Todd English

Chef Todd English began working in a professional kitchen at age 15. He graduated from cooking school with honors, and then apprenticed with master chefs in New York and in Italy. By the way, Todd’s mom is Italian, and the family has owned olive groves in Italy for years. Todd and his wife Olivia now own Olives, a Mediterranean-influenced restaurant in historic Charlestown, Massachusetts (which was designed by Olivia. In fact, she consults on the designs on all of the family’s restaurants) the Figs chain of gourmet restaurants in the suburbs, and other establishments across America and overseas.

Chef English has won countless culinary honors, appears often on national television, and is the author of two critically acclaimed cookbooks, The Olives Table and The Figs Table.

Todd is currently the chef and owner of Olives in Charlestown, Massachusetts (90 Main Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, near the USS Constitution. Phone# 617-242-9715, no reservations), and the Figs restaurants in Charlestown, Boston, Wellesley and Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. In addition, Todd has founded the Olives restaurant at the new Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, as well as a forthcoming Washington, D.C. location. Todd has also opened Miramar at The Inn at National Hall in Westport, Connecticut, Onda at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, Tamarind in the new Harods Hotel in Eilat, Israel, and Greg Norman’s Australian Grille in Myrtle Beach, S.C.,

Todd’s newest endeavor is the usually packed Kingfish Hall in Boston’s Faneuil Hall. Todd stars in his own public television series, “Cooking in With Todd English”, as well as appearances on “Martha Stewart Living”, the TV Food Network’s “Chef du Jour”, the Discovery Channel’s “Great Chefs of the Northeast” series, and WGBH’s “Hot Off the Grill.”

Chef English is also active in many local and national charities, including OXFAM, the AIDS Action Committee, Share Our Strength, The Boys and Girls Clubs, The Big Brother Association, UNICEF and the Anthony Spinazzola Foundation.

Olives has been voted one of the Top Ten Restaurants by Esquire Magazine, Best New Restaurant by Boston Magazine, Best Food by Gourmet Magazine and is consistently named Boston’s #1 Favorite Restaurant by Zagat. Figs has been named “Best Pizza” by Boston Magazine, USA Today, Zagat and Cooking Light Magazine. The Boston Herald also awarded the Figs concept three stars.

A Conversation with Todd English