Amanda Freitag

Amanda Freitag (born May 11, 1972) is an American celebrity chef and television personality. She is best known for her frequent appearances on the Food Network television programs Chopped and Iron Chef America. Freitag has also competed on The Next Iron Chef.

Early Life and Education

Amanda Freitag was born and raised in Cedar Grove, New Jersey. She attended Cedar Grove High School, where she developed an interest in the culinary arts. After high school, she attended the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York, graduating in 1989.

Career

After graduating from the CIA, Freitag worked under chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at Vong. She then moved to Verbena, where she worked with chef Diane Forley. Freitag later traveled to France and Italy to further hone her culinary skills.

In 2003, Freitag became the executive chef at Cesca Enoteca & Trattoria on the Upper West Side of New York City. She later worked at The Harrison in TriBeCa.

Television Career

Freitag is a regular judge on the Food Network series Chopped, where she critiques the dishes of competing chefs. She has also appeared on Iron Chef America, where she has competed against other renowned chefs. In 2009, she competed in the second season of The Next Iron Chef, finishing in fourth place.

In 2015, Freitag co-hosted the series American Diner Revival alongside Ty Pennington. The show focused on renovating classic American diners.

Personal Life

Freitag resides in New York City. She is known for her advocacy of sustainable and locally sourced ingredients.

See Also

• Chopped (TV series)
• Iron Chef America
• The Next Iron Chef
• Food Network