The Genius of TODD ENGLISH

Finding the Connection Between Food, Love, and Family

By Sofia Abayan

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Aman that has revolutionized the culinary industry: Todd English has introduced new ways to interact with food from fusing entertainment and his upscale dishes to transporting viewers across the world on his travel food series. “It is truly the democratic way to interact in the world. Humans depend on food. Food defines us,” says the internationally-acclaimed chef. English’s ascent to culinary stardom began when he won his first award in 1991 as the ‘Rising Star of the Year,’ from the James Beard Foundation. Today, English has built his iconic brand into an empire.

He was born in Amarillo, Texas then grew up in Georgia. English, a young athlete played baseball and soccer, won numerous awards, and was recruited to multiple Division 1 schools to play both sports. He went on to play baseball in College, but his career as a collegiate athlete eventually ended due to injury. “Being an athlete and growing up in a tough setting has always helped me in the kitchen: to endure long grueling hours, the heat, and the pressure to perform at a high level. I love it.” Soon after his injury he began cooking and enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America to pursue his career as a chef. English fell in love with the profession and has never looked back since.

In the 80s, English was able to craft his talent at the Institute. “I knew back then I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. The energy, the ever-changing nature of the business. Once I worked at Le Cote Basque with Jean Jacques Rachou, I loved it,” said English. He has opened over 50 remarkable restaurants, an Artisanal bread bakery, and even a cupcake shop that he opened with his daughter, “Curly Cakes”. He is a proud Family Man and prioritizes his role as a father, “In the past, Andy Cohen from Bravo courted the family for an exceptionally long time to do a reality show. It could have changed our lives, but I did not want to sacrifice my family. My three children are everything to me,” explained English. The chef and busy father of three is constantly on the go and making moves.

From TV accolades to theater on Broadway, Todd English holds an impressive list of accomplishments. English is a four-time James Beard Award winner and was named to the James Beard Foundation's Who's

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Who in Food and Beverage in America. Just when you thought he could not get any better, English is also the first ever Iron Chef USA. He was named the title when the Iron Chef network brought the show from Japan to the United States, and it doesn’t stop there - English has hosted multiple food travel series such as “Cooking With Todd English”, “Playing With Fire”, and the Emmy-nominated “Food Trip”. English has appeared on every major national talk show on television, he is a culinary icon that is hard to miss. As his brand skyrocketed, he began to produce his very own “Todd English brand Ceramic Cookware” for the Home Shopping Network. In less than eight years, English sold a whopping 500 million dollars’ worth of his products. Taking inspiration from his travels and experiences, he has opened over fifty restaurants internationally, all instantly recognizable as his own due to their beautiful interiors and entertaining experience. He has successfully opened world-class restaurants in Tokyo, Manila, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. English has been one of the first Chefs to establish signature restaurants on cruise ships such as The Cunard Line Queen Mary and Elizabeth 2. In 1989, English opened his first restau rant, Olives in Boston, which was highly acclaimed soon after opening. By 1994, he had won the award for Best Chefs in America and in 2001, his commercial success was immortalized in print by being named one of the Most Beautiful People in People Magazine. While flattered his reaction was humble, “I was in disbelief. I thought I was being pranked!”. The Chef has opened the “Todd English Food Hall” in The Plaza Hotel in New York City, Dubai, and Manila. Simultaneously, English has extended another location of his first ever restaurant Olives in Abu Dhabi at the Ritz Carlton. Lastly in Florida, English has opened “Todd’s” in West Palm Beach and “Todd English’s BlueZoo” at Disney Orlando.

Today, English continues to transform the traditional dining experience. English is taking Miami and Las Vegas by storm with exciting things coming from English this upcoming year. His latest projects soon to open in Miami are “Sexy Sushi” and “Food Circus” their eccentric names hinting at the promise of an entertaining dining experience. Drawing inspiration from the psychedelic dystopian festival, Burning Man, English’s latest project, AREA15 , is a fairytale come to life featuring one-of-a-kind immersive art installations and dining experiences in the desert of Las Vegas. “The Beast” is an interactive food experience where diners can let go of their inhibitions and, ‘feast like a beast.’ In addition, English is opening a sushi speakeasy bar within AREA15 that merges elements of old Samurai sushi bars with contemporary flares to bring a unique fusion of traditional and contemporary. Finally, English plans to open another location of his first restaurant “Olives” at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas in March of 2021 and a “Todd English Pub & Market” at the Abu Dhabi Airport.

When asked about the future of food and dining, English candidly admits he feels immense pressure, “We have adapted to safety measures and still the largest employer of people in the country is under siege. It is concerning. There are many aspects of the food world that are broken. As a professional chef who has been in the business for a long time, I continue to feel a great responsibility to improve the quality of food and the way it is being provided to the public. However, there are so many lessons to be learned because of this year. Something amazing that can come out of this is an incentive to focus on our health through the food we eat, and I look forward to continuing to be involved in communicating this to the world.” Optimistic about the future, English continues to explore beyond his culinary universe.

“The year 2021 is going to be amazing. More changes are coming, more challenges and I will do my best to continue to grow the brand. Be it in the luxury market, as well as the avant-garde venues we are seeing emerge around the world," English confidently states. As a revolutionary of cooking experiences, Todd English has proven that food is not just about sustenance but about experience, connection, and most importantly the grit and tenacity to be bold.

Dana Bronfman is not only an innovative jeweler, but she is also the Chair of the Junior Advisory Board of Publicolor, a NYC 501 (c)(3) that helps underprivileged children gain traction in their education in the public school system.

Following her late grandfather’s (Sam Bronfman) mission to help the less fortunate, Bronfman continues the legacy of providing support and change people’s lives one day at a time. The long-term youth development program engages high risk students in their education throughout the year. On many occasions, Bronfman donates her own pieces to help fundraise for their gala and fundraising events.

“This year due to covid, it was a little different, but it always works. The undertaking is so positive, you see the colors that are done in these murals throughout the schools, it just lightens up their lives,” said Bronfman who resides in Manhattan after living on the West Coast for decades. Her upbringing also entailed living in San Francisco where she started at an early age being engaged in charity activities.

Now at the helm of a new generation of philanthropists, Bronfman is a fervent admirer of Publicolor’s mission. Most recently, the famous artist Carmen Herrera designed a mural for the non-profit in Manhattan. The founder of the non-profit, Ruth Lande Shuman who is an award-winning industrial designer, is someone close to Bronfman. “She has this knowledge on the psychology effect of color, it is fascinating. This is all thanks to her post-graduate studies, but I have learned the impact it has on children. It is extremely rewarding to see them having better school scores and graduating as well,” said the young philanthropist who has a very promising role in changing the world.

For more on Dana go to www.danabronfman.com & www.publicolor.org

Handsome, stylish, & philanthropic