{{short description|Pastry chef}} {{Infobox person |name = Johnny Iuzzini |image = Johnny Iuzzini March, 2014.jpg |imagesize = |caption = Iuzzini in 2014 |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|8|31|mf=y}} |birth_place = New York<ref>[http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=17714669 Johnny Iuzzini] March, 2014</ref> |occupation = Pastry chef, cookbook author, TV celebrity |years_active = 1994–present |website = {{URL|www.johnnyiuzzini.com}} }} '''Johnny Iuzzini ''' /u-zee-nee/ (born August 31, 1974) is a New York City-based American pastry chef, television celebrity, and cookbook author. He served as executive pastry chef at Daniel from 2001 through 2002 and at Jean Georges from 2002 through 2011. Iuzzini is the author of two cookbooks<ref>Vallis, Alexandra, [http://www.grubstreet.com/2008/09/practice_your_fourplay_with_johnny_iuzzini.html "Practice Your ‘FourPlay’ With Johnny Iuzzini"], ''grubstreet.com'', September 22, 2008</ref><ref>Merwin, Hugh, [http://www.grubstreet.com/2012/01/johnny-iuzzini-new-cookbook-details.html "Post-Retirement, Johnny Iuzzini Has a New Cookbook in the Works"], ''grubstreet.com'', January 3, 2012</ref> and was a judge on the first three seasons of ''The Great American Baking Show''. On November 29, 2017, Iuzzini was accused of sexual harassment by four former employees<ref name="Kimble">{{cite web |last=Kimble |first=Lindsay |url=https://ew.com/tv/2017/11/29/johnny-iuzzini-sexual-harassment/ |title=Former Top Chef judge Johnny Iuzzini accused of sexual harassment by four former employees |publisher=Entertainment Weekly |date=November 29, 2017 |accessdate=December 1, 2017 |archive-date=November 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130000623/http://ew.com/tv/2017/11/29/johnny-iuzzini-sexual-harassment/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the third season of ''The Great American Baking Show'' was pulled after one episode.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/abc-pulls-great-american-baking-show-johnny-iuzzini-sexual-harassment-claims-1067563|title=ABC Pulls 'Great American Baking Show' Amid Johnny Iuzzini Sexual Harassment Claims|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2017-12-14|language=en}}</ref>
== Early life == Iuzzini was born on August 31, 1974, and raised in the Catskills region of New York. His father was a plumbing and heating technician, his mother a veterinarian assistant and wildlife rehabilitator.<ref name="McBride">McBride, Anne E., [http://www.ice.edu/press/the-ice-interviews/interview-with-johnny-iuzzini "Interview with Johnny Iuzzini"], ''ice.com'', January, 2007</ref><ref name="McDermott">McDermott, Miranda J., [http://www.nypl.org/blog/2013/04/04/teenlive-nypl-retrospect-johnny-iuzzini "TeenLIVE at the NYPL in Retrospect: Johnny Iuzzini on September 20, 2012"], ''nypl.org'', April, 2013</ref>
== Career == === Beginnings === Iuzzini's first restaurant job was after school as a part-time dishwasher at the local golf club.<ref>Rosenberg, Sarah and Caron, Christina, [https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Platelist/pastry-chef-johnny-iuzzinis-driving-ambition/story?id=6904980 "Pastry Chef Johnny Iuzzini's Driving Ambition"], ''abcnews.go.com'', March 20, 2009</ref> At the time, he was enrolled in his high school's voc-tech culinary program. Iuzzini garnered his first cooking award by finishing second in a New York City culinary competition.<ref name="McBride"/> At age seventeen, he took a job as garde manger, beginning his career in New York City, and began assisting Pastry Chef Eric Gouteyron at the latter's restaurant. He then switched jobs to work making desserts full-time, launching his career as a pastry chef.<ref name="McBride"/> He attended The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, graduating in 1994 with a Baking and Pastry Arts degree.<ref name="McBride" />
=== Pastry chef === During his externship at the Culinary Institute of America, Iuzzini worked with pastry chef Lincoln Carson at Luxe. Iuzzini and Carson then began working for Francois Payard. During the next three and a half years, he managed all dessert stations at Daniel and became Payard's close assistant. When Payard opened his Payard Pâtisserie and Bistro in 1997, Iuzzini was selected as sous chef while continuing to work at Daniel.<ref name="Lurie">Lurie, Joshua,[http://www.foodgps.com/qa-with-pastry-chef-johnny-iuzzini/ "Interview: Pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini Discusses the Catskills, Cocktails, Clubbing, Traveling the World and More"], June 2011</ref><ref name="Bernard">Bernard, Sarah,[https://nymag.com/nymetro/food/features/n_8710/ "Sweet Sensation"], ''nymag.com''</ref>
In 1998, Iuzzini studied pastry technique while staging at several of the country's finest patisseries.<ref>[http://www.foodislife.org/cia-alumni-profiles/johnny-iuzzini-94-executive-pastry-chef-of-jean-georges/ "Johnny Iuzzini ’94, Pastry Chef/Consultant, Sugar Fueled, Inc."], ''foodislife.com''</ref> After eight months around the world, he returned to New York to work for Daniel Boulud, opening Café Boulud and the new Daniel as Executive Sous Chef. In 2001, Boulud promoted the 26-year-old Iuzzini to Executive Pastry Chef.
