A Top Chef Becomes A Top Entrepreneur

There are some chefs who just cook - and that defines them. Others turn their skills into a multi-level business and that also defines them. Then there is Mike Isabella who is a combination of both.He's setting the Washington DC culinary world atilt and now has a new concept, a modernist food church .

Jennifer Steinhauer interviewed Chef Isabella for yesterday's New York Times Food section. Mr. Isabella first came to prominence ten years ago when he appeared as a contestant on Top Chef. He wowed judge Tom Colicchio with a tasty pepperoni sauce. In the years in between he established eleven restaurants in Washington DC, Virginia, and Maryland.By then end of this year he'll be opening a vast food emporium at Tyson's Galleria, a McLean Virginia luxury mall. His latest venture, a French eatery, Requin will bring life to The Wharf, a refurbished  area of the Washington waterfront. This new eatery is a kind of food church being helmed by him and chef Michael Rafidi who has also has a background in southern Spanish and Moroccan cuisine. Chef Isabella has a whole globe of international restaurants, including Greek,Italian Mexican and Chinese.

Mr. Isabella is much more than a restauranteur . He is a mogul, somewhat rare in the food world. His empire is worth thirty million and it includes stands in airports and sports arenas. He has an army of six hundred workers whiich will double when the new restaurants open. This boy  from New Jersey had humble beginnings. His culinary career started at the now defunct Restaurant School of New York, did stints in Manhattan and Philadelphia. He cooked for the famed Marcus Samunessen and prolific restaurateur Stephen Starr. He experimented with eastern Mediterranean food at Zaytinya. He met Tom Colicchio at food writer , Joan Nathan's house where he pushed Mr. Nathan to let him compete on Top Chef. After the show he started Graffiato in Washington 's Chinatown section. His future lies with the success of Isabella's Eatery at the upscale mall.. It will have a variety of different cuisines from Mediterranean to Japanese , with Italian thrown in He'll also have an  ice cream parlor and a coffee bar.

Mike Isabella is beyond just a restauranteur. He is a giant in the industry  and his empire will keep growing. It will be exciting and interesting as to what he'll do next.