Michael Chiarello, Food Network Chef, Passes Away at 61
Michael Chiarello, a celebrity chef and Food Network star, died on Friday, October 6, 2023, at the age of 61. He was known for his Italian-influenced California cuisine and his award-winning show Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello. He also owned several restaurants and a winery in Napa Valley and San Francisco.
Cause of Death
Celebrity chef and restaurateur Michael Chiarello, known for his appearances on Food Network and Bravo, passed away on October 6, 2023, at the age of 61. He was the owner of several acclaimed restaurants in California and had authored several cookbooks.
Michael Chiarello, a celebrity chef and a former star of Food Network, has died at the age of 61. The cause of his death was an acute allergic reaction that led to anaphylactic shock, a severe and potentially fatal condition that occurs when the immune system overreacts to a foreign substance. Chiarello had been hospitalized for a week before his death, but his family and company did not disclose what triggered his allergic reaction.
Early Life & Career
Chiarello was born on January 26, 1962, in Red Bluff, California, to an Italian-American family. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1982 and from Florida International University in 1984. He opened his first restaurant, The Grand Bay Hotel, in Coconut Grove, Florida, in 1985 and was named Chef of the Year by Food & Wine Magazine that same year.
The late chef moved back to California in the late 1980s and opened Tra Vigne, a restaurant that featured Italian-influenced California cuisine, in Napa Valley in 1987. He later served as executive chef in several restaurants across the country, including Caffe Museo in San Francisco, Ajax Tavern and Bump’s in Aspen, Colorado, and Bisect in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Television & Media
Michael Chiarello became a prominent figure on television and media, hosting and appearing on various cooking shows and writing several cookbooks. He hosted Season by Season on PBS and Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello on Food Network, which won him a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Service Show Host in 2005.
Michael Chiarello appeared in several TV shows. Chiarello also hosted NapaStyle on Fine Living Network and was a competitor on Top Chef Masters, The Next Iron Chef, Iron Chef America, and Supermarket Superstar. He was a guest judge on Top Chef and Chopped.
In addition, he wrote over eight cookbooks, including Bottega: Bold Italian Flavors from the Heart of California’s Wine Country, At Home with Michael Chiarello: Easy Entertaining, and Michael Chiarello’s Casual Cooking. He received accolades from the James Beard Foundation for his books.
READ MORE: Legendary Actor David McCallum, Known for NCIS and The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Passes Away at 90
Winemaking & Entrepreneurship
Chiarello was also involved in winemaking and entrepreneurship. He founded Chiarello Family Vineyards in the late 1990s, producing wines from his family’s estate in Yountville, California. He also launched NapaStyle, a retail line of artisanal foods and home products, in 2000.
Chiarello dabbled in the realms of winemaking and entrepreneurship. Moreover, he opened several more restaurants in the Northern California region, including Bottega and Ottimo in Napa Valley and Coqueta in San Francisco and Napa. His restaurants were known for their rustic elegance and seasonal ingredients.
READ MORE: Remembering Keith Jefferson: 'Hateful Eight' and 'Django Unchained' Actor, Dies at 53.
Family & Legacy
Chiarello is survived by his wife Eileen Chiarello and their four children. His family released a statement expressing their grief and gratitude for his life.
“We deeply mourn the loss of our beloved patriarch Michael,” the statement read. “His culinary brilliance, boundless creativity, and unwavering commitment to family were at the core of his being. He brought people together through the joy of shared meals, fostering lasting memories around the table.”
The statement continued, “As we navigate this profound loss, we hold dear the moments we cherished with him, both in his kitchens and in our hearts. His legacy will forever live on in the love he poured into every dish and the passion he instilled in all of us to savor life’s flavors.”
The family requested that donations be made to Meals on Wheels in lieu of flowers.
Chiarello will be remembered as one of the most influential chefs of his generation, who inspired millions of people with his food, wine, and hospitality.
Stay Tuned at Married Wiki for more celebrity entertainment articles!