That meat-centric bald guy with the infectious laugh? That's our guy — Cleveland's own Iron Chef Michael Symon.
Since winning "Iron Chef America" in 2007, Chef Symon has published cookbooks, become a regular on TV cooking shows and opened a slew of incredible restaurants across the country.
A wrestler in high school, Symon turned to cooking after he broke his arm during practice. Bored and looking for college money, he took a part-time job at a local pizza and rib place.
From there, he never looked back. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, he returned to Cleveland to work in various area kitchens. The Plain Dealer, Cleveland's newspaper, named Symon the city's hottest chef in 1995.
After opening his own restaurants, word began to spread like wildfire. Food & Wine magazine named him one of the "Ten Best New Chefs in America" in 1998. Gourmet followed in 2000, calling his restaurant (Lola) one of "America's Best Restaurants." In 2009, Symon won the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef for the Great Lakes Region.
On the rare occasion Chef Symon isn't thinking about pork, he's likely riding his customized Harley around town, planning his next tattoo or hanging with his family, which includes his Olde English Bulldogge named Ozzy.
Symon's first restaurant in Cleveland was Lola, which he opened with his fiancée (now wife) Liz Shanahan in a quaint Tremont location. (NOTE: It was later renamed Lolita and will soon re-open as Symon's new Sherla's Chicken & Oysters.)
He then moved the concept to Cleveland's bustling East 4th Street, where it's practically its own beautiful attraction. So, if you’re looking for a true demonstration of Symon’s epicurean talent, make reservations at the upscale Lola Bistro where the wine list alone — curated by Liz and browsable on an iPad — will make you swoon.
As Cleveland embraced this up-and-coming chef, his portfolio of restaurants — and menu offerings — expanded. He currently operates seven locations of his hugely popular B Spot (three locations in Cleveland including Beachwood, Strongsville and Westlake), which feature some of the best burgers to ever pass your lips.
In 2016, Chef Symon opened Mabel's BBQ, also on East 4th Street dedicated to his self-created (and ridiculously delicious) Cleveland-style barbecue featuring Bertman’s ballpark mustard.
At Lola Bistro it's all about the meat. Clevelanders have a love affair with Symon's signature rosemary fries, beef-cheek pierogi and beef hanger steak.
If you need something a little more casual, go big at a B Spot location where you can smash the four-time winning best burgers in America whilst slurping a mammoth-sized milkshake (perfectly spiked with booze).
Or, nom your way though huge barbecue plates at Mabel's BBQ where Symon has single-handedly created Cleveland's very own style of barbecue using ballpark mustard (created right here in the 216).
Stay tuned for what's next at his soon-to-open Sherla's Chicken & Oysters in Tremont.