In May 2002, Jean-Georges Vongerichten selected Iuzzini for Executive Pastry Chef at Restaurant Jean Georges. Iuzzini was named the “Best Pastry Chef” by New York Magazine in 2002, nominated for “Outstanding Pastry Chef of the Year” nomination by the James Beard Foundation in 2003,<ref>[http://www.jamesbeard.org/awards/jean-georges-2003-337 "2003 Outstanding Pastry Chef Nomination"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517151955/http://www.jamesbeard.org/awards/jean-georges-2003-337 |date=2014-05-17 }}, ''jamesbeard.org''</ref> and named one of the “Ten Best Pastry Chefs in America” by Pastry Art and Design Magazine in 2003 and 2004. In 2006, Iuzzini was awarded Outstanding Pastry Chef of the Year<ref>[http://www.nyrestaurantinsider.com/may2006_jamesbeard.asp "The 16th annual James Beard award ceremony"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517122942/http://www.nyrestaurantinsider.com/may2006_jamesbeard.asp |date=2014-05-17 }}, ''nyrestaurantinsider.com''</ref> by the James Beard Foundation. 2007 landed him among the honorees of the title of “10 Most Influential Chefs in America” from Forbes, as one of the “Tastemaking Chefs”.<ref name="CRD">[http://www.cookbookrecipedatabase.com/author/johnny-iuzzini "Johnny Iuzzini Author Profile"], ''cookbookdatabase.com''</ref><ref>Marcus, Miriam, [https://www.forbes.com/2007/03/13/tastemaker-chef-food-forbeslife-cx_mm_0314chef.html "Tastemakers: Chefs"], ''forbes.com'', March 14, 2007</ref>
=== Pastry and culinary arts consulting === In 2011 Iuzzini<ref>Niko, [http://dessertbuzz.com/last-call-johnny-iuzzinis-final-desserts-from-jean-georges-part-i/ "Last call: Johnny Iuzzini’s final desserts from Jean Georges part I"], ''dessertbuzz.com'', January 2, 2012</ref> started a pastry and culinary arts consulting company, Sugar Fueled, Inc,<ref>[http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120327005430/en/Macy’s-Culinary-Council-Updates-Roster-Top-Pastry#.Uz3nB164vxs "Macy’s Culinary Council Updates Its Roster with Top Pastry Chef Johnny Iuzzini"], ''businesswire.com'', March 27, 2012</ref> performing demonstrations of pastry techniques to live audiences. In 2014, he entered a partnership with Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/videos/experience/food-and-wine/videos/2014/10/21/17671801/ "How a pastry chef sources seasonally"], ''usatoday.com''</ref>
=== Television === In September 2010, Iuzzini was cast for two seasons as head judge on the American reality competition show ''Top Chef: Just Desserts'' on the Bravo cable television network.<ref>Forbes, Paula, [http://eater.com/archives/2010/07/01/top-chef-announces-just-desserts-judges.php "Top Chef: Just Desserts Judges Announced! Johnny Iuzzini, Hubert Keller, Dannielle Kyrillos"], ''eater.com'', July 1, 2010</ref><ref>Gallagher, Aileen, [http://www.grubstreet.com/2010/07/johnny_iuzzini_and_hubert_kell.html "Johnny Iuzzini and Hubert Keller to Judge Top Chef: Just Desserts"], ''grubstreet.com'', July 1, 2010</ref> In 2011, the show received the GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Reality Program.