Tiffani Faison

Tiffani Faison is an American celebrity chef and restaurateur. She is based in Boston,[1][2] has served as a judge on Food Network's television series Chopped,[3] and is a four-time James Beard Award Finalist for Best Chef: Northeast (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022). She was the winner of Season 3 of Tournament of Champions[4][5][6] and was named Boston's Best Chef by Boston Magazine in 2022.[7] She was one of two finalists on the first season of Bravo's reality show Top Chef, where she finished second to Harold Dieterle.

Tiffani Faison
Tiffani Faison, Top Chef All-Stars
Born
Bremerhaven, Germany
EducationCambridge Culinary Institute
Culinary career
Current restaurant(s)
    • Sweet Cheeks Q, Boston (2011–present)
      Fool's Errand, Boston (2018–present)
      Bubble Bath, Boston (2022–present)
      Tenderoni's, Boston (2022–present)
      Dive Bar, Boston (2022–present)
Previous restaurant(s)
    • Tiger Mama, Boston (2015–2021)
    Orfano, Boston (2019–2022)
Television show(s)

Her company, Big Heart Hospitality has owned the following restaurants: Sweet Cheeks Q, Orfano, Fool's Errand, Bubble Bath, Tenderoni's, Dive Bar, and Tiger Mama.[8][9][10][11]

Early career

Faison attended the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts (2002 to 2003).[12] Just prior to appearing on Top Chef, Faison was employed as chef de partie under Daniel Boulud at his signature, Michelin Star restaurant in the Wynn Las Vegas and also worked at the Tao restaurant at The Venetian in the same city.

After the airing of the final episode of Top Chef in May 2006, Faison took a summer position cooking at the Straight Wharf restaurant in Nantucket, Massachusetts, working under chefs Amanda Lydon and Gabriel Frasca.[13] In 2007, she was executive chef at Todd English’s brasserie, Riche, in New Orleans, Louisiana.[14] In May 2007, Faison cohosted a Greek Isles culinary cruise for Olivia, a lesbian lifestyle and travel services company.[15] Faison returned to Boston, and was Executive Chef at Michela Larson’s Rocca Kitchen & Bar, a popular neighborhood space on Friday nights, until it closed in December 2010.[16][17]

Television appearances

Faison first rose to culinary fame when she placed runner-up in the first Season of Top Chef.[18] She then took part in a single episode cooking competition called 4 Star All Stars which pitted four Top Chef season one contestants (Stephen Asprinio, Dieterle, Faison and David Martin) against four season two contestants (Elia Aboumrad, Ilan Hall, Sam Talbot and Marcel Vigneron). Faison's team scored the winning menu and received a $20,000 donation to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure charity. This episode aired on Bravo on June 6, 2007.[19]

Faison also participated in the Top Chef Holiday Special that aired on December 7, 2007, winning the $20,000 prize. Faison returned as a contestant on season 8 of Top Chef and was eliminated in the sixth episode. Faison finished runner-up in the Top Chef Duels 2014 competition.[20] As of 2020, Faison is a judge on Chopped and participated as the judge to beat on one of the beat the judge episodes. She also made it to the finals of Chopped: Grudge Match, placing second to Marcus Samuelsson.[21]

Sweet Cheeks Q in 2012

In 2021, Faison competed in Food Network's Tournament of Champions,[22][23] and in 2022, Faison returned to compete and win Tournament of Champions, Season 3,[24] as well as serve as a judge on Chopped: Casino Royale.[25] Tiffani Faison won Tournament of Champions 3, defeating Brooke Williamson in the finale.

