Karen Akunowicz
American chef (born 1978)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Karen Akunowicz (born September 17, 1978)[1] is an American chef in Boston, Massachusetts.
Karen Akunowicz | |
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| Born | September 17, 1978 Kearny, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Education | University of Massachusetts Amherst, Cambridge School of Culinary Arts |
| Spouse |
LJ Johnson (m. 2014) |
| Children | 1 |
| Culinary career | |
Current restaurant(s)
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Previous restaurant
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Television show(s) | |
Award(s) won
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| Notes | |
Akunowicz is the chef and proprietor of Fox & the Knife enoteca in Boston, which has been named to several best new restaurants lists. She received a 2018 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Northeast.
Early life and education
Akunowicz was born and raised in Kearny, New Jersey. She graduated from Kearny High School in 1996.[2]
After graduating from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she moved to Boston.[citation needed] 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 L'Avian Blu in Modena, Italy[5] and at Boston restaurants Via Matta and Oleana before becoming the executive chef and a partner at Joanne Chang's Myers+Chang.[6] She was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2015, and she won the title of Best Chef: Northeast in 2018.[7]
Akunowicz co-authored a cookbook published in 2017, Myers+Chang at Home: Recipes from the Beloved Boston Eatery.[8]
In 2019, Akunowicz opened her own restaurant, Fox & the Knife, an Italian restaurant in South Boston.[9] In 2019, it was named Best New Restaurant in America by Food and Wine Magazine and Eater International[10][6] and in 2020 by USA Today.[11] Fox & the Knife was also nominated for the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in America in 2019 and 2020.[12]
In November 2021, Akunowicz opened her second restaurant, Bar Volpe, in South Boston.[13] It focuses on Southern Italian cuisine.[14][15]
In March 2024, Akunowicz opened an offshoot of Fox & the Knife, named Fox & Flight, in Boston's Logan International Airport.[16]
Television appearances
In 2014, Akunowicz competed on Beat Bobby Flay (season 1, episode 4), losing to Flay with Chicken & Waffles.[17] In 2015, Akunowicz was a contestant on season 13 of Top Chef.[1] She 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.[18] In 2022 she competed in Season 3 of Tournament of Champions.[19]
Personal life
Bibliography
- (with Joanne Chang) Myers+Chang At Home: Recipes from the Beloved Boston Eatery (Harvest, 2017) ISBN 9780544836471
- Crave: Bold Recipes That Make You Want Seconds (Countryman Press, 2023) ISBN 9781682687055