Gregory Gourdet

Gregory Gourdet (born (1975-07-25)July 25, 1975) is an American chef, writer, restaurateur, and former finalist on the twelfth and seventeenth seasons of Bravo's American reality television series, Top Chef.[1] He is of Haitian descent. He is the owner of the pop-up restaurant Kann and the former executive chef and culinary director of Departure at The Nines in Portland, Oregon. His book, Everyone’s Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health, is a national bestseller.

Gregory Gourdet
Born (1975-07-25) July 25, 1975
New York City
EducationNYU
University of Montana
Culinary Institute of America
OccupationChef
Websitewww.gregorygourdet.com

Early life and education

Gourdet was born on (1975-07-25)July 25, 1975, in New York City to Haitian immigrant parents.[2] He was raised in Queens, and graduated high school from St. Andrew's (Delaware). He attended NYU for one year, where he studied pre-med. He then attended University of Montana (UM), where he studied wildlife biology before graduating with a degree in French.

During his time at UM, Gourdet discovered his passion for cooking, and went on to enroll in The Culinary Institute of America.[3] From there, he earned an internship with chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and was mentored by him for almost seven years.[4]

Career

After graduating from The Culinary Institute of America in 2000, Gourdet went to work full-time for chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, honing his craft at three of Vongerichten's restaurants before climbing the ranks to become one of his chef de cuisines.

In 2010, Gourdet took the helm as Executive Chef of Departure Restaurant + Lounge in Portland, Oregon, where he created modern Asian fare by combining local ingredients of the Pacific Northwest with flavors and traditions of Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Korea. In 2016, he was promoted to Culinary Director when the brand expanded to Denver, Colorado.

In 2019, Gourdet ended his 10-year tenure with Departure to focus on opening his own restaurant, Kann, a wood-fired concept that strives to bring the cuisine of his Haitian heritage and the Caribbean diaspora to the American spotlight. In 2020, after COVID-19 pushed back plans to open the restaurant, Gourdet launched a Portland Kann pop-up in Portland.[5]

Kann is slated to open in Portland in 2022.

Book

In 2021, Gourdet released his first cookbook, Everyone's Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health,[6] the ultimate guide to cooking globally-inspired dishes free of gluten, dairy, soy, legumes, and grains. The book was written with J.J. Goode and published by Harper Wave Books on May 11, 2021.[7] The book is a national bestseller that aims to make healthy eating accessible.

Television appearances

Gourdet first achieved television fame in 2015 when he competed on Bravo's Top Chef Season 12 and finished runner-up. He went on to make numerous other TV appearances, including competing once more on Top Chef: All-Stars L.A., and finishing again as a finalist.

Filmography
Television
Year Title Role
2011 Extreme Chef Contestant
2014 Into the Underbelly Self
2014 Cutthroat Kitchen Contestant
2015 Top Chef (Season 12) Contestant
2015 Watch What Happens: Live Self
2016 Portlandia Gregory Gourdet
2018 Iron Chef Showdown Challenger
2020 Top Chef (Season 17) Contestant
2020 Race in America: A Movement Not A Moment (TV Special) Self
2020 DotGay Presents: The Library (TV Miniseries Documentary) Self
2020 Today Self
2021 Top Chef (Season 18) Guest Judge
2021 Top Chef Amateurs Guest Judge
2021 Top Chef Family Style Guest Judge

Awards

Gourdet was named "Chef of the Year" in 2013 by the Oregon Department of Agriculture. In 2014, he was given the same honor by Eater Portland.

He is a three-time James Beard Award semifinalist, and, in 2020, received his first nomination as a finalist for the award in the category Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific.

Personal life

Gourdet is an avid long-distance runner. He lives in Portland, Oregon. He is openly gay.[8]

See also

References
  1. "Q&A with a Colorado Star Chef: Gregory Gourdet". Colorado Tourism Office. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  2. Borden, Maggie (July 11, 2018). "Why This Chef Now Has Haiti on the Menu". James Beard Foundation. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  3. Hayes, Elizabeth (April 13, 2016). "Portland 'Top Chef' Gregory Gourdet's tough journey to addiction recovery". Portland Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  4. "'Top Chef' Alum Gregory Gourdet to Release New Cookbook". EDGE Media Network. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
  5. "Introducing: The Yurt Villages, a One-of-a-Kind Outdoor Dining Experience". Resy. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  6. Gourdet, Gregory; Goode, J. J. Goode (2021). Everyone's Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health. New York: Harper Wave. ISBN 978-0062984517.
  7. "Everyone's Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health". Publishers Weekly. April 15, 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. "Openly Gay 'Top Chef' Alum Gregory Gourdet To Judge On New Season". Instinct Magazine. 2020-09-30. Retrieved 2021-05-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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