Faison has also been a culinary guest on such national television shows as NBC TODAY,[26] CBS: This Morning [27] and America's Test Kitchen.[28]

Chef and restaurateur

Faison is currently the owner and head chef of Sweet Cheeks Q, a Texas-style barbecue restaurant in Boston's Fenway District. Opened in late 2011, Sweet Cheeks Q was her first restaurant.[29] Sweet Cheeks Q has been named as Boston's Best Barbecue by local and national media,[30][31] and Forbes wrote that its "biscuits were the best in the world."[32]

In December 2015, she opened her acclaimed restaurant, Tiger Mama in Fenway, focusing on Southeast Asian cuisine.[33] Faison closed Tiger Mama in late October 2021 to focus on a new restaurant that will be located in the same space in Fenway (coming in late 2022).[34] Tenderoni's will open there in November 2022. [35]

In February 2018, Faison opened up her third Fenway restaurant, the "Adult Snack Bar" Fool's Errand.[36] Her venture Orfano, which serves Italian-American cuisine, opened in August 2019 and received a three star review from The Boston Globe.[37][38] It later closed permanently in June 2022.[39] In 2022, Faison opened Tenderoni's, Dive Bar, and Bubble Bath within High Street Place, a new food hall in Downtown Boston.[40]

Restaurants

Active
  • Sweet Cheeks Q (2011–present), Boston, Massachusetts[9]
  • Fool's Errand (February 2018–present), Boston, Massachusetts[36]
  • Bubble Bath (March 2022–present), inside High Street Place, Boston, Massachusetts[40]
  • Tenderoni's (March 2022–present), inside High Street Place, Boston, Massachusetts[9]
  • Dive Bar (March 2022–present), inside High Street Place, Boston, Massachusetts[40]

Closed
  • Tiger Mama (December 2015–October 2021), Boston, Massachusetts[34]
  • Orfano (August 2019–June 2022), Boston, Massachusetts[39]

Personal life

She was born in Bremerhaven, Germany, to American parents, where her father was stationed in the United States military.[41] The family moved around several times during her childhood and by the time she was in high school, settled in Santa Rosa, California.[41]

Faison formerly identified as bisexual,[42] but now identifies as lesbian.[43][41] Faison began volunteering for HIV/AIDS organizations and going into San Francisco.[41] Faison currently serves on the Board of Directors for Women Chefs & Restaurateurs as well as on The Boston Alliance of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Youth.[44]

In September 2019, she was appointed to The Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Restaurant Promotion Commission for her commitment to the state's restaurant business.[45]

Awards and accolades
  • James Beard Foundation, Nominee, Best Chef: Northeast (2022)[46][6]
  • James Beard Foundation, Nominee, Best Chef: Northeast (2020)[47]
  • James Beard Foundation, Nominee, Best Chef: Northeast (2019)[48]
  • James Beard Foundation, Nominee, Best Chef: Northeast (2018)[49]
  • Boston Magazine, Best Chef: Boston (2016) [50]

