Graham Elliot Bowles (born January 4, 1977) is an American chef, restaurateur, and reality television personality. He first gained recognition in the restaurant business as a three-time nominee for the James Beard Award. In 2004, he was named to Food & Wine's "Best New Chefs" list, and became the youngest chef in the United States to receive four stars from a major publication (Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times).^[1]

Among television viewers, he gained fame as a contestant on the programs Iron Chef and Top Chef Masters, and as a judge on the first six seasons of the American MasterChef and its spinoff, MasterChef Junior.

Elliot was born on January 4, 1977 in Seattle, Washington.^[2][3] A self-described "Navy brat", Elliot has traveled the world and all fifty states,^[4] sparking an intense interest in food and music, which led him to attend Johnson & Wales University.^[3]

In 2004, Elliot was named to Food & Wine's "Best New Chefs" list, and he became the youngest chef in the States to receive four stars from a major publication (Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times) before the age of 30.^[1]

At the age of 27 he was the youngest four-star chef to be named in any city, also earning himself a spot on Crain's Chicago Business list of "40 Under Forty", alongside President Barack Obama, for whom Elliot cooked on the President's 49th birthday.^[5]

In May 2008, he opened his eponymous restaurant, which was the first French casual fine dining restaurant in Chicago.^[6]

In 2009, Elliot appeared on the TV show Top Chef Masters. In the show, he cooked for The Heart and Stroke Foundation, a charity with which he became associated as a result of his nephew's need for a heart transplant.

In 2010, the series MasterChef premiered, with Elliot as one of the three judges. In 2013, the series spun off a child version of the program, MasterChef Junior, on which Elliot also was featured as a judge. He left the franchise in September 2015, following the completion of season 6 of the parent program.^[7]

In 2016, he became a judge on Top Chef.^[8]

Graham Elliot Restaurant received three stars from the Chicago Tribune, and two stars in the 2013 Michelin Guide.^[9]

He has been nominated for a James Beard Award three times.^[10]

In addition to being judge and host of MasterChef and MasterChef Junior from 2010 to 2016, Graham has also been a judge on Food Network's Cooks vs. Cons hosted by Geoffrey Zakarian.^[11][12] He also appeared as a special guest in MasterChef Canada Season 2, Episode 9 and MasterChef Italia Season 3, Episode 9.

He has worked as the Culinary Director at Lollapalooza, a three-day music festival in Chicago, every year since 2009, where he has cooked for both the public as well as backstage for the performers.^[4]

In June 2012, he opened Graham Elliot Bistro in Chicago's West Loop. The bistro uses traditional techniques and ingredients to showcase its take on classic American cuisine.^[13] That same year, Elliot was named Chef of the Year and inducted into the Chicago Chefs Hall of Fame.^[14] Additionally, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel proclaimed September 19 "Graham Elliot Day" in the city of Chicago.^[15]

In 2017, Elliot was in an infomercial for the Gotham Steel Double Grill.^[16]

Elliot resided in Morgan Park on the south side of Chicago with wife/business partner and his three children.

Elliot sings and plays guitar.^[12] He also collects baseball cards.^[17]

In 2013, Elliot underwent weight loss surgery and took up jogging, losing 150 pounds (68 kg) and reducing his weight to 250 pounds (110 kg), explaining the decision as a response to becoming a father.^[18][19]