Chef

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Alex Guarnaschelli
Executive Chef, Butter Restaurant and The Darby

There are few American chefs, much less female chefs that can boast staying power in Michelin-starred restaurants.  Executive Chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli of Butter Restaurant and The Darby can boast indeed—she embarked on a culinary journey in France, and ended up working in some of the country’s top restaurants including esteemed chef Guy Savoy’s eponymous three-star kitchen.

Not surprising for the daughter of esteemed cookbook editor Maria Guarnaschelli, who spent her childhood surrounded by food.  Guarnaschelli learned to eat according to whatever book her mother was working on at the time: one was year devoted to Indian with Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni; another year was devoted to Italian with The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.

"My mother was always coaxing me from my ‘Barbie land’ under the dining room table to peel potatoes, knead bread or assemble a trifle,” says Guarnaschelli, who jokingly continues, "what else could a seven-year-old have wanted from life?"

This early emphasis on her palate truly shaped her future in food.  On the day of Guarnaschelli’s graduation from Barnard College in 1991, she decided to explore her culinary interests and began working under the tutelage of the acclaimed American chef and restaurateur Larry Forgione.

Forgione encouraged Guarnaschelli to travel and expand her skill set, so she obligingly moved to France to do a work study at La Varenne Culinary School in Burgundy.  After school and traveling throughout France, she moved to Paris to begin a four day stage at the Michelin three-star restaurant Guy Savoy. Four days turned into four years with Guarnaschelli rapidly being promoted to sous chef at La Butte Chaillot, another Savoy establishment.   “The first three months were terrifying—imagine being a young American woman in charge of a French kitchen with 10 young, male cooks under you?  Professionally, it was a life-changing experience,” she says.

After seven years in France, Guarnaschelli returned stateside.  Though she left the country, she maintained her connection with the cuisine, joining the venerable Daniel Boulud at restaurant Daniel, where she quickly rose through the ranks to become sous chef at the Manhattan standard.  Always looking to expand her culinary knowledge, Guarnaschelli moved to Los Angeles for two years to join Joachim Splichal’s Patina Group, where she worked at the acclaimed Patina restaurant in West Hollywood.

In 2003, Guarnaschelli was given the opportunity to expand her repertoire and become the executive chef at Butter Restaurant, where she would create her own American and green market-inspired menu.  In addition to her restaurant work, Guarnaschelli is a member of The Southern Foodways Alliance and The James Beard Foundation.  Guarnaschelli also a Dame D’Escoffier and part of the 15-member Chef’s Advisory Council at New York City’s Institute of Culinary Education, where she was an instructor for a number of years.

Guarnaschelli has many national television appearances including Iron Chef America as both a contestant and a judge, Food Network Challenge as both a contestant and judge, The Today Show and The Rachael Ray Show.  She has been featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Elle, New York and Time Out New York.

Guarnaschelli is currently the host of “Alex’s Day Off” on Food Network. “Alex’s Day Off” airs on Food Network on Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM EST and is currently in its third season. She also is a regular judge on “Chopped” and “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” – two prime time Food Network shows. She is also a regular contributor to The Nate Berkus show.

thedarbynyc.com
butterrestaurant.com