Karen Akunowicz

Karen Akunowicz (born September 17, 1978)[1] is an American chef, cookbook author, and television personality. Akunowicz is a Top Chef television alum and was the 2018 James Beard Award, for "Best Chef: Northeast".[2] She is based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Karen Akunowicz
Born (1978-09-17) September 17, 1978
Kearny, New Jersey, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst,
Cambridge School of Culinary Arts
Culinary career
Current restaurant(s)
      • Fox & the Knife Boston (2019–present)
        * Bar Volpe, Boston (2021–present)
Previous restaurant(s)
  • Myers + Chang, Oleana, Via Matta
Television show(s)
Award(s) won

Early life and education

Akunowicz was born and raised in Kearny, New Jersey. She graduated from Kearny High School in 1996.

After graduating from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she moved to Boston. While waiting tables, Akunowicz considered applying to graduate school for social work, but she decided to go to culinary school instead, attending the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts.[3][4]

Career

Akunowicz worked at Boston restaurants Via Matta and Oleana before becoming the executive chef and a partner at Joanne Chang's Myers+Chang.[2] She was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2015, and she won the title of Best Chef: Northeast in 2018.[5]

Akunowicz co-authored a cookbook published in 2017, Myers+Chang at Home: Recipes from the Beloved Boston Eatery.[6]

In 2019, Akunowicz opened her own restaurant, Fox & the Knife, an Italian restaurant in South Boston.[7] In 2019, Fox and the Knife was named Best New Restaurant in America by Food and Wine Magazine and Eater International.[8][2] In 2020, it was given the same honor by USA Today.[9] Fox & the Knife was also nominated for the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in America in 2019 and 2020.

In November 2021, Akunowicz opened her second restaurant, Bar Volpe, in South Boston.[10] It focuses on Southern Italian cuisine.[11][12]

In January 2022, The Boston Globe published an article about an outbreak of COVID-19 cases that spread between Akunowicz's two South Boston restaurants, Fox & the Knife and the newly opened Bar Volpe.[13]

Television appearances

In 2015, Akunowicz was a contestant on season 13 of Top Chef.[1]

Akunowicz was a guest judge on Season 6 of Top Chef Canada in 2019.[4] In 2020, Akunowicz competed on Top Chef: All-Stars L.A.[14]

In 2022, Akunowicz will compete in Season 3 of Guy Fieri's Tournament of Champions.[15]

Personal life

Akumowicz identifies as a queer femme.[16]

References
  1. "Meet Top Chef Season 13's Cheftestants: Part 1". Top Chef. Bravo TV. November 25, 2015. Birthday: September 17, 1978
  2. Blumenthal, Rachel Leah (2019-07-10). "A South Boston Enoteca Is Among Eater's Best New Restaurants of 2019". Eater Boston. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  3. Canessa, Kevin (December 15, 2015). "Kearny native competing for 'Top Chef'". The Observer.
  4. Baskin, Kara (February 11, 2019). "A conversation with Karen Akunowicz of Fox & the Knife". Boston Globe.
  5. Cain, Jacqueline (May 7, 2018). "Karen Akunowicz Is the James Beard 2018 Best Chef: Northeast". Boston Magazine.
  6. Chang, Joanne; Akunowicz, Karen (2017). Myers+Chang at Home: Recipes from the Beloved Boston Eatery. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780544836730.
  7. Hatic, Dana (2019-05-31). "Chef Karen Akunowicz Runs a 'Damn Good Restaurant,' Says One Critic". Eater Boston. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  8. "Food & Wine Names Fox & the Knife a Best New Restaurant". Boston Magazine. 2019-05-21. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  9. "USA Today readers named Fox & the Knife as one of America's Best New Restaurants". www.boston.com. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  10. "After Tumultuous Year, Karen Akunowicz Announces New Restaurant Devoted to Southern Italy". Food & Wine. May 25, 2021. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  11. Kearnan, Scott (November 4, 2021). "First Look: Top Chef All Stars' Karen Akunowicz Opens Bar Volpe in South Boston This Weekend". Boston Magazine.
  12. Blumenthal, Rachel Leah (2021-05-27). "Fox & the Knife's Karen Akunowicz Will Open Another South Boston Restaurant". Eater Boston. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  13. Koh, Elizabeth (January 4, 2022). "Already battered by pandemic, restaurants wrestle with Omicron outbreaks". Boston Globe.
  14. "Karen Akunowicz". Top Chef. Bravo TV. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  15. Rosario, Alexandra Del (18 January 2022). "Guy Fieri's 'Tournament Of Champions' Renewed For Season 3 At Food Network". Deadline.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  16. "Gay Travel to Boston: Queer Top Chef Star Karen Akunowicz Opens New Restaurant". Gaytravel.com. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
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