Elizabeth Falkner

{{Infobox chef

| name = Elizabeth Falkner

| image = File:Elizabeth Falkner in NY.jpg

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1966}}

| birth_place = San Francisco, California, United States

| death_date =

| death_place =

| style = Pioneering American, Italian, California, Globally Inspired, Responsible, Sustainable, Plant Forward, Pastry, Breads, Pizza Pastries, Cakes, and California

| education = San Francisco Art Institute

| restaurants =

|prevrests={{plainlist}}*Citizen Cake, San Francisco (1997–2011),
* Orson, San Francisco (2008–2011),
* Krescendo, Brooklyn (2012–2013),
* Corvo Bianco, New York City (2013–2014)

{{endplainlist}}| television = {{plainlist}}* The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs (2011),
* Tournament of Champions (2020–2022)

| website = {{URL|www.elizabethfalkner.com}}

}}

File:Elizabeth Falkner and Scharffen Berger (3964120058).jpg

Elizabeth Falkner (born 1966) is an American chef and restaurateur. She has appeared as a competitor and a judge on reality television cooking competitions, and she is a Top Chef television series alum.

Early life and education

Elizabeth Falker was born in 1966, in San Francisco, California, and raised in Southern California.{{Cite web |title=Falkner, Elizabeth, 1966- |url=https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2021054332.html |website=LOC |publisher=The Library of Congress}}{{Cite web |last=Lucchesi |first=Paolo |date=2012-06-03 |title=Citizen Cake's Elizabeth Falkner leaving for N.Y. |url=https://www.sfgate.com/restaurants/article/Citizen-Cake-s-Elizabeth-Falkner-leaving-for-N-Y-3603021.php |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=SFGATE |language=en-US}} Her father was an art professor. Falkner graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1989 with a BFA degree.

Career

Her first restaurant job was as a dishwasher at French bistro Cafe Claude in San Francisco. She moved into French fine dining at Masa's with Chef Julian Serrano. In 1993, Falkner became the pastry chef at Elka in the Miyako Hotel, and in 1994 Falkner was the pastry chef under chef Traci Des Jardins at Drew Nieporent's restaurant Rubicon.{{Cite web |last= |date=April 15, 2010 |title=One pot meal: Cocoa-dusted pommes frites from Elizabeth Falkner |url=https://abc7news.com/archive/7388686/ |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=ABC7 San Francisco |language=en}}

= Citizen Cake and Orson =

In 1997, Falkner opened Citizen Cake, a dessert cafe at its first location in the Mission District at 82-14th Street, San Francisco in a partnership with coffee roaster Bob Vorhees.{{Cite news |date=March 2002 |title=Citizen Cake |work=Gourmet magazine |url=http://www.citizencake.com/press/gourmet.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071006095733/http://www.citizencake.com/press/gourmet.html |archive-date=2007-10-06}}{{Cite news |last=Adams |first=Paul |date=July 27, 1998 |title=Simple and Sweet Daytime Eats, Citizen Cake offers much more than just decadent desserts |work=Metro Active |publisher=Metro Publishing Inc. |url=http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sfmetro/07.27.98/dining1-9828.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060816001451/http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sfmetro/07.27.98/dining1-9828.html |archive-date=2006-08-16}} It remained there until 2000 when she moved the restaurant to 399 Grove Street, in the Hayes Valley neighborhood. A second spinoff location of Citizen Cake was located in the Virgin Megastore on Market Street in San Francisco. From 2010 to 2011, Citizen Cake moved to 2125 Fillmore Street in Pacific Heights before closing.

The restaurant Orson was co-owned with partner Sabrina Riddle and opened in 2008 in SoMA at 508-4th Street, San Francisco.{{Cite web |last=Alburger |first=Carolyn |date=2011-10-19 |title=Orson Out in SoMa, Charanga Closing on Mission, More |url=https://sf.eater.com/2011/10/19/6643193/orson-out-in-soma-charanga-closing-on-mission-more |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=Eater SF |language=en}} Orson took two years and cost 4 million dollars to build and was designed by the Zack/de Vito firm. However, in 2008, the same year as opening, there was a period of economic recession. Orson closed after approximately three years in October 2011.{{cite web |date=June 3, 2012 |title=Elizabeth Falkner Leaving for New York |url=http://www.sfgate.com/food/article/Citizen-Cake-s-Elizabeth-Falkner-leaving-for-N-Y-3603021.php |work=SFGate}}

