Chef Michael Gulotta
Restaurant
Tana Italian
Location
New Orleans, LA
Chef Michael Gulotta began cooking when he was nine after being inspired by a television show about Chef Martin Yan. It was no surprise to his family that he wanted to go to culinary school. While attending Nicholls State in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Gulotta drove to New Orleans to work at Emeril’s Delmonico and Marisol. After graduating he worked for Restaurant August before moving to Italy and Germany. While abroad, he worked under renowned Chef Marco Ball and Chef Karl Joseph Fuchs.
Following Hurricane Katrina, Chef Gulotta returned to New Orleans to help rebuild and reopen Restaurant August. He became the Chef de Cuisine in 2007 and led the award-winning kitchen. In 2017, he ventured from August to open his first restaurant, MoPho, with his brother. MoPho combines Louisiana influences with Southeast Asian flavors.
Two years later, Chef Gulotta opened a second restaurant, Maypop, which combines Cajun, Vietnamese, Creole and Sicilian cuisine. The same year Maypop opened, Chef Gulotta was named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s Best New Chefs. He was also named “Top 30 Chefs to Watch” by Plate Magazine and the “Rising Stars Award” in 2016.
Chef Gulotta has been a semi-finalist two times for James Beard’s “Best Chef, South” and appeared on Iron Chef Gauntlet in Spring 2017. He continues to make a name for himself in the culinary world.
