Alex Guarnaschelli

{{Short description|American chef (born 1969)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Use American English|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox chef  | name = Alex Guarnaschelli | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|6|20}} | birth_place = St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. | birth_name = Alexandra Maria Guarnaschelli |education=Horace Mann School, Barnard College (BA)| spouse = Brandon Clark (2007–2015) | children = 1 |known_for=Chef, cookbook author, television personality| alma_mater = Barnard College | ratings =  | restaurants = {{Unbulleted list| Butter Midtown, New York City (2003–present)}} | prevrests = {{Unbulleted list| The Darby, New York City (?–2013)}} | television = {{Unbulleted list|''The Best Thing I Ever Ate''|''The Cooking Loft with Alex Guarnaschelli''|''Food Network Challenge''|''Chopped''|''Iron Chef America''|''Alex's Day Off''|''All-Star Academy''|''Supermarket Stakeout''|''Worst Cooks in America''|''Alex vs. America''|''The Kitchen''}} | awards = | website = {{URL|www.alexguarnaschelli.com}} }}

'''Alexandra Maria Guarnaschelli'''<ref name="ironchef">{{cite episode|title=Italian Holiday Battle|series=Iron Chef Showdown|url=http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/iron-chef-showdown/episodes/italian-holiday-battle|network=Food Network|time=36:39|airdate=December 6, 2017|accessdate=July 31, 2019}}</ref> (born June 20, 1969)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alex Guarnaschelli Bio|url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/profiles/talent/alex-guarnaschelli/bio|access-date=2021-07-19|website=Food Network|language=en}}</ref> is an American chef, cookbook author, and television personality. She currently serves as an executive chef at New York City's Butter restaurant and was executive chef at The Darby restaurant before its closing. Guarnaschelli studied cooking extensively in France.

She appears as a television personality on the Food Network shows ''The Kitchen'', ''Chopped'' (as a judge), ''Iron Chef America'', ''All Star Family Cook-off'', ''Guy's Grocery Games'' (as both a judge and a competitor), and ''The Best Thing I Ever Ate''. She hosts ''Alex's Day Off'', ''The Cooking Loft'', and ''Supermarket Stakeout''.<ref name="cc">{{cite web|date=March 30, 2014|title=Alex Guarnaschelli|url=http://thechefsconnection.com/alex-guarnaschelli|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304022112/http://thechefsconnection.com/alex-guarnaschelli/|archive-date=March 4, 2016|access-date=May 25, 2015|publisher=TheChefsConnection.com|quote=Born:1969}}</ref> In 2012, she won that season of ''The Next Iron Chef: Redemption''. In January 2022, she premiered her newest show, ''Alex vs. America'', also on Food Network.

In 2013, Guarnaschelli's first cookbook was published. ''Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook'' mixes autobiographical details with favorite recipes from her professional life that she adapted for the home.<ref name=book>{{cite web |title=My Book |url=http://alexguarnaschelli.com/my-book/ |access-date=December 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103062432/http://alexguarnaschelli.com/my-book/ |archive-date=January 3, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Early life==

Guarnaschelli was the only child of cookbook editor, the late Maria Guarnaschelli<ref name= Advice>{{cite web | url= http://www.cookiemag.com/food/2008/05/chefpicks | title= Advice from a Chef: Alex Guarnaschelli| date= May 2007 |website = Cookiemag.com | first = Julie | last = Alvin | url-status = dead| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080630213202/http://www.cookiemag.com/food/2008/05/chefpicks |archivedate= June 30, 2008 | accessdate = August 6, 2022}}</ref> and John Guarnaschelli.<ref name= mebio>{{cite web |title=Me |url= http://alexguarnaschelli.com/me/ | first = Alex | last= Guarnaschelli | website = alexguarnaschelli.com |publisher= Alex Guarnaschelli | access-date=December 16, 2014}}</ref> She was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but the family moved to New York City when she was just a few days old.

Guarnaschelli's culinary experience started while watching her mother test numerous recipes at home while editing cookbooks.

