Mario Batali

With fifteen restaurants, seven cookbooks and a host of television shows, including the ever-popular Iron Chef America, Mario Batali is arguably one of the most recognized and respected chefs working in America today. This, combined with his larger-than-life personality is the reason that he has received accolades like GQ Magazine's Man of the Year and the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef.

Mario and his business partner Joe Bastianich own 15 restaurants across the country including their flagship New York City restaurant Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca, as well as two restaurants in Los Angeles and three in Las Vegas. The duo's latest venture is Tarry Lodge in Port Chester, New York.

Mario is also the author of seven cookbooks including the James Beard Award Winning, Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes (Ecco 2005) and the New York Times Bestseller Mario Batali Italian Grill (Ecco 2007). Mario's newest New York Times Best Seller, Spain...A Culinary Road Trip (Ecco2008) is the companion book to his prime-time PBS series Spain...On The Road Again.

Mario splits his time between New York City's Greenwich Village and northern Michigan with his wife and their two sons.