Michael Psilakis

Michael Psilakis is a Greek-American New York City restaurateur best known for his appearances on television shows including Ultimate Recipe Showdown, Iron Chef America, The Best Thing I Ever Ate and No Kitchen Required.[1] He has owned and operated a number of popular restaurants around New York and has cooked for President Barack Obama at the White House.[2]

Restaurants

In 2004, Psilakis left "Ecco" on Long Island, which he had managed since 2001, and opened "Onera" in Manhattan.[3]

Psilakis' later opened "Anthos", followed by restaurants "Kefi" and "Mia Donna". For his work at "Anthos", Psilakis was named Esquire magazine's Chef of the Year in 2006.[4] Psilakis opened "Kefi" on Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in 2007. The restaurant was closed in January 2013 for renovations and reopened later that year.[5]

In 2008 he was named Bon Appétit's Chef of the Year.[6] Later that year he received a Michelin Star; one of only two Greek chefs in the world to have received the honour. In 2009 he opened the "Gus & Gabriel Gastropub" on 79th Street, Manhattan.[2]

In April 2013, Psilakis opened his third restaurant, "MP Taverna", on Ditmars Boulevard in Astoria, Queens.[7] Later in 2013, New York magazine's Grub Street reported that Psilakis had plans to open a "massive 10,000-square-foot restaurant" in Brooklyn.[5]

In the fall of 2016 he opened Allora Italian Kitchen and Bar, a 6,500-square-foot, high ceilinged space at 210-35 26th Ave. will seat 240 diners, including 12 at the pizza bar, 12 at the regular bar and another 65 in the private dining room.[8]

Television

Psilakis served as a judge on Ultimate Recipe Showdown and was twice a contestant on Iron Chef America (2006 and 2010). He hosted The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

When BBC America created No Kitchen Required in 2012, Psilakis was chosen as one of three participants and a co-executive producer for the first series.[1] He has also appeared a number of times on Good Morning America, and has been announced as a contestant on the "Superstar Sabotage" tournament of Cutthroat Kitchen.[9]

Books

References
  1. No Kitchen Required by Jay Tavare (Huffington Post, 4 April 2012)
  2. Frommer's New York City 2011 by Brian Silverman, Kelsy Chauvin and Richard Goodman (John Wiley & Sons, 2010)
  3. Michael Psilakis is in a class by himself by Pearl Violette and Newfield Metzelthin (Gourmet magazine, 2007)
  4. Kitchen Superstars: Michael Psilakis' quest to make Greek go mainstream by Elizabeth Saab (Fox News, 19 December 2013)
  5. Looks Like Michael Psilakis’s Huge Williamsburg Restaurant Is Back On by Hugh Merwin (Grub Street, New York magazine, 8 November 2013)
  6. Top Chef, Meet Biggest Loser (TIME magazine)
  7. Celebrity chef Michael Psilakis opens MP Taverna in Astoria by Clare Trapasso (NY Daily News, 30 April 2013)
  9. http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/2014/09/alton-brown-cutthroat-kitchen-superstar-sabotage/
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