References
  1. "Tiffani Faison, Tiger Mama and Sweet Cheeks, Best Chef, in Boston". Bostonmagazine.com. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  2. "Tiffani Faison Has Changed the Face of Dining in Fenway".
  3. "Search Results".
  4. "Chopped' judge Tiffani Faison of Big Heart Hospitality is an influential culinary force in the Boston area". Nrn.com. 12 November 2021.
  5. "Here Are the 2020 James Beard Award Nominees from Boston and New England". Bostonmagazine.com. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  6. Baskin, Kara (March 17, 2022). "Tiffani Faison and Rebel Rebel earn James Beard finalist nods - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  7. "Tiffani Faison, Big Heart Hospitality". 28 June 2022.
  8. "Restaurateur Tiffani Faison Is Looking To Do Right By Workers". News. 2021-07-01. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  9. "This Massachusetts 'old school' pizza joint offers a taste of the '70s and early '80s". Mass Live. 2022-03-05. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  10. Tavares, Nathan (2021-11-17). "Tiffani Faison Looks Forward to a Celebratory Future While Opening Four New Restaurants". Eater Boston. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  11. "Tiffani Faison's Tiger Mama to close; new concept coming next year". Bizjournals.com. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. Beggy, Carol; Shanahan, Mark (June 19, 2006). "Veterans are Kerrys' guests on Nantucket". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  14. "The James Beard Foundation Events: February 2007". Archived from the original on 2007-03-02. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
  15. "Daily Travel News". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-01-28.
  16. First, Devra (28 July 2010). "A star is born . . . at Rocca". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  17. First, Devra (January 2, 2011). "Rocca has closed". Boston.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  18. "'Top Chef' Winners: Where Are They Now?". Usmagazine.com. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  19. "Top Chef official website". Bravotv.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  20. Duffy, Paula (2014-10-09). "Top Chef Duels: Surprise Winner Crowned in Finale".
  21. "Grudge Match: Battle 2". Foodnetwork.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  22. "Meet the Chefs Competing in Season 2 of Guy Fieri's Tournament of Champions". Foodnetwork.com.
  23. Major, Michael. "Food Network Announces TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS III Premiere". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  24. Rosario, Alexandra Del (18 January 2022). "Guy Fieri's 'Tournament Of Champions' Renewed For Season 3 At Food Network". Deadline.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  25. ""Chopped" Casino Royals: Battle 1 (TV Episode 2022)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  26. "Step up your wing game with masala, maple and orange-sesame glazes". Today.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  27. "The Dish: Chef Tiffani Faison of Sweet Cheeks". Cbsnews.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  28. "The Best Pasta Tools for Homemade Pasta with Chef Tiffani Faison". Facebook.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  29. "Sweet Cheeks". Sweetcheeksq.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  30. "Great American Bites: Boston's best barbecue". USA TODAY. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  31. "Sweet Cheeks, Best Barbecue Restaurant, in Bosto". Bostonmagazine.comn. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  32. Olmsted, Larry. "The World's Best Biscuits! In Boston?". Forbes.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  33. "Your Site Title". Tigermamaboston.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  34. "Tiffani Faison's Tiger Mama Will Close at the End of October". Eater Boston. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  35. Laucharoen, Shira (October 13, 2022). "Tiffani Faison to open a new Tenderoni's in former Tiger Mama space". Boston.com. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  36. "Tiffani Faison's New Fenway 'Adult Snack Bar' Serves Small Bites to a Standing Crowd". Eater Boston. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
  37. "Check Out Tiffani Faison's New Menu at Orfano, Now Open in the Fenway". Bostonmagazine.com. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  38. "A red-sauce shrine to the matron saints - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  39. "Orfano, Tiffani Faison's Upscale Red-Sauce Spot, Closes in Fenway". Eater Boston. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  40. "High Street Place, Boston's upcoming food hall, will open in March 2022". Boston.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022. Tenderoni's serves craft pizza by the slice, while Dive Bar offers raw oysters and other seafood dishes.
  41. Kearnan, Scott (January 8, 2019). "Tiffani Faison Has Nothing to Apologize For". Boston Magazine. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  42. Riese (May 29, 2012). "15 Queers Cooking: Anne Burrell Joins Robust Legion of Lesbian Celebrity Chefs | Autostraddle". Autostraddle. The Excitant Group. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  43. Abrams, Boris (January 14, 2019). "The East Coast's Preeminent Lesbian Chef Is on a Mission". The Advocate. Here Media. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  44. "BAGLY Supporters". Bagly.org. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  45. "Report to the Legislature Regarding The Massachusetts Restaurant Industry" (PDF). Visitma.com. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  46. "The 2022 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Nominees". Jamesbeard.org.
  47. "The 2020 James Beard Award Nominees". Jamesbeard.org.
  48. "Here Are the New England James Beard Foundation Nominees for 2019". Boston.eater.com. 27 March 2019.
  49. "Here Are the 2018 James Beard Award Finalists from Boston". Bostonmagazine.com. 14 March 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  50. "The Best Chef, in Boston". Bostonmagazine.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
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