Chef Marcus Samuelsson
"Water is a daily privilege that so many of us take for granted. But children are dying every day due to a lack of clean water. Through the UNICEF Tap Project, we can change that. We can literally save the lives of millions of children throughout the world just by asking our patrons to donate $1 or more for the tap water they usually enjoy for free—and by submitting those donations to UNICEF. I encourage all in the restaurant community to do their part for this worthy cause, and I am proud to be a participating member of the UNICEF Tap Project."
- Marcus Samuelsson, Chef and UNICEF Ambassador
About Chef Marcus Samuelsson
Chef Marcus Samuelsson is an internationally acclaimed chef who has thrilled the food scene with a blend of culture and artistic excellence. Celebrated as one of “The Great Chefs of America” by the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Samuelsson launched his career as a graduate of the Culinary Institute in Gothenburg, with apprenticeships in Switzerland, Austria, France and the United States.
Chef Samuelsson was raised in Gothenburg, Sweden after his parents adopted him and his sister from Ethiopia at the age of 3. They encouraged him to pursue his talents without geographic bounds. At the early age of 24, Chef Samuelsson caught the attention of the culinary world at Aquavit. During his tenure as executive chef, he received consecutive fourstar ratings in Forbes and two impressive three-star ratings from the New York Times, the youngest person ever to receive such an accolade.
Chef Samuelsson continues to break new ground, connecting contrasting geographies and palates while lending his exceptional voice to the evolving conversation of food and culture. A collection of successful cookbooks, including Aquavi t and the New Scandinavian Cuisine (2003), and The Soul of a New Cuisine (2006), have won him numerous awards from The New York Times, Washington Post and Chicago Tribune.
His recent submersion into the local farms and kitchens of the American landscape, have inspired a new zest for merging worlds. His findings and interpretations can be found in his top selling new book, New Amer ican Table. As of late winter 2010, the cookbook has received numerous recognitions such as Best Overall Cookbook from Epicurious.com, a Special Jury Award from Gourmand and, most recently, was nominated for Best American Cookbook by IACP and Best Photography by the James Beard Foundation.
Chef Samuelsson has been featured on a number of media platforms including Iron Chef, the Martha Stewart Show, frequent guest appearances on the Today Show, and his own television show, The Inner Chef on Discovery Network. Most recently, Chef Samuelsson has teamed up with AOL to create KitchenDaily.com, a web-based program where he will deliver bi-monthly culinary segments to millions of online viewers. Most notably, chef Samuelsson beat out 21 fellow chefs on the second season of the television competition Top Chef Masters on Bravo, winning $115,000 for the UNICEF Tap Project.
Chef Samuelsson was recently honored as a Guest Chef at the White House under the Obama Administration, where he planned and executed the administration’s first state dinner for the first family, Prime Minister Singh of India and 400 of their guests. In December 2010, Chef Samuelsson opened the much-anticipated Red Rooster in Harlem. The restaurant celebrates the roots of American cuisine in one of New York City’s liveliest and culturally rich neighborhoods. He had the honor of being invited to speak at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He presented an interactive session about the power of connecting people through culture and cuisine.
While Chef Samuelsson has been honored by the prestigious James Beard Foundation on multiple occasions including “Ri sing Star Chef” (1999), “Best Chef: New York Ci ty” (2003), and “Best International Cookbook” (2007), he continues to maintain humility to the art of food and his UNICEF endeavors, working towards immunization and curbing malnutrition for children throughout the world. He is also committed to his work with CCAP, a non-profit organization that provides inner city high school students with training scholarships and jobs in the restaurant and food service industry.
