About Karen.
Chef Karen Akunowicz is a celebrity chef, restauranteur and the 2018 James Beard Foundation Award winner for Best Chef: Northeast. In 2020 her debut restaurant Fox & the Knife was a James Beard Award finalist for Best New Restaurant in America.
Chef Karen is the Chef/Owner of Fox & the Knife Enoteca in South Boston, Bar Volpe Ristorante, and Fox Pasta Company Chef Karen has been touted as “Boston’s Queen of Pasta” and her restaurant Fox & the Knife was called an “Instant Classic” by Food & Wine Magazine and named one of their “Best New Restaurants in America”. In 2024 Chef Karen opened her third restaurant, Fox & Flight by Karen Akunowicz in Logan Airport in Boston.
Chef Akunowicz is a well-known television personality as a fan favorite on Bravo TV’s Emmy-nominated show “Top Chef” (seasons Season 13 as well as “All-Stars”). She is a rising star on The Food Network’s “Tournament of Champions 3-5 and has appeared as a judge on Top Chef, Top Chef Canada, America’s Worst Cooks, Guy’s Grocery Games and America’s Test Kitchen Next Generation. She is a recurring Judge on “Beat Bobby Flay”.
Karen was named one of the “21 Badass Women Changing the Food World” by Marie Claire Magazine and is the author of “Crave: Bold Recipes That Make You Want Seconds” which was published in September of 2023 by W.W. Norton.
Chef Karen Akunowicz has not only left an indelible mark on the culinary world with her innovative and flavorful approach to cooking, but she is now sharing her culinary expertise with home cooks everywhere. Her new cookbook, "Crave: Bold Recipes That Make You Want Seconds," has become a sensation, receiving widespread acclaim and recognition. Notably, the book was recently honored with the prestigious 2023 Cook Book of the Year award by Readable Feast. Additionally, "Crave" has already secured its place among the top 20 cookbooks on Amazon for 2023, solidifying its status as a must-have for food enthusiasts and home chefs alike.
Crave: Bold Recipes That Make You Want Seconds.
Spicy, sour, salty-sweet-crunchy, cold and creamy—100 recipes from award-winning chef Karen Akunowicz capture what you crave!
Ask anyone what foods they crave, and most people will be able to reel off a list without hesitation. Cravings almost always have an emotional component, and in every case, there is a flavor, texture, or temperature combination that gives each dish what Akunowicz calls the “wow” factor. It’s what she strives for every time she creates new dishes for her restaurants, and it’s reflected in each of the recipes in Crave.
As a chef with experience cooking many different cuisines—Italian, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Southeast Asian—Akunowicz has a unique take on cooking. Her recipes, organized by flavor and texture cravings, from Crispy & Crunchy or Hearty & Homey to Sweet & Luscious, include Tomato Salad with Toasted Sesame Vinaigrette, Chicken Cacciatore, Ginger Scallion Lobster, Smoky Eggplant Dip, and more. She’s a great teacher and makes it easy to bring the vibrancy of her cooking into your own home.
BRAND PARTNERSHIPS
Family
Chef Karen Akunowicz, originally from New Jersey, now resides in Boston, MA, with her spouse LJ Johnson and their daughter Rogue, who will turn two this fall. The family also cherishes their home in Maine, where they connect with nature and enjoy frequent visits to the ocean. Chef Karen's deep-rooted love for culinary arts and family life, combined with her appreciation for the natural world, brings a unique and heartfelt touch to her cooking and community engagements.