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Michael Symon

Celebrity Chef, Restaurateur, TV Personality, & Bestselling Author

Celebrity Chefs & Culinary Experts Lifestyle Nutrition Wellness

Michael Symon is a celebrated chef, restaurateur, television personality, and New York Times bestselling author.

Wellness Nutrition Lifestyle Celebrity Chefs & Culinary Experts

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Meet Michael Symon

Along with his renowned dining establishments, Lola, Mabel’s BBQ, Roast, Bar Symon, and Angeline, Michael Symon’s approachable cooking style and infectious laugh have endeared him to television audiences nationwide. He has been a prominent figure on Food Network shows like Iron Chef America, Burgers, Brew and ‘Que, and Food Feuds, as well as Cook Like an Iron Chef on the Cooking Channel and The Chew on ABC. His contributions to the culinary world have earned him numerous accolades, including the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Great Lakes in 2009.

Want to book Michael Symon for an event?

Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group at 215-995-0905 to book Michael Symon for a keynote speech, corporate event, leadership program, workshop, fireside chat, virtual appearance, or other private or professional event.

Our team will help confirm Michael Symon’s availability, speaking fee, travel requirements, and fit for your audience. To start the booking process, please share your event date, location, audience size, event format, and the type of presentation you are looking for.

The Mollie Plotkin Group is a full-service keynote speaker agency and entertainment bureau that helps organizations secure keynote speakers, entertainers, athletes, celebrities, and thought leaders for corporate meetings, conferences, fundraisers, and special events.

Biography

Culinary Beginnings

Chef Michael Symon cooks with soul. His Greek and Sicilian culinary roots ignited a passion for cooking during his youth and led him to pursue formal training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where he graduated in 1990.

Establishing a Culinary Empire

After working at a couple of different restaurants over the following years, Michael opened his first restaurant, Lola, in 1997. The restaurant garnered national acclaim, being named one of “America’s Best Restaurants” by Gourmet magazine in 2000.

Following Lola’s success, he continued to expand his culinary empire with new restaurants and awards. In 2009, Michael earned The James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Great Lakes for his work at Roast – a steakhouse that was named Detroit’s best restaurant. Then in 2010, he became the first and only chef ever to host the annual Farm Aid benefit concert. In 2016, Michael launched Mabel’s BBQ, introducing a unique mustard-based barbecue style that Clevelanders could call their own. It was quickly recognized nationally with USA Today calling their ribs the best in the U.S. In 2017, he opened Angeline at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, offering a menu inspired by his Italian mother’s cherished recipes.

Television Career & Media Presence

Michael’s charismatic personality and culinary expertise led to a successful television career which started in 1998 when he made his debut on the Food Network.

Among the many shows he’s been on, one highlight came in 2008 when he won The Next Iron Chef, earning him a permanent spot on the roster of esteemed Iron Chefs. He also hosted Burgers, Brew and’Que, traveling across the United States to explore the nation’s best comfort foods. Additionally, as a co-host on ABC’sThe Chew, Michael shared his passion for cooking with a broader audience, contributing to the show’s Daytime Emmy Awards in 2015 and 2016. Then in June of 2020, Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out premiered on the Food Network and his fans quickly fell in love with watching Michael use his grilling and BBQ skills in his own backyard.

To put it briefly, Michael’s career as a TV personality is equally as impressive as his career as a restaurateur.

Authorship & Culinary Philosophy

An accomplished author, Michael has penned several cookbooks that reflect his cooking philosophy of creating accessible and flavorful dishes. His debut cookbook, Live to Cook, offers home cooks insights into his culinary techniques and recipes. His later works include New York Times Book Review bestsellers Carnivore, 5 in 5, and Fix It with Food. Specifically, Fix It with Food focuses on recipes designed to address inflammation and autoimmune issues, stemming from Michael’s personal experiences with rheumatoid arthritis and discoid lupus. His next cookbook Cooking Out, releasing in March of 2025, focuses on outdoor cooking and fan-favorite recipes from Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out.

Through his culinary creations, media appearances, and written works, Michael Symon continues to inspire and influence the culinary world, emphasizing the importance of cooking with soul and connecting with others through food.

How to Hire Michael Symon

To hire Michael Symon for an event, contact the Mollie Plotkin Group with the proposed event date, location, audience size, event format, and program goals. Michael Symon is available for corporate events, conferences, leadership meetings, private events, workshops, fireside chats, and virtual programs.

After receiving your request, a Mollie Plotkin Group booking agent will review Michael Symon’s availability, discuss the event details, and get back to you within 48 hours with next steps for securing Michael Symon for your program.

Michael Symon Booking Fee

The cost to book Michael Symon depends on the event date, location, format, audience size, and scope of the appearance. Speaking fees may vary for keynote speeches, workshops, fireside chats, private events, corporate meetings, and virtual programs.

For the most accurate Michael Symon booking fee, contact the Mollie Plotkin Group with your event details. Our team will help confirm availability, pricing, and the best format for your event.

Speaking Topics & Programs

Cooking & Conversation with Michael Symon

In this special event, guests feel like they are cooking with a friend as they cook along with renowned chef Michael Symon. His down-to-earth style makes the food and conversation flow easily as he shares his pro tips with the guests at small venues of any size. As he cooks, Michael sprinkles tips for healthy eating and managing inflammation and pain through food.

Michael Symon’s Food Industry

With a career spanning over three decades, celebrity chef Michael Symon has built a culinary empire. Symon’s journey to becoming a culinary icon provides valuable lessons on resilience, creativity, and the importance of staying true to one’s passions.

Strengthening Connections

Celebrity chef Michael Symon’s lifelong celebration of food has given him a distinct perspective on the power of food to connect. In this fascinating conversation, Symon gives his perspective on how to reach out to every seat at the table.

Books

Symon's Dinners Cooking Out: 100 Recipes That Redefine Outdoor Cooking

Go beyond the basics with 100 recipes for showstopping mains, salads, even desserts—all cooked outside—from the host of Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out on the Food Network.

In Symon's Dinners Cooking Out, Michael Symon offers 100 recipes for outdoor cooking including desserts and drinks too. Featuring fan-favorite recipes from his popular Food Network show, Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out, and brand new recipes, this cookbook is sure to excite budding and expert grillers alike. From live-fire classics like Bacon-Cheddar Smash Burgers to unexpected dishes like Fettuccine with Smoked Tomato Sauce, cooks who take it outside will find all kinds of creative ways to use their grills year-round.

Showstopping mains are divided into three chapters: Quick & Easy (Grilled Swordfish with Salsa Fresca), Feed a Crowd (Grilled Eggplant Parmesan), and A Bit Fancy (Pork Porterhouse with Chimichurri). Round out the meal with sides like Stuffed Squash Blossoms, Duck Fat-Fried Potatoes, and Blue Cornbread with Honey Butter, and serve up fresh and fast salads like Shaved Carrots with Yogurt Dressing, Grilled Greens with Lime Vinaigrette, or Avocado, Orange, and Jicama Salad. And of course there are a few cocktails and desserts, too from Frozen Strawberry Salty Dog to Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars—all cooked outside.