A Day in the Life of Chef Stephanie Izard

Stephanie Izard — chef, restaurateur, author, 2013 James Beard “Best Chef: Great Lakes” recipient and 2011 Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chef” — is the executive chef of three Chicago restaurants: Girl & the Goat, Little Goat Diner and Duck Duck Goat. Izard was also recently awarded the coveted title of “Iron Chef” after winning season 1 of the Food Network’s “Iron Chef Gauntlet.” Among other recent projects, Izard has a product line called “This Little Goat,” consisting of cooking sauces and spice mixes for home cooks. Izard’s first book, “Girl in the Kitchen,” was released in the fall of 2011, and her second book “Gather & Graze” was released April 2017.

Q&A.

• What’s your morning routine? I try to get to the gym and back before my two-year-old son, Ernie, wakes up. Then, we have family breakfast and hang time before we get Ernie off to school and head into work.
• What inspired you to be a chef? My mom was a great cook, and she exposed me to so many different foods and types of cuisine when I was growing up.
• What do you get out of participating in the USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience? I always get to meet so many fun people at events – people that just love food and wine and having a good time. 
• What was your best day in the kitchen? That's a tough one! I think the best (and also the worst) days are the first day we are open at any of the restaurants. They are the best because you feel like you did it! You made it! And the worst because you realize that it is only the beginning and it takes a while to get in a groove.
• What’s the weirdest food combination that you enjoy? Hahaha, I think some folks would think we have those all over our menus! Today, Ernie put applesauce on his pizza, and I gotta say it didn't look half bad! 
• Who is the coolest person you’ve ever cooked for? Anthony Bourdain
• What’s the next new concept percolating in your world? [What new plans do you have in store?] We are opening Girl & the Goat in Los Angeles in 2019! I am excited to join a culinary community that is just bursting.
• How do you end your day? Honestly? These days I heat up some of the dinners that Ernie had earlier and climb into bed to watch bad TV before falling asleep around 10 p.m. :)

Stephanie will be a featured chef at Martha Stewart Wine & Food Experience presented by USA TODAY on Saturday, Nov. 17 at Soldier Field. Buy your ticket today.