[VIDEO] Chef Missy Robbins Didn't Plan on a Culinary Career — But Won a James Beard Award Anyway (Plus 4 Noms)

In the fourth installment of our “Culinary School to Career” video series, Chef Missy discusses her journey to James Beard award-winning chefdom and the ways in which culinary school can prepare aspiring restaurant professionals for life on the line.

Watch the below video for her insights, and read the article for the full story behind Chef Missy’s success.

When asked about her biggest professional achievement, Chef Missy balks.

“[That] is a very large question,” she says — then she adds a surprising answer.

“So far it's just building this company slowly,” she says. “We’ve had it for nine years, and I’m just really proud of the people that work with us and what we’ve been able to build.”

The company in question is Grovehouse Hospitality, a restaurant group she co-owns, along with business partner Sean Feeney. Its holdings include MP Market, a retail shop selling old-school Italian specialities, and four dining concepts — Lilia, Misi, Misipasta and Fini Pizza.

Both Chef Missy and her restaurants have earned numerous awards, chief among them four James Beard nominations for Lilia and a James Beard award win for Chef Missy herself as Best Chef: New York City in 2018. 

This is perhaps why her response to the “biggest achievements” question is surprising. It’s easy to imagine an “I”-centric statement, a reference to the above-mentioned accolades. But Chef Missy diffracts, acknowledging those with whom she stands shoulder-to-shoulder without undermining the fact of her gifts. 

It’s a rare kind of confidence: candid, collegial and unassuming.

What Makes Missy… Missy?

Before chef’ing, Missy attended Georgetown University. She was always, however, “fascinated by food.”

“My family traveled a lot,” she says. “I grew up coming to great restaurants in New York, and it was a really big part of my life.”

Midway through her studies, she learned that a college friend was cooking at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago. “If she can cook, I can cook,” she thought, and promptly landed a job at the vaunted eatery.

“I was going to do it for a year,” she says, noting that she assumed she’d pursue a culinary career “later in life.”

“I thought I’d do a thing and make money and retire and [then] open a restaurant — which I now realize is really silly.” (This, of course, a nod to the challenges of restaurant ownership.)

“And here we are, 32 years later,” she laughs.

Chef Missy’s Culinary Journey

In that 32 years, Chef Missy went from Art History graduate to lauded chef.

Her early career was spent cooking at restaurants in Italy. In 2014, following Executive Chef roles in both Chicago and New York — the former garnering a coveted William R. Rice “Most Promising Chef Award,” and the latter placing her on Food & Wine’s “Best New Chefs, 2010” list — Chef Missy co-founded Grovehouse Hospitality Group with longtime friend Sean Feeney.

In 2016, Grovehouse opened its first two restaurants, both in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Lilia combines “wood-fired seafood, hand-crafted pastas, classic Italian cocktails and warm hospitality,” while Misi offers a pasta- and vegetable-focused menu. In addition to Lilia’s four James Beard nominations and Missy’s Best Chef: New York City win, Lilia received three stars from the New York Times.

Next up was Misipasta, a takeout shop that sells curated pasta “kits” for home cooking; MP Grocery, a specialty food store and grocer selling Italian imports, prepared foods and fresh ingredients; and Fini Pizza, a nod to classic New York slice shops.

Culinary School’s Merits, According to Chef Missy

Before all that, however, Chef Missy attended Peter Kump’s cooking school, which is now ICE Culinary. She’d been cooking professionally a little more than a year before deciding to enroll. Her goal was to get some basic skills.

“I think culinary school helped me in my career, kind of rounding out some of the things that you’re not going to necessarily learn your first year on the line,” she says.

“You get a glimpse into [real-life professional cooking]. But I think more importantly, it’s having that [chef] community.”

Chef Missy cultivates and encourages this community by employing the school’s grads.

“We take a lot of externs from ICE. We hire a lot of ICE people,” she says, adding that having “that connection and [knowing] that the school can rely on me to send people to and I can rely on them” is important.

Missy’s Hot Take

So what’s her best advice for those eager to develop a career similar to hers. It’s simpler — but no less straightforward — than you would expect.

“I think it’s really important when you embark on a culinary career and when you go to cooking school to put your head down and just learn as much as you can. Talk to as many people as you can. Go to as many events as you can. Meet as many people as you can. Stage in as many kitchens as you can.”

In short, work hard, focus on learning, and build a big network.

She adds this addendum, though: “My main theme, always forever, is just patience. You do not become a chef, a restaurateur, an entrepreneur overnight. I’ve had a 32-year career, and it’s had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.”

“Take the time to learn — to learn the skills, to master the craft,” she says, “and the rest will unfold as it’s meant to.”

Hear hear, Chef Missy! Thanks for your time and the inspiration.

* Experience varies by student, with outcomes contingent on factors including graduate aptitude, job market, place of residence and work history, among others.