Geoffrey Zakarian

Geoffrey Zakarian is one of the leading figures in the culinary world, with three nationally acclaimed restaurants, an award-winning cookbook, and recurring roles on shows such as "Chopped," "24 Hour Restaurant Battle," "The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs," "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," and more recently, "The Kitchen," "Top 5 Restaurants," "Cooks vs. Cons," and "Big Restaurant Bet."

Zakarian's rise to national prominence began in the early '80s at Le Cirque, where he developed his technical foundation under the French master chef Alain Sailhac. His first turn as Executive Chef was at the legendary 21 Club, followed by a successful tenure where he helmed kitchens at 44 at the Royalton, the Delano in Miami, and Patroon. In 2001, Geoffrey opened his first restaurant, Town, to rave reviews, followed by Country in 2005. Both were awarded Three Stars by The New York Times, affirming Zakarian's reputation in the industry. In 2006, he published his debut book, "Geoffrey Zakarian's Town/Country," which was awarded "Editor's Choice" by the New York Times, and followed it with other books like "My Perfect Pantry."

Today, Zakarian's restaurant portfolio includes The Lambs Club and The National in New York, as well as Tudor House in Miami. He also oversees the dining program at The Water Club in Atlantic City. Beyond his restaurants, Zakarian serves as Chairman of the City Harvest Food Council, a significant food rescue organization fighting hunger in New York City. He also hosts the podcast "Four Courses with Geoffrey Zakarian," broadening his influence within the culinary and cultural dialogue. As a television personality and culinary expert, he continues to appear on morning shows such as "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," and "The CBS Morning Show," and maintains his role as a judge on "Chopped" and his positions in other series such as "The Chew" and "The Rachael Ray Show."

As a chef, author, restaurateur, and television personality, Geoffrey Zakarian brings a wealth of talent to culinary events of all sizes, underscored by his long-standing commitment to quality and innovation in the culinary arts.