Michael Psilakis
Born
New York City, New York, U.S.[1]
Culinary career
Current restaurant(s)
  • MP Taverna, Irvington NY
Previous restaurant(s)
  • * Ecco, Long Island (2001–2004),
    * Onera, New York City (2004–2007),
    * Anthos, New York (2007–2010),
    * Mia Donna, New York City (2008–2009),
    * Kefi, New York City (2008–2020),
    * Gus & Gabriel Gastropub, New York City (2009–2010),
    * Fishtag, New York City (2011–2018),
    * MP Taverna, New York City (2013–2019)
Television show(s)
Websitewww.michaelpsilakis.com

Michael Psilakis is an American celebrity chef, author, and restaurateur.[1] He is best known for his Greek cuisine and appearances on television shows including Ultimate Recipe Showdown, Iron Chef America, The Best Thing I Ever Ate and No Kitchen Required.[2] He has owned and operated a number of popular restaurants around New York City and has cooked for President Barack Obama at the White House.[3]

Early life

Michael Psilakis was born in New York City, and is of Greek descent.[1][4]

Restaurant and food career

From 2001 to 2004, Psilakis managed restaurant Ecco on Long Island.[5]

The address of 222 West 79th Street in the Upper West Side, Manhattan has been home to many of Psilakis restaurants including Onera (from 2004 to 2007);[3][5][6][7] Kefi (from 2007 to 2009); Gus & Gabriel Gastropub (from 2009 to August 2010);[8] Fishtag (from 2011 to 2018);[7][9] followed by Kefi returning to this same location from 2018 until 2020, after Kefi had relocated for a period from 2009 until 2018 on 505 Columbus Avenue.[10][9][11] Restaurant Kefi had been the subject of multiple employee lawsuits.[12][13][14][15][16]

Donatella Arpaia and Michael Psilakis had co-owned Kefi, as well as Anthos at 36 West 52nd Street (2007–March 2010),[17][13][18] and Mia Donna (2008–September 2009).[19][20][21]

For his work at Anthos, Psilakis was named Esquire magazine's Chef of the Year in 2006.[22] In 2008, he received a Michelin Star for Anthos.[23] In 2008 he was named Bon Appétit's Chef of the Year.[24]

From April 2013 to 2019, Psilakis owned and operated restaurant, MP Taverna on Ditmars Boulevard in Astoria, Queens.[25][26]

Television appearances

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.[2] 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.[27]

Books

Psilakis has struggled with his body weight and wrote the 2017 book, Live to Eat: Cooking the Mediterranean Way (Little, Brown) to highlight easier ways to modify diet without losing flavor.[4]

  • Psilakis, Michael (2009). How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking. Barbara Kafka (contributor). Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316071734.
  • Psilakis, Michael (2017). Live to Eat: Cooking the Mediterranean Way. New York City, NY: Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316308205.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Michael Psilakis in Greece". Food & Wine. March 31, 2015. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  2. 1 2 No Kitchen Required by Jay Tavare (Huffington Post, 4 April 2012)
  3. 1 2 Frommer's New York City 2011 by Brian Silverman, Kelsy Chauvin and Richard Goodman (John Wiley & Sons, 2010)
  4. 1 2 "Michelin star chef whips up weight-loss success in the kitchen". Fox News. 2017-03-14. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  5. 1 2 Michael Psilakis is in a class by himself by Pearl Violette and Newfield Metzelthin (Gourmet magazine, 2007)
  6. ↑ Plant, Adam (January 27, 2005). "Onera, New York Magazine Restaurant Review". New York Magazine (Nymag). Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  7. 1 2 Sifton, Sam (2011-03-01). "Fishtag". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  8. ↑ Rosner, Helen. "Michael Psilakis Will Replace Gus & Gabriel With New Concept". Grub Street. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  9. 1 2 "Kefi Has a New Space, But Now Fishtag Needs a New Home". West Side Rag. June 7, 2018. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  10. ↑ Upadhyaya, Kayla Kumari (2018-06-06). "Kefi Is Relocating to a Smaller Space On the UWS [Updated]". Eater NY. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  11. ↑ Looks Like Michael Psilakis’s Huge Williamsburg Restaurant Is Back On by Hugh Merwin (Grub Street, New York magazine, 8 November 2013)
  12. ↑ Morabito, Greg (2015-07-27). "Dinex Group Servers Settle Class Action Wage Suit Against Boulud For $1.4 Million". Eater NY. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  13. 1 2 Collins, Glenn (2010-04-27). "Donatella Arpaia Is Putting Chef's Whites Over Her Prada". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  14. ↑ Morabito, Greg (2012-03-15). "Kefi is the Latest Restaurant Hit by Employee Lawsuit". Eater NY. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  15. ↑ Miller, Jenny. "Kefi, Casa La Femme Are the Latest Restaurants to Get Sued". Grub Street. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  16. ↑ Chung, Jen (2012-10-02). "Popular UWS Kefi Restaurant Fails Health Dept Inspection. Twice". Gothamist. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  17. ↑ Leventhal, Ben (2007-03-12). "Eater Inside: Anthos". Eater NY. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  18. ↑ Kludt, Amanda (2010-09-28). "Donatella Arpaia Sells Anthos Space to Steakhouse Family". Eater NY. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  19. ↑ Sifton, Sam (2010-05-19). "Mia Dona". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  20. ↑ Kludt, Amanda (2010-03-11). "Michael Psilakis OUT at Anthos as he Considers the Burg". Eater NY. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  21. ↑ Kludt, Amanda (2009-09-14). "Divorces: Michael Psilakis OUT at Mia Dona". Eater NY. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  22. ↑ Kitchen Superstars: Michael Psilakis' quest to make Greek go mainstream by Elizabeth Saab (Fox News, 19 December 2013)
  23. ↑ Gordinier, Jeff (2020-03-20). "Cooking to Cope: Why MP Taverna's Michael Psilakis Is Still in the Kitchen". Esquire. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  24. ↑ Top Chef, Meet Biggest Loser (TIME magazine)
  25. ↑ Celebrity chef Michael Psilakis opens MP Taverna in Astoria by Clare Trapasso (NY Daily News, 30 April 2013)
  26. ↑ "Greek restaurant MP Taverna closes in Roslyn". Newsday. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  27. ↑ "Top-Notch Chefs to Turn Evilicious in Cutthroat Kitchen's First Superstar Sabotage Tournament".
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