= New York City =

In 2011, Falkner closed both of her San Francisco establishments, Citizen Cake and Orson, and moved to New York, where she opened two short-lived Italian restaurants, Krescendo in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn from 2012 to July 2013;{{Cite web |date=2013-07-18 |title=The Elephant in Boerum Hill: Is Krescendo Cursed? |url=https://patch.com/new-york/carrollgardens/the-elephant-in-boerum-hill-is-krescendo-cursed |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hill, NY Patch |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Wells |first=Pete |date=2013-01-22 |title=Secrets of the Glittering Pizza Oven |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/23/dining/reviews/restaurant-review-krescendo-in-boerum-hill-brooklyn.html |access-date=2022-04-10 |issn=0362-4331}} and Corvo Bianco on the Upper West Side from July 2013 to February 2014.{{Cite web |last=Hancock |first=Alexander |date=2013-07-15 |title=Elizabeth Falkner Makes Her Return at Corvo Bianco, Opening Tonight |url=https://ny.eater.com/2013/7/15/6403275/elizabeth-falkner-makes-her-return-at-corvo-bianco-opening-tonight |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=Eater NY |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Preston |first=Marguerite |date=2014-07-30 |title=Corvo Bianco Closes, Big Chef Rumored For Revamp |url=https://ny.eater.com/2014/7/30/6178857/corvo-bianco-closes-big-chef-rumored-for-revamp |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=Eater NY |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Morabito |first=Greg |date=2014-02-11 |title=Runaway Chef Elizabeth Falkner OUT at Corvo Bianco |url=https://ny.eater.com/2014/2/11/6281171/runaway-chef-elizabeth-falkner-out-at-corvo-bianco |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=Eater NY |language=en}}

In 2012, Falkner won first prize at the World Pizza Championship in Naples, Italy, with her "Finocchio Flower Power" pizza from Krescendo.{{Cite web |date=2014-05-22 |title=Elizabeth Falkner and Her Winning Pizze Visit The Daily Meal |url=https://www.thedailymeal.com/news/elizabeth-falkner-and-her-winning-pizze-visit-daily-meal/52214 |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=The Daily Meal |language=en}}

Teaching and events

From 2001 to 2002, Falkner taught professional pastry courses in Japan; and, from 2002 to 2003, she was the chef on a team doing research for American/European pastries for Barilla in Parma, Italy.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

She has cooked at the James Beard House in New York City; the Masters of Food and Wine in Carmel, California; and the Chef's Holiday at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

Television appearances

She has appeared in The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs (season 4, 2011, Food Network);{{Cite web |last=Alburger |first=Carolyn |date=2011-09-19 |title=Elizabeth Falkner and Michael Chiarello to Battle in The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs, Season 4 |url=https://sf.eater.com/2011/9/19/6649795/elizabeth-falkner-and-michael-chiarello-to-battle-in-the-next-iron |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=Eater SF |language=en}} and The Next Iron Chef: Redemption (2012, Food Network); Chopped All Stars (Food Network); Top Chef Masters; Top Chef; Top Chef: Just Desserts (Bravo); Top Chef: Canada; and Food Network Challenge (Food Network).{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

In 2005, Falkner competed on Iron Chef America, Tyler's Ultimate, $40 a Day, Sugar Rush, Best Of, Bay Cafe, Top Chef-Pastry and others. In 2006, Falkner appeared as a guest judge on Top Chef, a reality show on the Bravo network.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

In 2020, 2021, and 2022, Falkner competed on Guy Fieri's Tournament of Champions (Food Network) seasons 1, 2, and 3.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-22 |title=Tournament of Champions III: Battle Recap – Week 4 |url=https://guiltyeats.com/2022/03/22/tournament-champions-iii-battle-recap-week-4/ |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=Guilty Eats |language=en-US}}

In 2024, Falkner competed in 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing.

Personal life

Falkner identifies as lesbian.{{cite web|url=http://www.newnownext.com/14-lesbian-tv-chefs/08/2017|title=15 Lesbian Food Stars Who Serve It Up Hot {{!}} NewNowNext|work=Logo TV|publisher=Viacom Media Networks|last=Bendix|first=Trish|date=August 21, 2017|accessdate=April 11, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.autostraddle.com/top-15-gay-chefs-anne-burrell-joins-robust-legion-of-lesbian-celebrity-chefs-139164|title=15 Queers Cooking: Anne Burrell Joins Robust Legion of Lesbian Celebrity Chefs {{!}} Autostraddle|work=Autostraddle|publisher=The Excitant Group|author=Riese|date=May 29, 2012|accessdate=April 11, 2018}} She is active in the LGBTQ community, and has done extensive work with Act Up and the Human Rights Campaign, receiving the Charles M. Holmes Award from the latter in 2005.{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/jesseszewczyk/11-out-and-proud-leaders-redefining-the-food-industry|title=We Talked To 11 Out And Proud LGBT Leaders Of The Food Industry|date=4 June 2017 |publisher=Buzzfeed}}{{BSN|reason=interview|date=October 2023}}

Awards

Falkner has received multiple awards and nominations,{{Cite web |last=Falkner |first=Elizabeth |date=January 29, 2019 |title=Bad Behavior Gets in the Way of Great Work |url=https://www.foodandwine.com/chefs/communal-table-elizabeth-falkner-bad-behavior |access-date=2022-04-10 |website=Food & Wine |language=en}} and took first place at the 2012 World Pizza Championship in Naples Italy.

Books

{{Cite book |last=Falkner |first=Elizabeth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o3ETWEx2d2gC |title=Elizabeth Falkner's Demolition Desserts: Recipes from Citizen Cake |publisher=Ten Speed Press |others=Frankie Frankeny (photography). Ryan Falkner (illustrations) |year=2007 |isbn=9781580087810 |location=Berkeley, CA}}
{{Cite book |last=Falkner |first=Elizabeth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yZeP4Pg0HOIC |title=Cooking Off the Clock: Recipes from My Downtime |publisher=Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed |others=Frankie Frankeny (photography) |year=2012 |isbn=9781607742098 |location=Berkeley, CA}}