Michael Mina

Michael Mina fell in love with cooking as a teenager in Washington State, and after convincing his skeptical parents that his future was in food, he enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America to perfect his craft. It was while he was a culinary student that he wound up in George Marrone?s kitchen even though George had not exactly hired him. But Michael kept showing up and George became not just Michael's boss, but collaborator and partner. Today, Michael has Michelin stars, James Beard Awards and more than 30 restaurants to his name, but he says none of this would have happened had he not cooked for George all those years ago.