Chef Franco

Franco Fugel, a born and raised New Yorker, discovered his love for food and entrepreneurship early on, from competing on Chopped: Teen Tournament at age fourteen to founding a gelato business, “Franco Gelato,” at age eleven. This passion has led him to pursue work in Michelin-starred restaurants such as The NoMad, Ai Fiori, and Per Se, all of which have only furthered and reinforced his love for cooking, restaurant operations and leadership. These work experiences and an unwavering commitment to professionalism, grace and focus led to his appointment as the Commis Chef for the United States at the 2023 world-renound Bocuse d’Or competition to take place in Lyon, France. A graduate of both the Culinary Institute of America and the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Franco holds both a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Business and a Master’s of Science in Management.