Feb 02 - 04 2025
Amanda Freitag is a celebrated chef, television personality, and author whose culinary expertise has captivated audiences worldwide.
Amanda Freitag is a celebrated chef, television personality, and author whose culinary expertise has captivated audiences worldwide. Best known as a long-time judge on Food Network’s Chopped, Amanda has also gone head-to-head with the best in the industry, competing on Iron Chef America, Beat Bobby Flay, and The Next Iron Chef. With a career that spans top-tier restaurants, television, and published works, Amanda is a sought-after speaker who inspires culinary professionals and food enthusiasts alike.
Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group at 215-510-6607 to book Amanda Freitag for corporate or private events, keynote speeches, workshops, fireside chats, motivational speaking, or virtual appearances. Our agency will work directly with your organization and our keynote speakers to create an unforgettable event.
The Mollie Plotkin Group is the leading keynote speakers agency and entertainment bureau bringing excitement to audiences, clients, and employees. We represent subject-matter experts in every possible field, so whether we’re your partner in creating a memorable meeting, or your meeting planner’s secret weapon in securing the perfect keynote speaker, we’re in this with you.
Amanda Freitag’s culinary journey began in her grandmother’s kitchen in New Jersey. Encouraged by her family and a high school home economics teacher who recognized her talent, she pursued formal training at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. There, Amanda’s passion for food transformed into a lifelong mission to create, innovate, and educate.
Following culinary school, Amanda’s first role in a New York City kitchen was at Vong, where she worked under Jean-Georges Vongerichten, learning the delicate balance of French technique and Southeast Asian flavors. Her culinary path then led her to Verbena, where Chef Diane Forley instilled the importance of local, organic ingredients—a philosophy Amanda still embraces today. Her relentless pursuit of knowledge took her to France and Italy, where she immersed herself in the countries’ rich food cultures and worked alongside renowned chefs, including at Alain Passard’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Arpège.
Returning to New York, Amanda made a name for herself in some of the city’s most preeminent kitchens. First, as the executive chef at Cesca, she earned two stars from The New York Times. Then, as executive chef at The Harrison for three years, Amanda earned another two stars from The New York Times and garnered additional critical acclaim. She later helmed the revival of Empire Diner and co-founded the bistro Rise & Thyme in Dallas, Texas, continuing her legacy of creating inspired, ingredient-driven cuisine.
Amanda’s talent and charisma made her a natural fit for television. She has been a mainstay on Food Network’s Chopped as a judge, where she evaluates top chefs under pressure. She has also competed in high-stakes battles on Iron Chef America, Beat Bobby Flay, and The Next Iron Chef, where she showcased her culinary skills against some of the most formidable names in the industry. Additionally, she co-hosted American Diner Revival with Ty Pennington, helping to revamp beloved diners across the country.
In 2015, Amanda published her first cookbook, The Chef Next Door, designed to help home cooks build confidence in the kitchen. Her passion for making cooking approachable extends to her social media presence, where her viral series, EasyAF, simplifies gourmet techniques for everyday cooks.
Amanda is not just a chef; she is a mentor and advocate for the culinary community. On top of hosting live cooking demos for organizations around the world, she frequently speaks at events on topics such as culinary creativity, sustainability, and the importance of women in the food world. She also actively participates in panels and charity events that support food security, restaurant workers, and education initiatives.
With a career that seamlessly blends restaurant success, media influence, and a dedication to education, Amanda Freitag continues to shape the future of the culinary world. Her philosophy is simple: great food should be accessible, inspiring, and deeply satisfying. Whether in the kitchen, on screen, or behind a podium, Amanda brings her signature energy and expertise to every table she touches.
Find out how to hire Amanda Freitag to appear at your next event. Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group to inquire about Amanda Freitag’s availability and cost. When booking Amanda Freitag for an event, we need to know the type of venue and location the event will take place. Amanda Freitag is a popular choice for corporate events, private events, and virtual events. So, you can click the Check Availability button or contact us and an MPG Amanda Freitag booking agent will get back to you within 48 hours.
How much to book Amanda Freitag depends on the type of event. So, the cost to hire Amanda Freitag for corporate or private events is available by contacting a Mollie Plotkin Group Agent. Notably, Amanda Freitag is available for conferences, festivals, private parties and events. Just contact the Mollie Plotkin Group and tell the booking agent the proposed date, time, and location.
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Improve your confidence and add joy to your home cooking with this beautiful, practical, full-color cookbook filled with information, techniques, and more than 100 recipes from the Food Network favorite and critically acclaimed chef Amanda Freitag.
Amanda Freitag is a master at knocking out fabulous meals in her restaurant kitchen and on the set of Food Network’s Chopped and Iron Chef America. But until recently, she was totally intimidated to cook at home in her tiny apartment kitchen, relating to the fears of many home cooks. She realized she wasn’t alone!
She set out to help other home cooks and created a list of restaurant-quality recipes that shine in the home kitchen. The Chef Next Door teaches home cooks a wide range of confidence-instilling skills, tricks, and tips that Amanda has picked up working in professional kitchens and cooking competitively on television. In her bright, lively voice, she helps you master the basic techniques that are the foundation of good, flavorful cooking. She also teaches you how to think like a chef—to consider seasonality, balancing flavors, understanding the steps, and learning how to improvise—to create a menu and execute dishes with pro techniques, as if she were right there in the kitchen with you.
You’ll find everything from the basics—sauces, marinades, stocks, and rubs—to first impressions, salads, and easy dinner recipes, and will even become skilled in making “The Scary Stuff”—recipes that may seem out of reach but are not. With The Chef Next Door, you’ll be able to dazzle friends and family with a diverse range of dishes, such as Spinach Feta Pies, Kale and Farro Salad with Aged Goat Cheese, Lusty Lemon Chicken, Pop’s Beer-Braised Bold Beef Stew, Mediterranean Potato Salad, Marinated Artichokes, Cocoa Carrot Cake, and more.
Filled with beautiful color photographs that show how achievable good food really is, The Chef Next Door makes confident home cooking a breeze.
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