Rocco DiSpiritoChef & TV PersonalityTindle
Rocco DiSpirito is a James Beard award-winning, pioneering Food Network chef and number one New York bestselling author who is known for his unique approach to flavor as well as his dedication to proving that healthy and delicious are not mutually exclusive.
More recently, DiSpirito appeared as both judge and competitor on Food Network’s Tournament of Champions, Guys Grocery Games, Guys Ranch Kitchen and his own Restaurant Divided. He was recently in the New York Times “Sunday Routine.” In 2019 he brought his creative vision and culinary talents to the iconic Standard Grill restaurant at the Standard, High Line. As Chef, he reimagined the menu, led a redesign of the dining room and elevated the kitchen with an expanded raw bar and new Binchotan-fired Josper grill from Spain. Offering exquisite, fresh, organic, locally sourced meals. His celebrated return to a restaurant kitchen earned high praise, including a notable 2-star New York Times review. Rocco also delighted customers by featuring his signature Peconic Bay Scallops & Uni dish first served at his critically acclaimed 3-star restaurant, Union Pacific, which was a culinary landmark for NYC for many years.
Growing up in Queens, New York, DiSpirito’s love of food began at a young age, where his mother taught him how to make simple, magnificent meals using only a handful of real foods. His passion for cooking led him from Cathedral Prep Seminary to study at the Culinary Institute of America and Boston University, where he graduated Cum Laude. By the time he turned 24, he was working in the kitchens of legendary chefs around the globe. In his early thirties he was named Food & Wine magazine’s “Best New Chef,” People magazine’s “Sexiest Chef” and was the first chef to appear on Gourmet magazine’s cover as “America’s Most Exciting Young Chef.”
He is the author of thirteen books, which have been translated into multiple languages and sold all over the world. His first book, Flavor, earned DiSpirito a James Beard award and showed readers how to create bold, sophisticated yet surprisingly easy meals. His bestselling cookbook series, Now Eat This, inspired DiSpirito’s syndicated television show, Now Eat This! With Rocco DiSpirito, which he also executive produced. Additionally in 2012, DiSpirito founded his production house, Savory Place Media, whose first project for AOL Originals, Now Eat This! Italy, became an instant Top 10 series and received millions of views.
A global #1 bestselling phenomenon, The Pound A Day Diet book led DiSpirito to create a bespoke meal delivery service, which he currently runs in New York City. He prepares fresh, delicious ready-to-eat meals that are delivered to clients across the country.
After this runaway hit, DiSpirito introduced The Negative Calorie Diet, which also debuted as a New York Times bestseller, followed by newest cookbook, Rocco’s Keto Comfort Food Diet, shows readers how to eat the foods you miss and still up to a pound a day.
He frequently appears as a special guest judge on television shows such as ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS’s The Talk, ABC’s The View, Extra, E! News and The Dr. Oz Show, The Tamron Hall Show, The Wendy Show, The Good Dish as well as many others.
He has guided life-changing transformations as the Healthy Food Couch on ABC’s Extreme Weight Loss, hosted the cooking competition show Restaurant Divided on Food Network and has starred in Rocco’s Dinner Party on Bravo.
His remarkable weight loss journey has played a significant role in his cooking philosophy as well as his charitable efforts for over a decade now. To that end, he serves as an Ambassador for Health Corps, inspiring students at schools across the country to build healthier habits. Dr. Mehmet Oz, Health Corps Chairman, presented DiSpirito with the organization’s highest honor, the Golden Heart Award. Additionally, in September 2017, he earned the champion title of the hit Food Network series, Guy’s Grocery Games: Superstars, and donated the $40,000 grand prize to Health Corps.
Advocating on behalf of food issues has been one of the most rewarding experiences of DiSpirito’s life. He is an Entertainment Council member for Feeding America, advisor with Wellness in the Schools (WITS), as well as City Harvest, and frequent volunteer at food banks throughout NYC. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, DiSpirito donated 500 warm meals a day for two months from his Now Eat This food truck.
He is hailed as a leading health expert and is often called upon to speak at events, including the Partnership for a Healthier America summit in Washington, D.C.
In Rocco’s free time, he enjoys bicycling and participating in triathlons. @RoccoDiSpirito / Rocco.Shop