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The Hearty Boys

Stars of "Party Line with the Hearty Boys" on The Food Network

The Hearty Boys
Travels From Travels From:
Chicago, IL, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Live Event: $5,000 - $10,000
Virtual Event: Please Contact
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Categories Categories:
Categories Categories:
Authors, Celebrity Chef, Food & Beverage
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The Hearty Boys Biography

The Hearty Boys, Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, are nationally recognized television hosts, trend-setting caterers, dynamic restaurateurs, and esteemed cookbook authors with little more than "accidental food expertise." In 2005, they earned the respect and accreditation of the food industry when they won the first season of Food Network's hit series "Food Network Star." This led to their successful Food Network series, "Party Line with the Hearty Boys." The Hearty Boys went on to open HB, a Hearty Boys Spot, one of Chicago's leading restaurants, as well as author a well-received cookbook titled "Talk With Your Mouth Full, The Hearty Boys Cookbook" (Stewart, Tabori and Chang). "Talk With Your Mouth Full" was released in October 2007 and is now in its second printing.

The Hearty Boys believe, first and foremost, that entertaining should be fun, for both guests and host. Dan and Steve's philosophy centers around taking the anxiety out of cooking for company by sharing their completely accessible — but still impressive — recipes, stories of successes and failures, and of course the little black book of tricks culled from working in the trenches.

A fortuitous combination of a large ethnic family, trying to make ends meet as actor/waiters in New York City, and a deep and lasting love of food created the DNA of the Hearty Boys food philosophy. The mystery series, The Hardy Boys, was the inspiration and namesake for a café and sandwich shop which opened in the resort town of Bethel, Maine in the mid '90s. A catering business soon followed and after honing the fine art of food preparation and presention, Dan brought The Hearty Boys catering business to Chicago.

What started off in 1999 as a catering business from an 8'x8' apartment kitchen has grown in multiple directions. In 2003, The Cafe at Hearty Boys opened in Chicago's popular Lakeview neighborhood. This new enterprise also found The Hearty Boys offering popular cooking classes and private dinners in the cafe's second floor space. In 2005, The Hearty Boys' story evolved once more when they opened their new restaurant HB; a Hearty Boys spot. Lauded by Chicago Magazine as one of the city's top 10 hotspots, the restaurant has been an enourmous success and many of its recipes are found in their coobook. Their newest venture, HBTV, is an interactive on-camera cooking class, along the lines of "cooking karaoke." It is the only one of its type in the U.S.

The Hearty Boys have spread their vision of accessibile entertaining through multiple seasons of Food Network's "Party Line with The Hearty Boys," Kathy Griffin's "My Life on the D List," Fine Living Network's "Your Reality Checked," "Girls Night Out" and "Q on the Move." In addition they have had numerous appearances on CBS' "The Early Show," were regular contributors to NBC's "In The Loop" and appeared on regional morning shows across the country. Their recipes and insider tricks of the trade have been featured through webcasts, satellite media tours and radio. Print includes features in Life magazine, The New Yorker, The New York Times, Chicago Magazine, Glamour, Real Simple, Woman's Day, Crains and a host of other national publications. Metrosource Magazine was quoted as saying "Steve McDonagh and Dan Smith are poised to become a cottage industry in the mold of Emeril Lagasse, Bobby Flay or Mario Batali."

Partners in life as well as business, Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh reside in Chicago with their son Nate.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 05/04/2024.

FAQs on booking The Hearty Boys

  • How do I book The Hearty Boys to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like The Hearty Boys for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for The Hearty Boys, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for The Hearty Boys or any other speaker of your choice.

  • What are the speaker fees for The Hearty Boys

    Speaking fees for The Hearty Boys, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book The Hearty Boys are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire The Hearty Boys, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does The Hearty Boys speak about?

    The Hearty Boys is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Authors, Celebrity Chef, Food & Beverage.

  • Where does The Hearty Boys travel from?

    The Hearty Boys generally travels from Chicago, IL, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

  • Who is The Hearty Boys’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like The Hearty Boys for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book The Hearty Boys for your next private or corporate function.

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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host The Hearty Boys or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

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The Hearty Boys is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book The Hearty Boys for your event is $5,000 - $10,000. The Hearty Boys generally travels from Chicago, IL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Trish Magwood, Stephan Pyles, Alain Ducasse, Diane Kochilas and Lynn Crawford. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling The Hearty Boys for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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