Missy Robbins

Missy Robbins (born 1971) is an American chef best known for holding a Michelin star at each of her two restaurants, and for being a contestant in series four of Top Chef Masters.

Robbins graduated Georgetown University in 1993, majoring in art history with a minor in psychology. Whilst in her final semester at University she got a job at restaurant 1789 after being inspired by a friend who got a job at another restaurant. After initially working Friday and Saturday nights whilst at University, she went on to work there for a year before moving to New York to attend culinary school at Peter Kump’s New York School of Cooking.

After she left culinary school, Robbins began to work at the Arcadia restaurant before joining Wayne Nish at his restaurant March. She moved to The Lobster Club before travelling in Northern Italy which became an influence on her cooking style. She returned to the United States to work at the Soho Grand Hotel, and moved to Chicago to work with Tony Mantuano as executive chef at Spiaggia. Whilst there, the restaurant was nominated twice for a James Beard Foundation Award and she frequently cooked for Barack and Michelle Obama.

She became executive chef at A Voce, changing the menu completely with the exception of two dishes, and would oversee the opening of a second location. The original location won a Michelin star in 2009, while the second location won a star in 2010. Both restaurants retain those awards through to the 2012 Michelin Guide. As of this edition of the Michelin Guide, she is one of only ten female chefs in the United States to hold a Michelin star.

In 2010, she was named Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine. She was a contestant in series four of Top Chef Masters. She withdrew from the competition during the first episode, having cut her finger so badly that she required a skin graft on it.