Michael Chiarello, celebrity chef, restaurateur and Food Network star, died on October 8 at the age of 61. According to his company Gruppo Chiarello, he suffered from an acute allergic reaction that led to anaphylactic shock. He was being treated for the illness for the past week.
Chiarello was known for his appearances on PBS, Food Network, Fine Living, and The Cooking Channel, in shows such as Top Chef, Chopped and Next Iron Chef. He was a writer, executive producer and star of Easy Entertaining, which won him a Daytime Emmy Award in 2005. He most notably headlined his own TV series, Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, from 2003 to 2010. He also served as a judge in Bravo’s Top Chef franchise, participated in the Next Iron Chef competition, and appeared as a guest chef on the likes of the Today show and The View.
Chiarello was a prominent restaurateur, winemaker, and author. He owned several restaurants in Napa Valley and San Francisco, such as Tra Vigne, Bottega and Coqueta. He founded the Chiarello Family Vineyards in 2000 and wrote eight cookbooks. He was honored by Food & Wine magazine and the Culinary Institute of America as Chef of the Year. He was in the vanguard of chefs and restaurateurs who advocated for sustainability and a culture of shared meals.
Chiarello faced controversy in 2016 when two former Coqueta employees accused him and other management level employees of creating a “sexually charged, hostile and abusive environment,” according to an Eater report. He denied the claims against him, and the lawsuits were settled the following year.
A native Californian, he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY in 1982. He moved to Napa Valley at age 24 and started his culinary career. He was married to Eileen Gordon Chiarello and had four children. His family said in a statement that he brought people together through the joy of shared meals and that his legacy will forever live on in the love he poured into every dish.
Chiarello died at the Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, California.
“We deeply mourn the loss of our beloved patriarch Michael,” the Chiarello family said in a statement. “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.”