<ref>Finke, Nikki, [https://deadline.com/2011/01/22nd-glaad-media-awards-nominations-98343/ "22nd GLAAD Film/TV Awards Nominations"], ''deadline.com'', January 19, 2011</ref> On October 23, 2014, he appeared as a competitor in the "Superstar Sabotage" tournament of ''Cutthroat Kitchen''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/shows/2014/09/alton-brown-cutthroat-kitchen-superstar-sabotage|title=Top-Notch Chefs to Turn Evilicious in Cutthroat Kitchen's First Superstar Sabotage Tournament|website=Food Network|access-date=2019-07-03|archive-date=2019-07-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703203959/https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/shows/2014/09/alton-brown-cutthroat-kitchen-superstar-sabotage|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Sexual harassment allegations== {{See also|Me Too movement}} On November 29, 2017, Iuzzini was accused of sexual harassment by four of his former employees.<ref name="Kimble"/> As a result of the accusations against Iuzzini, the third season of ''The Great American Baking Show'' was pulled after one episode.<ref name=":0"/> On December 13, 2017, Iuzzini was fired from ABC and ''The Great American Baking Show'' following the sexual misconduct allegations.<ref>{{cite news|title=ABC Pulls 'The Great American Baking Show' & Axes Judge Johnny Iuzzini Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations|url=https://deadline.com/2017/12/great-american-baking-show-judge-johnny-iuzzini-fired-sexual-misconduct-abc-episodes-pulled-1202226688/|author=Erik Pedersen|website=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|date=December 13, 2017|accessdate=August 2, 2018}}</ref>
== Books == thumb|Iuzzini at a book signing in 2014 In ''Dessert Fourplay'', Iuzzini provides recipes based upon his after-dinner quartet offerings from Jean Georges.{{citation needed|date=December 2018}} His second cookbook was titled ''Sugar Rush'' and intended for home cooks.<ref>[http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21481463-sugar-rush "Sugar Rush: Master Tips, Techniques, and Recipes for Sweet Baking"], goodreads.com</ref><ref>[http://www.nj.com/cooking/index.ssf/2014/05/derby_day_recipe_chef_johnny_iuzzinis_makers_mark_mint_julep_ice_cream.html "Taste of the Kentucky Derby: Johnny Iuzzini's Maker's Mark mint julep ice cream"], nj.com</ref><ref>[http://www.eater.com/2014/9/25/6844485/johnny-iuzzini-sugar-rush-book-trailer "Here's What it Takes to Make Every Dessert in Pastry Chef Johnny Iuzzini's New Cookbook"], eater.com</ref><ref>[https://www.yahoo.com/food/hes-no-cream-puff-pastry-chef-johnny-iuzzini-105561657721.html?/johnnycreampuff "He’s No Cream Puff: Pastry Chef Johnny Iuzzini Shares His Secrets"], yahoo.com</ref>
==Cookbooks== * {{cite book |last1=Iuzzini |first1=Johnny |last2=Finamore |first2=Roy |date=December 2008 |title=Dessert FourPlay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef |publisher=Clarkson Potter |isbn=978-0-307-35137-1}} * {{cite book |last1=Iuzzini |first1=Johnny |last2=Martin |first2=Wes |date=September 2014 |title=Sugar Rush: Master Tips, Techniques, and Recipes for Sweet Baking |publisher=Clarkson Potter | isbn=978-0-770-43369-7}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071012122232/http://johnnyiuzzini.com/ Official website]}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Iuzzini, Johnny}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:Pastry chefs Category:Chefs from New York City Category:Culinary Institute of America alumni Category:American cookbook writers Category:American male non-fiction writers