Richard Blais

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Richard Blais is a thirty-five year old chef born in Uniondale, New York. He currently resides with his wife Jazmin in Atlanta, Georgia, and the two are expecting their first child. He received an AOS Culinary Arts Degree from The Culinary Institute of America and has studied under chefs Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, and Ferran Adria. Blais has also studied in numerous famed restaurants, including Chez Panisse to El Bulli. His was the recipient of Gayot Guide’s "Top Five Rising Chefs" and has been profiled in many publications, including Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, and Food & Wine Magazine. His cooking is known for its innovative and personal take on classical cuisine, incorporating global ingredients, modern cooking methods, and a sense of humor. While using modern ingredients in his cooking, Blais believes they should only complement good food: "Hopefully, molecular gastronomy is an extension of great simple ingredients, not a replacement for them."^[1]

Beginning in 2001, Blais became Executive Chef at Fishbone in Atlanta. Two years later, he opened BLAIS, and in 2005, he led One Midtown Kitchen and helped them receive a four-star review in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is currently developing a modern hamburger restaurant called 'Flip' which will open in mid-town Atlanta.

In season three of Iron Chef America, Blais lost to Mario Batali in chickpea battle. He was a runner-up on the fourth season of Bravo's Top Chef, admitting in the last show that he "choked" in the final competition.