Michael Chiarello, the Food Network star and celebrity chef, has died at the age of 61

CNN
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Michael Chiarello, the prominent chef known for his appearances on “Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello” and “Top Chef,” has died. He was 61 years old.

Chiarello Company Chiarello Collection He said in a statement sent to CNN that the restaurant owner died on Saturday in Napa. The company statement said he was being treated for a severe allergic reaction that led to anaphylactic shock.

“We deeply mourn the loss of our beloved patriarch Michael. His culinary brilliance, boundless creativity, and unwavering commitment to family were at the core of his being. He brought people together through the joy of shared meals, fostering lasting memories around the table,” the Chiarello family shared in a statement.

The statement continued: “As we face this tremendous loss, we cherish the moments we have with him, whether in his kitchens or in our hearts. His legacy will forever live in the love he poured into every dish and the passion he instilled in all of us to savor the flavors of life.

The chef is best known for hosting the Food Network series of the same name, “Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello,” for 10 seasons starting in 2003. The series won three Emmys between 2003 and 2006. (Food Network and CNN are both part of Warner Bros.. Discover.)

Chiarello has appeared in a number of other cooking series such as “Top Chef,” “Top Chef Masters,” “The Next Iron Chef,” “Iron Chef America,” and “Supermarket Superstar,” which debuted in 2013.

He has also appeared as a guest chef on “The Today Show,” “CBS Early Show,” “Regis & Kathy,” and “The View.”

The California native graduated from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York in 1982 and was named Chef of the Year by Food & Wine magazine in 1985. Chiarello was also named Chef of the Year by his alma mater in 1995.

He went on to open his first restaurant, Tra Vigne, in Napa Valley in 1986, and has since developed and opened more than 10 restaurants in the Northern California area, including his iconic restaurants Bottega and Coqueta.

Chiarello has authored more than eight cookbooks since 1995, and opened Chiarello Family Vineyards in the late 1990s.