Episode 12

Chef Dena Marino: how she went from one of America’s best restaurant chefs to the private chef of LeBron James and his family (S8/Ep.12)

Published on: 21st December, 2022

Dena Marino is the private chef for LeBron James and his family. She is one of the country's most accomplished and preeminent chefs having spent time cooking in Napa (Tra Vigne), Aspen (Ajax, D19, Ellina) and Miami (MC Kitchen). Over the course of her career, Dena and her restaurants have received numerous accolades ranging from the nation's “Top 20 Best New Restaurants” by Esquire, to Miami New Times’ “Top 10 Chefs.” In this episode, she shares how a one-day kitchen internship (‘stage’) in Napa helped pave the way for her culinary career. She also touches upon the importance of reading your guests in a room, both as a restaurant chef and as a private chef. She is committed to using her expertise for good, most recently, by offering virtual cooking classes to the families living in the LeBron James Family Foundation's I PROMISE Village in Akron, Ohio. Enjoy this episode as we go Beyond the Plate… with Chef Dena Marino.


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About the Podcast

Beyond the Plate
Culinary Legends, Giving Back
Join Andrew “Kappy” Kaplan as he sits down in-person with the world’s culinary elite to explore their journey into the food industry and the social impact they have made in their community. Every episode will share inspiring stories of what it means to be in today’s hospitality industry.

About your host

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Andrew Kaplan