She graduated from Horace Mann School in 1987 and from Barnard College in 1991 with a degree in art history.<ref name="cc" />

==Career==

In 1991, she worked for minimum wage in a restaurant, ''An American Place'', for one year.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Guarnaschelli worked under Larry Forgione (whose son is Iron Chef Marc Forgione), and then at a number of restaurants in France, New York and Los Angeles, including Guy Savoy's ''La Butte Chaillot''. She also worked at Daniel Boulud's eponymous restaurant and Joachim Splichal's Patina, before becoming the executive chef at Butter Midtown in 2003.<ref name=mebio/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.butterrestaurant.com/ |title=Butter Midtown |last=Kirichik |first=Roman |publisher=Butter Restaurant| website = butterrestaurant.com |access-date=August 17, 2016}}</ref> She was executive chef at The Darby restaurant before its closing in 2013.<ref name= darbyclosed>{{cite web |last1=Wang |first1=Andy |title=Darby supper club to close in a month | website= nypost.com |url= https://nypost.com/2013/06/29/darby-supper-club-to-close-in-a-month/ |access-date=December 16, 2014| date=2013-06-29 }}</ref> She chairs the Museum of Food and Drink's Culinary Council.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.mofad.org/advisors/|title=Advisors| website = mofad.org | publisher=Museum of Food and Drink| access-date=May 29, 2019| archive-date=July 29, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200729231845/https://www.mofad.org/advisors/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2022, it was announced that Guarnaschelli became godmother of the ''Discovery Princess'' cruise ship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Princess Cruises Announces Godparents of Discovery Princess |url=https://crew-center.com/princess-cruises-announces-godparents-discovery-princess |access-date=3 August 2023}}</ref>

==Television appearances==

Guarnaschelli was a competitor on The Food Network's ''Iron Chef America'', taking on Cat Cora in the 2007 "Farmers' Market Battle." Cora won the challenge. Guarnaschelli has since appeared as a judge on the program. In 2011, she competed in the fourth season of ''The Next Iron Chef'', where she placed as the third runner-up. She also competed on the ''Food Network Challenge'' Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast episode and lost the competition.<ref>{{cite web |title= Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast : Food Network Challenge |website = FoodNetwork.com |url= http://www.foodnetwork.com/food-network-challenge/ultimate-thanksgiving-feast/index.html |access-date=August 17, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121019205151/http://www.foodnetwork.com/food-network-challenge/ultimate-thanksgiving-feast/index.html |archive-date=October 19, 2012 |url-status= dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> After competing in the fourth season of ''The Next Iron Chef'', Guarnaschelli became a sous chef to Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

In 2008, she became the host of The Food Network's ''The Cooking Loft with Alex Guarnaschelli'', in which the chef teaches a small group of students how to construct new variations of classic dishes.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Cooking Loft |website = FoodNetwork.com |url= http://www.foodnetwork.com/the-cooking-loft/index.html |access-date= August 17, 2016}}</ref> Guarnaschelli has been a judge on Food Network's competition show ''Food Network Challenge'', and frequently appears as a judge on Food Network's cooking competition show ''Chopped'', ''Cooks Vs. Cons'', ''Young and Hungry'', and ''Guy's Grocery Games'', as had appeared on the Food series ''The Best Thing I Ever Ate''.<ref name="cc" />

Guarnaschelli starred in the Food Network television show ''Alex's Day Off'',<ref>{{cite web |title=Alex's Day Off |website= FoodNetwork.com |url= http://www.foodnetwork.com/alexs-day-off/index.html |access-date= August 17, 2016}}</ref> which premiered in October 2009. It ran for three seasons and 32 episodes<ref>{{cite web |title=Alex's Day Off Episodes |url= https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/alexs-day-off/episodes/ |website= FoodNetwork.com |access-date= January 24, 2022}}</ref> She competed in season 5 of ''The Next Iron Chef: Redemption'', winning in the final Kitchen Stadium showdown against chef Amanda Freitag. Her debut challenge as an Iron Chef on ''Iron Chef America'' aired on December 30, 2012.<ref name="cc" /><ref name="popsugarironchef">{{cite web |last1=Chen |first1=Susannah |title=Alex Guarnaschelli on Next Iron Chef |url= http://www.popsugar.com/food/Alex-Guarnaschelli-Interview-Next-Iron-Chef-Super-Chefs-20146025 |publisher= | website = Popsugar.com |access-date= December 16, 2014}}</ref> Guarnaschelli made guest appearances on the Nickelodeon television show ''Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn'', on the one-hour special "Go Hollywood" on November 25, 2015 and later on the ABC television show ''The Real O'Neals'' in the episode "The Real Thanksgiving" on November 15, 2016.

