Stewart Woodman

Stewart Woodman has been cooking for nearly 30 years in professional kitchens. He began as a fry cook at McDonalds in his native Montreal. In 1991 he completed a culinary apprenticeship at the prestigious Banff Springs Hotel-he is a certified Journeyman Cook. Moved to Vancouver, and worked as a sous chef at the William Tell for 18 months.

In 1994 he moved to New York City, and worked for a year at Danny Meyers Union Square Cafe under Chef Romano. Then moving to work at Lespinasse for 18 months, before taking a position at Le Bernardin. Where after six months he was promoted to sous chef and there he stayed for 2 years. When Alain Ducasse approached Chef Ripert for a sous chef to help open his first US restaurant, they choose Stewart. Within a few months Woodman was shipped off to France to work for Chef Ducasse at his Michelin starred restaurants. He was the first American born sous chef ever to work in the organization by the time he returned to the US. He left Alain Ducasse to work for Jean George Vongerichten at Jean Georges with the plan to open a restaurant together in Paris.

After nearly a year enter Heidi, who worked for Jean George as well. The two had met, and known each other for a few years, so after a brief whirlwind romance they announced plans to have a child. Woodman accepted the position as Executive Chef at Zoe, his first Executive Chef position. After their first son was born in December 2001 they moved to Minnesota, her native state.

He has been the opening Executive Chef of three Minneapolis restaurants, Levain, Five, and Heidis Minneapolis. In 2012 together with his wife opened Birdhouse on Hennepin. Among his accolades, and four star reviews, in 2006 he was honored as a Best New Chef by Food & Wine Magazine.

Father of two, husband of one, he has enjoyed writing on the side for many years. In addition to writing this blog for four years, in October 2010 he published his first cookbook Shefzilla: Conquering Haute Cuisine at Home, and is currently at work on a novel.