Susan Feniger
Encyclopedia
Susan Feniger is an award-winning American chef, restaurateur
, cookbook author, and radio and TV personality considered to be a leading authority on Latin cuisine in the United States.
and Paris
, Feniger and her longtime collaborator, Mary Sue Milliken
, settled in Los Angeles where they founded the critically acclaimed City Cafe in 1981. They eventually expanded to a larger space on La Brea Blvd., renaming the establishment CITY Restaurant. In 1985, they opened the Mexican restaurant Border Grill in the original City Cafe space, before moving it to Santa Monica in 1990. The restaurant later expanded to Pasadena (closed) and the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. Broadening their culinary horizons Feniger and her partner opened the Latin flavor Ciudad in Los Angeles in 1998. The success of the three restaurants has often led Feniger and Milliken to be recognized for single-handedly changing LA's culinary landscape.
In April 2009, Feniger opened her first solo project Street, a multi-ethnic eatery of "street food" in Hollywood. Sample dishes include: millet puffs, paani puri, Massamum chicken curry, dumplings, Egyptian-style baked fish and peanut butter cookies for dessert.
Feniger is also a seasoned TV personality, starring with Milliken in 396 episodes of the popular Too Hot Tamales and Tamales World Tour on the Food Network
in the 1990s. Prior to the shows on the Food Network, in 1993 Feniger and Milliken appeared with Julia Child
in her PBS series Cooking with Master Chefs. Feniger has also appeared on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
and prepared with Milliken the food that was served in the 2001 movie, Tortilla Soup
.
Most recently, Feniger appeared on the second season
of Top Chef Masters
that aired in 2010. She was the last female chef in the competition, eliminated following a challenge to create a dish fit for the gods. Feniger's creation for Aphrodite was Kaya toast served with a soy-glazed egg and coconut jam. She raised $32,500 for The Scleroderma
Research Foundation. "It's an honor to be on that show and have Schleroderma [sic] Research Foundation out there in the public eye," she said in an interview with SlashFood. "I've gotten so many email messages and Facebook messages from all over the country. So for me, I'm totally the winner in this.
in 1976.
She was a founding board member of the Scleroderma Research Foundation
and has served on the organization's board since 1988.
Feniger also serves on the board of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center.
Restaurateur
A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of the restaurant business.-Etymology:The word...
, cookbook author, and radio and TV personality considered to be a leading authority on Latin cuisine in the United States.
Restaurants
After working together in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Feniger and her longtime collaborator, Mary Sue Milliken
Mary Sue Milliken
Mary Sue Milliken is an American chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and radio and TV personality working mostly on Latin cuisine in the United States.- Restaurants :...
, settled in Los Angeles where they founded the critically acclaimed City Cafe in 1981. They eventually expanded to a larger space on La Brea Blvd., renaming the establishment CITY Restaurant. In 1985, they opened the Mexican restaurant Border Grill in the original City Cafe space, before moving it to Santa Monica in 1990. The restaurant later expanded to Pasadena (closed) and the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. Broadening their culinary horizons Feniger and her partner opened the Latin flavor Ciudad in Los Angeles in 1998. The success of the three restaurants has often led Feniger and Milliken to be recognized for single-handedly changing LA's culinary landscape.
In April 2009, Feniger opened her first solo project Street, a multi-ethnic eatery of "street food" in Hollywood. Sample dishes include: millet puffs, paani puri, Massamum chicken curry, dumplings, Egyptian-style baked fish and peanut butter cookies for dessert.
Publishing and tv/film
In collaboration with Milliken and others, Feniger has published five cookbooks: City Cuisine (1989), Mesa Mexicana (1994), Cantina: The Best of Casual Mexican Cooking (Casual Cuisines of the World)(1996), Cooking with Too Hot Tamales (1997) and Mexican Cooking for Dummies (1999/2002).Feniger is also a seasoned TV personality, starring with Milliken in 396 episodes of the popular Too Hot Tamales and Tamales World Tour on the Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
in the 1990s. Prior to the shows on the Food Network, in 1993 Feniger and Milliken appeared with Julia Child
Julia Child
Julia Child was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for introducing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her subsequent television programs, the most notable of which was The French Chef, which...
in her PBS series Cooking with Master Chefs. Feniger has also appeared on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
Sabrina the Teenage Witch is a comic book series published by Archie Comics about the adventures of a teenage fictional character named Sabrina Spellman. The character was created by writer George Gladir and artist Dan DeCarlo. The comic's characters have also appeared in various other media...
and prepared with Milliken the food that was served in the 2001 movie, Tortilla Soup
Tortilla Soup
Tortilla Soup is a 2001 American comedy-drama film directed by Maria Ripoll. The screenplay by Tom Musca, Ramón Menéndez, and Vera Blasi is based on the film Eat Drink Man Woman, which was written by Hui-Ling Wang, Ang Lee, and James Schamus.-Plot:...
.
Most recently, Feniger appeared on the second season
Top Chef: Masters (season 2)
The second season of the American reality competition show Top Chef Masters was announced on October 22, 2009. In addition to the announcement, it was announced that Gail Simmons would be added as a critic. The season premiered on April 7, 2010 with 22 world-renowned chefs competing against each...
of Top Chef Masters
Top Chef Masters
Top Chef Masters is an American reality competition show currently broadcast on the cable television network Bravo. It is a spinoff of Bravo's hit show Top Chef. In the series, 24 world-renowned chefs compete against each other in weekly challenges...
that aired in 2010. She was the last female chef in the competition, eliminated following a challenge to create a dish fit for the gods. Feniger's creation for Aphrodite was Kaya toast served with a soy-glazed egg and coconut jam. She raised $32,500 for The Scleroderma
Scleroderma
Systemic sclerosis or systemic scleroderma is a systemic autoimmune disease or systemic connective tissue disease that is a subtype of scleroderma.-Skin symptoms:...
Research Foundation. "It's an honor to be on that show and have Schleroderma [sic] Research Foundation out there in the public eye," she said in an interview with SlashFood. "I've gotten so many email messages and Facebook messages from all over the country. So for me, I'm totally the winner in this.
Personal life
Feniger graduated from Pitzer CollegePitzer College
Pitzer College is a private residential liberal arts college located in Claremont, California, a college town approximately east of downtown Los Angeles. Pitzer College is one of the Claremont Colleges....
in 1976.
She was a founding board member of the Scleroderma Research Foundation
Scleroderma Research Foundation
The Scleroderma Research Foundation is a non-profit, 501 organization based in San Francisco. Its mission is to find improved therapies and a cure for scleroderma by funding research and Scleroderma Centers of Excellence, which provide multi-specialty clinical care in dedicated facilities...
and has served on the organization's board since 1988.
Feniger also serves on the board of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center.