Graham Elliot is a judge on The Great American Recipe, premiering June 24 on PBS. Graham is a self-described "navy brat," has traveled the world and all 50 states, sparking an intense interest in food which led him to attend Johnson & Wales University.
In 2004, Elliot was named one of Food & Wine’s "best new chefs" and at age 27, went on to become the youngest chef in the us to receive four stars from a major publication (Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times). His creative fine dining work at Avenues at the Peninsula hotel also earned him three James Beard nominations.
“Food to me, in one word, is ‘creativity’ or ‘expression.’ It’s simply, ‘this is who I am at this point in time, and this is what I want to cook for you.”
In May 2008, he opened his eponymous restaurant, which went on to earn two Michelin stars, one of only fifteen in the country.
The same year, Chef Elliot earned a spot-on Crain’s Chicago business list of "40 Under Forty", putting him in an elite club that included luminaries such as Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama, for whom Elliot had the privilege of cooking on the President's 49th birthday.
In 2009, Elliot appeared on the TV show Top Chef Masters. In the show, he cooked for the Geart and Stroke Foundation, a charity with which he became associated because of his nephew's need for a heart transplant.
In 2010, the series MasterChef premiered, with Elliot as one of the three host judges. In 2013, the series spun off a children's version of the program, MasterChef Junior, on which Elliot also was featured as a judge. After ten seasons working side-by-side with Gordon Ramsey, Elliot departed to become a judge on Bravo’s acclaimed culinary competition show, Top Chef.
In 2012, Elliot was named Chef of the Year and inducted into the Chicago Chef’s Hall of Fame. Additionally, Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel proclaimed September 19 "Graham Elliot Day" in the city of Chicago.
Since February 2018, Elliot continues to operate his first restaurant project in Asia, Coast at MGM Cotai.
Chef Elliot has also worked as the culinary director at Lollapalooza, a three-day music festival in Chicago, every year since 2009, where he oversees the food offering for 100,000 concert goers daily as well as cooking backstage for the headlining performers. He has had the opportunity to cook for such luminaries as Eminem, Radiohead, Outkast and Soundgarden.
As of 2021, Graham Elliot resides in Oʻahu, Hawaii and is the Executive Chef and Culinary Director of the flagship restaurant, Pounders at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Lāʻie.
Meet the Host and Judges
Alejandra Ramos
Alejandra Ramos is the host of The Great American Recipe. She is a television host, TODAY Show food & lifestyle contributor, trained chef, and food writer known for creative recipes and entertaining ideas that are playful, improvisational, and always just a little bit extra. READ MORE
Tiffany Derry
Tiffany Derry is a judge on The Great American Recipe. The Texas native is the founder of Tiffany Derry Concepts and co-founder of T2D Concepts, the Texas-based purpose-driven hospitality group behind Roots Chicken Shak, Roots Southern Table and ‘Shef Tiffany spice and apparel line. READ MORE
Leah Cohen
Leah Cohen is a judge on The Great American Recipe. Leah is the chef and owner of acclaimed New York City restaurant Pig & Khao on the Lower East Side. A 2013 StarChefs Rising Stars Award recipient, Leah’s Filipino upbringing and annual expeditions to the region are reflected in her cooking philosophy, which stays true to authentic Southeast Asian flavors while incorporating classical western techniques. READ MORE