She later made appearances as a judge in episode five of Iron Chef Gauntlet, where chef Sarah Gruenberg was eliminated before the final showdown in episode six "The Gauntlet",<ref>Brown, Alton (host) (May 14, 2017). "Five Ingredients". Iron Chef Gauntlet. Season 1. Episode 5. Food Network.</ref> and on the Food Network's ''Beat Bobby Flay'', in which she challenged Bobby with her signature lobster dish and also won that challenge. She made a guest appearance as herself in the season 5 finale of the ABC Family sitcom ''Young and Hungry'', in which her job offer to Emily Osment's main protagonist Gabi serves as the crux to the episode's storyline, left unresolved due to cancellation of both the show and a planned film wrap-up.<ref name="younghungry">{{cite web |last1= Swift|first1=Andy |last2= Schwartz |first2=Ryan |title=Young & Hungry Series Finale Movie Scrapped; Emily Osment Reveals Answer to 'Obvious' Cliffhanger |url= https://tvline.com/2018/08/24/young-hungry-movie-cancelled-gabi-josh-ending-explained/ |publisher= | website = TVLine.com |date=August 24, 2018 |access-date= May 28, 2023}}</ref> She also appeared in the Showtime series ''Billions'' and as a mentor on season 20 of ''Worst Cooks in America'' as the captain of the Blue Team, opposite Anne Burrell. Alex ultimately became the winning mentor.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

In 2022, she premiered ''Alex vs. America'', also on Food Network. <ref>{{cite web |title=Alex Guarnaschelli Battles Chefs From Across The Country In New Series Alex vs America |url= https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/shows/11/alex-vs-america |website=FoodNetwork.com |date= November 30, 2021| access-date= January 17, 2022 }}</ref>

==Personal life==

On April 29, 2007, Guarnaschelli married Brandon Clark.<ref name= married>{{cite news |last1=Sipher |first1=Devan |title=Alexandra Guarnaschelli and Brandon Clark |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/20/fashion/weddings/20vows.html |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date= December 16, 2014| date=2007-05-20 }}</ref> The two met in 2006 at New York's Institute of Culinary Education while Alex was teaching a fish class. Their daughter, Ava,<ref name= Advice /> was born in July 2007.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url= http://www.grubstreet.com/2007/09/butters_alex_guarnaschelli_is.html |title=Butter's Alex Guarnaschelli Is Her Baby's Personal Chef |magazine=Grub Street |access-date=August 17, 2016}}</ref>

The couple's marriage eventually ended, and in June 2020, Guarnaschelli announced her engagement to chef Michael Castellon, a ''Chopped'' winner who had proposed to her on her birthday over the weekend of June 19–20.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Food Network Star Alex Guarnaschelli Is Engaged: 'I Want to Have a Blowout' Wedding, She Says|url=https://people.com/food/alex-guarnaschelli-engaged/|access-date=2020-06-23|magazine=People|language=EN}}</ref> In February 2022, it was announced that the couple ended their engagement.<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 21, 2022|first=Greta |last=Bjornson|title=Alex Guarnaschelli and Fiancé Michael Castellon End Engagement After 5 Years Together|url=https://people.com/food/alex-guarnaschelli-and-fiance-michael-castellon-end-engagement-after-five-years-together/|access-date=2022-02-21|website=PEOPLE.com|language=en}}</ref>

