Andrew Carmellini is the executive chef for A Voce restaurant in New York CIty. In 2000, Carmellini was named Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine. He also won the James Beard Foundation Award for Rising Star Chef, and was nominated as Best Chef in New York City by the foundation in both 2002 and 2004.

Carmellini's culinary passion is rooted in his childhood experiences in Cleveland, OH. His enthusiasm grew in his family's kitchen garden, and he developed respect for the values of technique and discipline by watching his mother grind her own wheat for home-baked bread. His interests quickly led him to the kitchen and his first job, at age 14, working the line at a popular restaurant. Before graduating from high school, he had moved on to cook at one of the region's top restaurants on weekends and holidays.

After graduating in 1991, Carmellini began cooking at famed restaurateur Tony May's San Domenico in New York City. Mr. May, impressed by his new chef's talent and dedication, arranged for a six-month traveling apprenticeship in Italy. Chef Carmellini's Italian tour culminated in a stage at San Domenico in Imola under Michelin two-star chef Valentino Mercatelli.

Returning to the United States in 1992, Carmellini worked as chef tournant at San Domenico until joining Gray Kunz as chef de partie at Lespinasse in 1993. While at Lespinasse, Carmellini was again given the opportunity to exercise his love of travel. For six months he studied the cuisines of England and France and interned in some of Europe's top kitchens. In 1996, Carmellini was named sous chef at Le Cirque 2000 and two years later he joined Daniel Boulud at his restaurant, Cafe Boulud.