Karen Akunowicz Biography
Karen Akunowicz is a renowned chef, restaurateur, and television personality who has won several awards and accolades for her culinary skills. She is best known for being the executive chef and partner of Myers + Chang, a popular Asian fusion restaurant in Boston, Massachusetts. She is also the owner and chef of Fox & the Knife, an Italian-inspired enoteca in South Boston. In addition, she is a frequent guest judge on Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games and a former contestant on Bravo’s “Top Chef.”
Karen Akunowicz Age | Birthday
Akunowicz was born on September 17, 1978 in New Jersey. She grew up in a large Italian-American family that loved to cook and eat together. She developed a passion for food and cooking from a young age and decided to pursue a career in the culinary industry.
Karen Akunowicz Parents
Akunowicz was born and raised in Kearny, New Jersey. Her mother’s name is Lily and her father’s identity is unknown to the public. She has a sister named Jennifer Matos. Akunowicz’s parents are of Italian descent.
Karen Akunowicz Partner
Akunowicz is married to LJ Johnson, a nurse practitioner. They tied the knot in 2013 and have a son named Kevin who was born in 2020. They live in South Boston with their two dogs.
Akunowicz is also an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and women empowerment. She is openly gay and has spoken about her experiences as a queer woman in the culinary industry. She is also a mentor for aspiring female chefs and supports various charities and causes.
Children, Daughter
Akunowicz and her partner welcomed their first child in October 2022. They welcomed a daughter named Rogue Marie Akunowicz Johnson. Akunowicz does not disclose publicly who the father of their daughter is.
Karen Akunowicz Height
Akunowicz stands at approximately 5 feet and 6 inches tall.
Karen Akunowicz Education
Akunowicz attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst and graduated with a degree in hospitality management. She then enrolled in the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and completed her professional chef’s training program. Akunowicz also studied abroad in Italy and learned the art of Italian cuisine.
Career and Restaurants
Karen Akunowicz began her career as a sous chef at Ten Tables, a farm-to-table restaurant in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. She then moved to Modena, Italy and worked as a chef at L’Avian Blu e Il Granaio under Chef Sandro Rossi. She returned to the US and joined Oleana Restaurant as a sous chef under Chef Ana Sortun.
In 2011, she became the executive chef and partner of Myers + Chang, a contemporary Asian fusion restaurant owned by Chef Joanne Chang and Christopher Myers. She helped create innovative dishes that blended Asian flavors with local ingredients. She also authored the Myers + Chang at Home cookbook with Joanne Chang.
In 2019, she opened her own restaurant called Fox & the Knife, an Italian-inspired enoteca that serves handmade pasta, antipasti, and cocktails. The restaurant was named one of the best new restaurants in America by Food & Wine magazine and Eater.
Karen Akunowicz Awards and Recognition
Akunowicz has received numerous awards and recognition for her culinary achievements. Some of them are:
– James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast in 2018
– Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs in 2015
– Boston magazine’s Best Chef: General Excellence in 2014
– StarChefs Rising Star Chef Award in 2013
– Bravo’s Top Chef Season 13 contestant in 2015-2016
Karen Akunowicz Television Appearances
Chef Akunowicz has also made several television appearances as a guest judge or contestant on various cooking shows. Some of them are:
– Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games: She has appeared as a guest judge on several episodes of this show where chefs compete in various grocery-themed challenges.
– Bravo’s Top Chef Season 13: She was one of the contestants on this season of the popular reality cooking competition show.
– NBC’s Today Show: She has appeared as a guest chef on this morning show where she demonstrated some of her signature dishes.
– PBS’s Moveable Feast with Fine Cooking: She was featured on an episode of this show where she cooked a feast with Chef Ming Tsai at his Blue Dragon restaurant.
Karen Akunowicz Net Worth
Chef Karen Akunowicz’s net worth is estimated to be around $2 million as of 2023. She earns most of her income from her restaurants, cookbook sales, television appearances, and endorsements.
Social Media Presence
Karen Akunowicz’s Instagram handle is @chefkarenakunowicz
