Chef
Michael Cimarusti
Chef-owner, Providence
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Los Angeles, California, United States
Known for
- Sustainable seafood cuisine at Providence
- James Beard Best Chef: West 2019
- Advocacy for responsible ocean sourcing
i. Biography
The Trajectory
Seafood fine dining at this level is built through repetition in disciplined rooms before it becomes a restaurant language. Michael Cimarusti trained at Culinary Institute of America (1991), then worked as chef/cook at An American Place (from 1991). The line of kitchens that followed moved across American and French registers: Chef de cuisine at Spago in Los Angeles, California, opening Chef de cuisine at Osteria del Circo in New York City, chef at Arpège in Paris, France, chef at Le Cirque in New York City, and executive chef at Water Grill in Los Angeles, California. The current work is split between two Los Angeles-area formats: Providence, where Michael is chef-owner (since 2005), and Connie & Ted's, where he is owner (since 2013). The through-line is controlled seafood cookery, service discipline, and a clear command of restaurant systems.
Present Day
Contemporary Seafood at Providence is defined by sourcing before garnish. Since 2005, Cimarusti has been executive chef and co-owner of Providence in Los Angeles, where the work is framed by an environmental position as much as technique: "First and foremost, what guides us here is sustainability. We use only wild-caught, sustainable products, mostly from American waters, and look to highlight their finest qualities." A second current room, Connie and Ted’s in West Hollywood, opened in 2013 with Cimarusti as co-owner. Together, Providence and Connie & Ted’s put two seafood vocabularies into practice in Los Angeles and West Hollywood: one operating in the fine-dining register, the other under the name Connie & Ted’s.
Recognition
Recognition for the work includes Three Michelin Stars for Providence (2025), James Beard Award for Best Chef: West (2019), Green Michelin Star, Estrella Damm Chefs' Choice Award (2025), and One of the 50 Most Powerful People in American Fine Dining.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Michael
Who is Michael Cimarusti?
Michael Cimarusti is chef at Providence — Contemporary Seafood.
Where did Michael Cimarusti train or study?
Michael Cimarusti trained at Culinary Institute of America.
What recognition has Michael Cimarusti received?
Three Michelin Stars for Providence (2025).
