Michael Symon

Chef Michael Symon cooks with soul. Growing up in a Mediterranean & Eastern European family, the Cleveland native creates boldly flavored, deeply satisfying dishes that reflect not only his heritage but also the city he was raised in. Lola, Mabel’s BBQ, Roast, Bar Symon, Angeline, and B Spot Burgers are all wonderful examples of not only how Michael was raised but also how food shaped him. He shares his exuberant, approachable cooking style and infectious laugh with viewers as an Iron Chef on the Food Network, Burgers, Brew & ‘Que, and as ABC’s resident chef. Most recently, he is a judge in ABC's new cooking challenge show "24 in 24." He is also a former co-host of the Emmy-winning TV show "The Chew."

Since being named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine in 1998, Symon and his restaurants have been awarded numerous honors: in 2000, Gourmet magazine chose Lola as one of “America’s Best Restaurants,” and it has been named Cleveland’s Best Restaurant on 18 occasions. In 2010, Symon was the first chef ever to host the annual Farm Aid benefit concert; Bon Appetit and Food & Wine magazines included B Spot on their list of “Top 10 Best Burger Joints;” B Spot has also won the People’s Choice Award at the SoBe Wine & Food Festival on five occasions. In 2009, Symon earned The James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes and the Detroit Free Press named Roast “Restaurant of the Year.”

Symon is the author of six award-winning cookbooks, four of which have landed on The New York Times Best Seller list. When he’s not working, he is cooking at home, playing golf, thinking about his next tattoo, gardening in the backyard, and spending time with his wife, Liz, Kyle, Krista, their granddaughter Emmy, and staffy bull terrier Norman.