Chef Marcus Samuelsson is an internationally acclaimed chef who has thrilled the food scene with a blend of culture and artistic excellence. Marcus caught the attention of the culinary world at Aquavit. During his tenure as executive chef, he received an impressive three-star rating from the New York Times, the youngest person ever to receive such an accolade.Marcus is the author of several cookbooks including the James Beard Award Winning The Soul of a New Cuisine and Marcus Off Duty: The Recipes I Cook at Home. In addition to being a successful cookbook author, Marcus released his New York Times Bestseller and James Beard wining memoir Yes, Chef in 2012 to rave reviews. Marcus was the winner on Bravo's "Top Chef Masters" season two, as well as the second season of "Chopped All-Stars". Marcus serves as a recurring judge for "Chopped", one of Food Network's highest-rated series with a following of over 20 million viewers a month, and was a mentor on ABC's "The Taste", guiding a team of new culinary talent through a series of challenges. Marcus is also the founder of the acclaimed website Food Republic.In 2009, Marcus was selected as a guest chef at the White House under the Obama Administration, where he planned and executed the administration's first state dinner honoring Prime Minister Singh of India.Awards: 2016 - James Beard Foundation Award for Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America 2013 - James Beard Award for Writing and Literature 2007 - James Beard Award for International Cooking 2003 - James Beard Award for Best Chef New York City 1999 - James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef of the Year