Donatella Arpaia

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Donatella Arpaia

Donatella Arpaia (born in Woodmere, New York) is a successful American restaurateur, food expert, and entertaining authority. Beginning in the Fall 2008, Donatella will be profiled in a new reality-TV show entitled Donatella on Bravo.^[1] Donatella is a reappearing judge on The Food Network reality-TV series Iron Chef America, as well as the only female judge on The Next Iron Chef.^[2] And she has appeared on The Isaac Mizrahi Show, The Martha Stewart Show, The Tony Danza Show, The Today Show, and iVillage.^[3]

1 Career
2 Education
3 References
4 External Links

[edit] Career

Following a brief career as a corporate attorney, Donatella opened her first restaurant, Bellini in 1998 and then subsequently opened a string of successful and highly acclaimed restaurants in New York City. davidburke & donatella is a Manhattan dining mainstay and winner of multiple awards, such as four stars in Forbes, as well as the Five Diamond Award. Anthos is a critically acclaimed modern Greek resto, which is one of only two Greek restaurants in the world to hold a coveted Michelin Star; was named Best New Restaurant by New York Magazine and Esquire in November 2007^[4]; and has been nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award for Best New Restaurant.^[5] Mia Dona opened in February 2008.^[6]

Donatella was recognized for her success when Zagat's crowned Donatella as “The Hostess with the Mostest,” in March 2006^[7] and Crain’s named her one of their “40 under 40”.^[8]

Donatella is also creator/owner of Donatella Food Collection, an artisianal food collection of an essential tomato sauce (passata), an extra virgin olive oil (fruttato) and her homemade almond cookies which are available at North East Whole Foods Market, ShopRite, and Hannaford stores nationwide.

[edit] Education

Donatella received her bachelor's degree from Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut and her juris doctorate from the St. John's University School of Law in Queens, New York. Following her decision to pursue her dream of a becoming restauranter, she studied at the French Culinary Institute and the Italian Culinary Academy.