| Peter X. Kelly | |
|---|---|
Peter X. Kelly |
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| Born | June 3, 1959 Yonkers, New York |
| Nationality | American |
Peter X. Kelly (born June 3, 1959) [1] [2] is a restaurateur and renowned chef. He runs the Xaviar Restaurant Group that includes Xaviar's [1] and Freelance Cafe [2] in Piermont, NY, Restaurant X and Bully Boy Bar [3] in Congers, NY and Xaviars X2O [4] in Yonkers, NY. The name of the group is based on Peter Kelly's middle name, Xavier. He is self-taught as a chef. [3] [4]
He was born and grew up in Yonkers, New York, in a family where he was the tenth of twelve children, and Croton-on-Hudson. [5] [6] He studied business at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. [7] He started out in the food business washing dishes at a little German Restaurant where everything was made in house. [8] He worked in numerous restaurants in New York including top restaurants such as Laurent [5] in New York City and Plumbush in Cold Spring, NY [9]before going to France to pursue his interest in cuisine. At 23, he opened Xaviars in Garrison, NY but closed it in 2002 at this location. [10] Xaviars was moved to Piermont, NY along the Hudson River. He has opened other restaurants as his business has grown.
His restaurants have received the highest praise; Xaviar's has received a 29 out of 30 in Zagat. The New York Times highest rating (Extraordinary), The Mobil Travel Guide Four Star Award, The Dirona Award, Restaurant News Dining Hall of Fame, Wine Spectator's "Best of Award of Excellence", New York State Restaurateur of The Year 1998. [11] In 2003 Westchester Magazine awarded him the Best Chef award. [12] In 2010 he was nominated and won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY STATE, RI, VT), for his Xaviars at Piermont. [13] [14]Mr. Kelly is in the Nation's Restaurant News Fine dining Hall of Fame. [15]
Mr. Kelly has appeared on TV, radio and print media, including an appearance on Iron Chef (Season 4: (2007) episode 10) [16] [17] [18] [19] and Anthony Bourdain's “No Reservations” program's profile of the Hudson Valley with Bill Murray. [6][20] In the 90's he became a vintner, his wine is known as "Silenus" (the Teacher of Bacchus in Greek Mythology). In 1999, became the founding chef and culinary director for Impromptu Gourmet [7] [21]