==Filmography==

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%;" ! colspan=4 style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Television |- ! Year ! Show ! Role ! Notes |- | 2007–2018 | ''Iron Chef America'' | Herself / Iron Chef<br/> Sous Chef / Judge | Was a sous chef under Geoffrey Zakarian before becoming an Iron Chef |- | rowspan=2|2008 | ''The Cooking Loft'' | Host | |- | ''Dear Food Network: Thanksgiving'' | Herself | |- | 2009 | ''Food Detectives'' | Herself | Season 2 episode 1: "Tastes Like Chicken" |- | 2009–2011 | ''Alex's Day Off'' | Host | |- | 2009–2018 | ''Food Network Star'' | Host / Judge | |- | 2009–present | ''Chopped'' | Herself / Judge / Competitor | 216 episodes |- | 2009–2019 | ''The Best Thing I Ever Ate'' | Herself | 45 episodes |- | rowspan=2|2010 | ''Dear Food Network'' | Herself | Episode: "Thanksgiving Top Ten 2" |- | ''Chefography'' | Herself | Episode: "Alex Guarnaschelli" |- | 2010–2020 | ''Worst Cooks in America'' | Herself / Mentor | Blue Team mentor - Season 20<br/> Critic - Season 1 episode 6: "Final Test" |- | rowspan=2|2011–2012 | ''Thanksgiving Live!'' | Herself | TV special |- | ''The Perfect 3'' | Herself | 4 episodes |- | 2011–2013 | ''The Best Thing I Ever Made'' | Herself | 10 episodes |- | 2012–2015 | ''Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off'' | Herself / Judge | 4 episodes |- | rowspan=2|2012 | ''Iron Chef America Countdown'' | Herself | 6 episodes |- | ''Unique Eats'' | Herself | 3 episodes |- | 2013 | ''Southern Fried Everything'' | Herself | Episode 2: "Fair Fare" |- | 2013–present | ''Beat Bobby Flay'' | Herself / Judge / Competitor | 45 episodes |- | rowspan=2|2014 | ''America's Best Cook'' | Herself / Mentor | |- | ''Deadliest Catch: The Bait'' | Herself | 2 episodes |- | 2014–2021, and since 2025 | ''Guy's Grocery Games'' | Herself / Judge / Mentor<br/> Competitor / Judge and Competitor | 28 episodes |- | rowspan=4|2015 | ''Best. Ever.'' | Herself | Episode 3: "Best. Burger. Ever." |- | ''Burgers, Brew and 'Que'' | Herself | Season 1 episode 3: "Finger-Licking Good" |- | ''Thanksgiving at Bobby's'' | Herself | |- | ''Christmas at Bobby's'' | Herself | |- | rowspan=3|2015–2016 | ''All-Star Academy'' | Herself / Mentor / Judge | 16 episodes |- | ''Chopped After Hours'' | Herself | 14 episodes - 1 episode as host |- | ''Guilty Pleasures'' | Herself | 8 episodes |- | 2016 | ''The Real O'Neals'' | Herself | Season 2 episode 5: "The Real Tradition" |- | 2016–2017 | ''Cooks vs. Cons'' | Herself / Judge | 15 episodes |- | 2016–2019 | ''Chopped Junior'' | Herself / Judge | 11 episodes |- | rowspan=2|2017 | ''Legend of Iron Chef'' | Herself | |- | ''Iron Chef Eats'' | Herself | |- | 2017–2019 | ''Guy's Ranch Kitchen'' | Herself | 15 episodes |- | rowspan=3|2018 | ''Iron Chef Gauntlet'' | Herself | Season 2 episode 4: "Ingenuity" |- | ''Ideal Home'' | Alex | |- | ''Young & Hungry'' | Herself | Season 5 episode 20: "Young & Yacht'in" |- | 2018–2019 | ''Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge'' | Herself / Judge | |- | rowspan=5|2019 | ''Bottle Service'' | Herself | Episode: "Sip, Savor, Spit with Alex Guarnaschelli" |- | ''Martha Bakes'' | Herself | Season 11 episode 12: "Pantry Milks" |- | ''Billions'' | Herself | Season 4 episode 12: "Extreme Sandbox" |- | ''Family Restaurant Rivals'' | Herself / Judge | Episode 8: "Family Freezer Burn" |- | ''Good Eats'' | Herself | Season 15 was dubbed on screen as ''Good Eats: The Return''<br/> Season 15 episode 5: "My Shakshuka" |- | 2019–present | ''Supermarket Stakeout'' | Host |- | 2020 | ''All-Star Best Thing I Ever Ate'' | Herself | 8 episodes |- | 2020–2024 | ''The Kitchen'' | Herself / co-host | |- | 2022–present | ''Alex vs. America'' | Herself | |- | 2023–present | ''Ciao House'' | Herself | |}

==Bibliography==

* ''Old School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook'' (Clarkson Potter, 2013) {{ISBN|9780307956552}} * ''The Home Cook'' (Clarkson Potter, 2017) {{ISBN|9780307956583}} * ''Cook With Me'' (Clarkson Potter, 2020) {{ISBN|9780593135082}}

== References == {{reflist}}

==External links==

* {{official website|http://www.alexguarnaschelli.com}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140101133728/http://www.foodnetwork.com/chefs/alexandra-guarnaschelli/index.html Alex Guarnaschelli] biography at Food Network. Archived from [http://www.foodnetwork.com/chefs/alexandra-guarnaschelli/index.html the original] on January 1, 2014. Note; Virtually same content as at TheChefsConnection.com, cited above. * {{cite web|url=https://pursuethepassion.com/who-cares-if-youre-the-clown-as-long-as-you-can-dance-in-the-circus/| title=Alex Guarnaschelli – Executive Chef, Butter|date=October 18, 2007|publisher=PursueThePassion.com|access-date= July 29, 2020|archive-date=July 21, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200721072414/https://pursuethepassion.com/who-cares-if-youre-the-clown-as-long-as-you-can-dance-in-the-circus/|url-status=live}}

{{The Next Iron Chef}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Guarnaschelli, Alex}} Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:Chefs from Missouri Category:Chefs from New York City Category:American television chefs Category:Writers from St. Louis Category:American gastronomes Category:American people of Italian descent Category:Food Network chefs Category:Reality cooking competition winners Category:Barnard College alumni Category:20th-century American women Category:21st-century American women writers Category:Judges in American reality television series Category:Horace Mann School alumni Category:American women food writers Category:American cookbook writers Category:Writers from New York City