Rocco DiSpirito is a James Beard Award-winning chef and author of fourteen books, including three #1 New York Times bestsellers. Rocco began his culinary studies at the Culinary Institute of America and by twenty was working in the kitchens of legendary chefs around the globe. He was named Food & Wine's Best New Chef and was the first chef to appear on Gourmet's cover as America's Most Exciting Young Chef. His three-star restaurant Union Pacific was a New York City culinary landmark for many years. Ruth Reichl said of her experience at Union Pacific that she "moaned as she ate" in her famous New York Times review. Rocco has starred on numerous television shows and most recently he received two stars from the Times as the chef at the critically acclaimed Standard Grill.
