Michael Symon is an acclaimed American chef, author, and charismatic television personality. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, where his Greek and Sicilian family instilled a deep love of bold, flavorful food. His original dream was professional wrestling, but a broken arm ended that path early. He then took a job in a Cleveland rib restaurant, which ignited a passion for cooking. 

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, in 1990, he worked his way through Cleveland’s dining scene. He then opened his flagship restaurant, Lola, with his then-fiancée, Liz Shanahan, in February 1997. In 2008, Symon won Food Network’s The Next Iron Chef, earning a permanent spot on Iron Chef America. 

Michael Symon then went into TV hosting and co-hosted ABC’s The Chew from 2011 to 2018. He has since hosted several other shows, including Burgers, Brew & ‘Que, BBQ Brawl, BBQ USA, and Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out on Food Network. Currently, he co-hosts 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing on Food Network with chef Esther Choi. Beyond his TV career, he has built a successful restaurant empire and authored eight cookbooks, four of which are New York Times bestsellers.