Nancy Silverton: Chef Profile

Nancy Silverton transformed American baking by championing sourdough and artisan bread while building influential restaurants in Los Angeles. Her pastry roots and obsessive focus on fermentation helped make bread a central element of modern American cuisine.

A Baker, Chef, Restaurateur, and Author, Silverton cofounded La Brea Bakery and the Mozza Restaurant Group. She blends exacting technique with ingredient driven cooking and has inspired generations of bakers, Chefs, and home cooks.

Nancy Silverton's Formal Culinary Training

Nancy Silverton began college studying political science at Sonoma State University but found her calling cooking in a dormitory kitchen. She left school to train at Le Cordon Bleu in London, graduating in 1979, then refined her pastry craft in France at Ecole Lenotre.

Back in Southern California she apprenticed with pastry professionals and worked under Jonathan Waxman and pastry chef Jimmy Brinkeley at Michael's in Santa Monica. In 1982 she joined Wolfgang Puck's Spago as an opening Pastry Chef, a key step in her rise.

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Nancy Silverton Restaurants & Businesses

Silverton parlayed her pastry and baking expertise into a series of influential businesses that reshaped Los Angeles dining and brought artisan bread to a mass audience.

1. Campanile (1989) – Co founded with Mark Peel, Campanile became a beloved Los Angeles institution known for its ingredient driven, seasonal cooking and for launching many careers.
2. La Brea Bakery (1989) – Started adjacent to Campanile, La Brea Bakery popularized naturally leavened breads in the United States. Silverton's work with wild yeast and long fermentation made artisan bread widely accessible.
3. Osteria Mozza (2007) – Silverton co founded Osteria Mozza, an Italian focused fine dining restaurant in Los Angeles that earned Michelin level praise and became a landmark for Italian cuisine in America.
4. Pizzeria Mozza (2005) – Known for its wood fired pizzas and creative toppings, Pizzeria Mozza brought a gourmet approach to pizza and proved Silverton's range beyond breads and pastries.
5. Mozza2Go and chi SPACCA – Mozza2Go extended Mozza flavors to a casual audience, while chi SPACCA emphasized whole animal butchery and Italian inspired meats.

The Mozza Restaurant Group has expanded beyond Los Angeles with international locations and special residencies, and in 2024 Silverton opened Osteria Mozza in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., marking her first East Coast restaurant collaboration with Stephen Starr.

Nancy Silverton's Other Ventures

Beyond restaurants, Silverton's influence spread through books, education, and media. Her focus on technique and process helped transform home baking culture in America.

• Cookbooks: Silverton has authored several well regarded books including Breads from the La Brea Bakery (1996), Pastries from the La Brea Bakery (2000), The Mozza Cookbook (2011), and The Cookie That Changed My Life (2023).
• Baking Influence: Her championing of long fermentation, wild yeast starters, and artisanal methods helped popularize sourdough and bakery quality bread for home bakers and professionals.
• Products and Retail: La Brea Bakery grew into a national brand, and Silverton's techniques influenced retail bread standards and bakery education nationwide.
• Philanthropy and Education: She supports hunger relief and culinary education causes including No Kid Hungry and the Los Angeles Food Bank.

Nancy Silverton Shows

Silverton's career has been showcased in documentary and educational programming that highlight her baking philosophy and culinary impact.

• Chef's Table (2017) – Featured on Netflix, the episode focused on Silverton's obsession with bread and the craft behind her bakeries and restaurants.
• MasterClass and Special Appearances – Silverton has participated in high profile teaching series and made numerous television appearances that reinforce her role as a teacher and innovator.

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Nancy Silverton Awards and Accolades

Silverton's work has earned top honors in both baking and restaurant worlds.

• James Beard Awards
  • Outstanding Pastry Chef (1990)
  • Outstanding Chef (2014)
• Restaurant Recognition
  • Osteria Mozza has received Michelin level praise and consistent critical acclaim for its execution and hospitality.
• Industry Honors
  • Named among the most innovative and influential figures in food by major publications and included in documentary series that celebrate great Chefs and Bakers.
• Publishing
  • The Cookie That Changed My Life reached bestseller lists, underscoring Silverton's reach as an Author.

Nancy Silverton Personal Life

Silverton was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley in a Jewish family. Her early life in Los Angeles exposed her to diverse food cultures that later influenced her cooking and baking sensibilities.

She has been married three times. Her first marriage to Mark Peel resulted in the co founding of Campanile and La Brea Bakery and produced two children. She later married Mario Batali, with whom she co owned parts of the Mozza Restaurant Group and has one child. In 2014 she married Joe Bastianich, a restaurateur and business partner.

Silverton remains active in charitable work, supporting hunger relief and culinary education programs in Los Angeles and beyond.

Nancy Silverton Family and Friends

Throughout her career Silverton has collaborated with notable restaurateurs and Chefs, building long term partnerships with colleagues like Mark Peel, Mario Batali, and Joe Bastianich. Her teams at Campanile, La Brea Bakery, and Mozza include many alumni who became influential Bakers and Chefs.

Nancy Silverton Chef Profile: Conclusion

Nancy Silverton helped change the way America thinks about bread, bringing artisanal methods and deep respect for fermentation into mainstream kitchens and restaurants. Her combination of pastry precision and obsessive craft left a lasting legacy.

From La Brea Bakery to the Mozza Restaurant Group and her books, Silverton has been a teacher, innovator, and advocate for quality ingredients and patient technique. Her influence endures in bakeries, restaurants, and home kitchens across the country.