Todd English

One of the most decorated, respected, and charismatic chefs in the world, Todd English has enjoyed a staggering amount of accolades during his remarkable career. His accomplishments include recognition by several of the food industry's most prestigious publications, establishing one of the best-known restaurant brands in the nation and publishing three critically acclaimed cookbooks.

His list of culinary awards includes: the James Beard Foundation's National Rising Star Chef (1991), the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef in the Northeast (1994), Nation's Restaurant News named English one of their Top 50 Tastemakers (1999), Bon Appetit's Restaurateur of the Year (2001) and one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People (2001). Todd has recently been named to the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who in Food and Beverage in America.

Todd is the chef and owner of his flagship restaurant Olives in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Olives opened in April of 1989 as a 50-seat storefront restaurant. It has drawn national and international applause for English's interpretive rustic Mediterranean cuisine. In recent years, English has established Olives as one of the most prestigious names in the nation by opening five other locations around the world. In addition, English has launched numerous other restaurants in various locations, including Figs, Tuscany, KingFish Hall, Fish Club, Todd English Restaurant aboard the QM2, BlueZoo, English is Italian, and, most recently, Riche in New Orleans.

Like English himself, his restaurants have received numerous accolades. The original Olives opened to immediate acclaim and was voted Best New Restaurant by Boston Magazine. Since then, it has been honored as Best Food and Top Table by Gourmet Magazine and is consistently named Boston's #1 Favorite Restaurant by Zagat. In addition, Figs was given the Hot Concept award from Nation's Restaurant News, and KingFish Hall was named Best of Boston by Travel & Leisure Magazine.