Richard Blais

Richard Blais (born February 12, 1972) is an American chef, television personality, restaurateur, and author. He appeared on the reality show cooking show Top Chef, and is known for his take on classic American cuisine. Blais was the runner-up for the fourth season of Top Chef and returned several seasons later to win Top Chef: All-Stars. Education and early career Blais was born in Uniondale, New York. He was adopted by his stepfather in the second grade. Blais' first cooking job was in a McDonald's on Long Island, where he learned the basics of working in a kitchen. After moving on to a couple of upscale restaurants while in college, he received the 2-year AOS in culinary arts from The Culinary Institute of America. After graduation, he was invited to complete a fellowship in the fish kitchen. He has studied under chefs Thomas Keller at The French Laundry, Daniel Boulud, and Ferran Adrià. He also trained at restaurants Chez Panisse and elBulli. Career