Michael Mina (born 1969 in Cairo, Egypt) is an award-winning American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author. He is the executive chef at his two namesake restaurants in San Francisco, California and Las Vegas, Nevada, and partners with Andre Agassi in Mina Group, a restaurant management company that owns 16 restaurants in the United States and Mexico. He authored his first cookbook in 2006 and has made numerous television appearances. Mina has two Michelin stars among his two namesake restaurants in San Francisco, California and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Egyptian-born Michael Mina was raised in Ellensburg, Washington. He started working in a French kitchen in his hometown when he was 16. After high school, Mina attended the University of Washington and worked in the restaurant at the Space Needle, where he received his first exposure to working in a busy restaurant. He left after one year to attend Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
Culinary development
After working in Los Angeles at the Bel Air Hotel with Executive Chef George Morrone, Mina followed Morrone to San Francisco to help create Aqua. Following Morrone's departure from Aqua, Mina became Excutive Chef and received numerous awards and accolades.
As restaurateur
In 2002, Mina partnered with Andre Agassi to open concept restaurants, such as Nobhill and Seablue in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In October 2006, Mina's San Francisco restaurant, Michael Mina, was awarded two Michelin stars, one of only four restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area to be a two star recipient.
For the 2010 San Francisco Bay Area Michelin Guide, Mina's San Francisco restaurant, Michael Mina, was demoted to one Michelin star.
Books
In November 2006, Michael Mina released his first cookbook, Michael Mina: The Cookbook. The book presents a number of recipes with his "Trio concept" as well as his "classic" dishes.