Karen Akunowicz

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Karen Akunowicz
File:Karen Akunowicz.jpg
Born (1978-09-17) September 17, 1978 (age 46)
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)
    Fox & Flight, Boston (2024–present)
Previous restaurant(s)
  • Myers + Chang
Television show(s)
Award(s) won
Notes

Karen Akunowicz (born September 17, 1978)[1] is an American chef in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2), losing to Flay with Chicken & Waffles. 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.[17] In 2022 she competed in Season 3 of Guy Fieri's Tournament of Champions.[18]

Personal life

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Meet Top Chef Season 13's Cheftestants: Part 1". Top Chef. Bravo TV. November 25, 2015. Birthday: September 17, 1978
  2. ↑ Canessa Jr., Kevin A. (December 15, 2015). "Kearny native competing for 'Top Chef'". The Observer. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  3. ↑ Canessa, Kevin (December 15, 2015). "Kearny native competing for 'Top Chef'". The Observer.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Baskin, Kara (February 11, 2019). "A conversation with Karen Akunowicz of Fox & the Knife". Boston Globe.
  5. ↑ "Cambridge Culinary – Ignite your Passion". Retrieved 2022-05-29.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 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.
  7. ↑ Cain, Jacqueline (May 7, 2018). "Karen Akunowicz Is the James Beard 2018 Best Chef: Northeast". Boston Magazine.
  8. ↑ Chang, Joanne; Akunowicz, Karen (2017). Myers+Chang at Home: Recipes from the Beloved Boston Eatery. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780544836730.
  9. ↑ Hatic, Dana (2019-05-31). "Chef Karen Akunowicz Runs a 'Damn Good Restaurant,' Says One Critic". Eater Boston. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  10. ↑ "Food & Wine Names Fox & the Knife a Best New Restaurant". Boston Magazine. 2019-05-21. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  11. ↑ "USA Today readers named Fox & the Knife as one of America's Best New Restaurants". www.boston.com. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  12. ↑ "Fox & the Knife: James Beard Semi-Finalist for Best New Restaurant". Caught in Southie. February 27, 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "After Tumultuous Year, Karen Akunowicz Announces New Restaurant Devoted to Southern Italy". Food & Wine. May 25, 2021. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  14. ↑ Kearnan, Scott (November 4, 2021). "First Look: Top Chef All Stars' Karen Akunowicz Opens Bar Volpe in South Boston This Weekend". Boston Magazine.
  15. ↑ Blumenthal, Rachel Leah (2021-05-27). "Fox & the Knife's Karen Akunowicz Will Open Another South Boston Restaurant". Eater Boston. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  16. ↑ Blumenthal, Rachel Leah (March 11, 2024). "Acclaimed Chef Karen Akunowicz Brings Northern Italian Food to Logan Airport". Boston Magazine.
  17. ↑ "Karen Akunowicz". Top Chef. Bravo TV. 19 October 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  18. ↑ Rosario, Alexandra Del (18 January 2022). "Guy Fieri's 'Tournament Of Champions' Renewed For Season 3 At Food Network". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 27 January 2022.

External links

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