Todd English

William Todd English(born August 29, 1960) is an Americancelebrity chef, restaurateur, author, and television personality, based inBoston, Massachusetts. He hosted the TV cooking show,Food Trip with Todd English,on PBS. In 2005 he was a judge on the PBS showCooking Under Fire.
His life and career received a chapter inSuper Chefby Juliette Rossant, who had written previously about English for theForbesCelebrity 100 list.Todd English also works as lead chef forDelta Air Lines(US).
English was born inAmarillo, Texas, grew up inSandy Springs, Georgiaand laterBranford, Connecticut.He matriculated atGuilford CollegeinNorth Carolinaon a baseball scholarship but quit and entered theCulinary Institute of Americain 1978 and graduated in 1982.
He worked under Jean-Jacques Rachou at New York'sLa Cote Basque,and then moved to Italy to work at several restaurants there.He returned to the United States at age 25 and served as the executive chef of the Italian restaurant Michela's inCambridge, Massachusettsfor three years before opening the original Olives restaurant in 1989.
English was married to Olivia Disch English, his classmate at the Culinary Institute of America,.The couple has since divorced; they have three children. He was engaged to Erica Wang in 2009, but the wedding was called off.
English's first restaurant, Olives, opened in theCharlestownneighborhood ofBostonin April 1989. The restaurant's name is a tribute to his then-wife, Olivia. The food is "rustic Mediterranean," with a strong influence fromItalian cuisine. The restaurant was named Best New Restaurant byBostonmagazine and has been honored as Best Food and Top Table byGourmetmagazine. Olives is known for two signature desserts – amolten chocolate cakeand avanilla beansoufflé– which must be ordered with the main meal. The Health Department has cited Olives for sanitation discrepancies and animal waste hazards.
In October 1998, Olives opened in the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas; It closed in 2019.
In May 2010, Olives was closed due to damage done by agrease fire.This was the third time the Charlestown eatery was closed due to fire damage since 2001.
In May 2012, the Charlestown Olives reopened.
In June 2013, the Charlestown Olives closed for good.
A second Olives was opened in 2001 atW New York - Union SquareinUnion Square,New York City, but was closed in 2015.
In February 2013, Olives opened inMexico City. The remaining Olives are theAtlantis ResortonParadise IslandinNassau, Bahamasand the Ritz-Carlton Canal (hotel and resort) inAbu Dhabi.
In 2021, Olives opened in Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
Figs is the name of twopizzeriasin the Boston area, one in theBeacon Hillneighborhood and another inCharlestown(now closed). Figs offers authenticNeapolitan-style pizzas with very thin crusts, served on inverted sheet pans, as well assaladsand pastas. Figs won the "Hot Concept" award fromNation's Restaurant Newsmagazine.
English's other restaurants include:
English has authored or co-authored four cookbooks:The Olives Table,The Figs Table,The Olives Dessert Table, with Sally Sampson, andCooking in Everyday English, published bySimon & Schusterand Time Home Entertainment Inc.
The net worth of Todd English is $18.5 million, and he is the 9th highest-earning chef in the world as of 2020.