Ellen (2016-03-15). "Celebrity Chef Michael Chiarello Hit With Sexual Harassment Lawsuit [Update]". Eater SF. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  10. "Sexually charged: Are harassment claims declining?". The North Bay Business Journal. 2016-11-21. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  11. "Celeb Chef Michael Chiarello Wants Spousal Support Lowered Due to COVID-19". TMZ. Retrieved 2021-06-14.

Sources
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