Yvan Lemoine

Yvan David Lemoine (born 1981) is a Venezuelan-born chef and author based in New York City. He was the runner-up on the eighth season of the Food Network series Food Network Star.

Yvan came from Venezuela at the age of 13 and landed in Brooklyn NY. Being the oldest brother of 4, and growing up in a household with only one income Yvan learned the importance of food living off the charity of the church and befriending supermarket managers so they would give his family the food they were going to discard. Yvan attended public school Long Island City H.S. and it was here where thought the help of his teacher Terry Matsis was introduced fine dining with the help of C-Cap : Careers through culinary arts program. It was there where Yvan started his career at 15 in the famed French Manhattan restaurant La Caravelle with chef Cyril Renaud. Yvan then went on to work with Jacques Torres at Le Cirque 2000, Rocco Dispirito, and Sam Mason. Yvan then went on to cook for dignitaries and royalty at the French consulate in NYC. He has made chocolate dresses for Kelly Ripa on Live! with Regis and Kelly designed cocktails for Angelina Jolie at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, and been featured in the New York Times, Food Arts, The Daily News, Food and Wine, El Diario, and The Village Voice among others. He has been on Spanish and English language television shows such as Despierta America, has been interviewed by Jaime Bayly, Sr. Maria Antonieta Collins, and some of the top morning shows across the country. Yvan has joined First Lady Michelle Obama in the “Chefs Move to School” campaign to provide healthier foods in schools and make healthier, more affordable food available in every part of the country. In 2015 Yvan won the Daniel Boulud/ Paul Bocuse scholarship and attended the prestigious Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France. He then had the opportunity to work at Le Neuvieme Art, a 2 star Michelin restaurant gastronomique in Lyon with Chef Christophe Roure MOF. Upon his return Yvan started doing a series of seasonal pop up dinners throughout NYC.

Yvan is the author of Food Fest 365!: The Officially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook and his second book in Spanish “Comidas USA” was released by Penguin rapidly becoming a Best Seller.

Yvan now works as the chef de cuisine at Bodega Negra restaurant for the Tao Group

Food Network Star

In May 2012, Lemoine became a contestant on the eighth season of another Food Network series, Food Network Star; he was mentored by Giada de Laurentiis. He eventually became one of the final four contestants, and he filmed a pilot for a potential series called Family Style. He eventually lost the competition to Justin Warner.

Lemoine is the oldest of four siblings. He was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and he lived in Venezuela until he was 13 years old. Lemoine was initially interested in acting as well as cooking during his high school years but he eventually shifted his focus to cooking exclusively.

Lemoine and his brother co-own food studio iFood Studios. He also currently works with the Tao restaurant group in the greater New York City area and at the Surf Lodge in The Hamptons, as well as being a cook for the modern-day French Consulate. At