Chef Biography
Michael Foley was born and raised in Chicago and is a third generation restaurateur. His grandfather opened Ray Foley’s in 1935, so Michael has been in the kitchen since he could walk. Although he knew and loved the restaurant business, he investigated other careers, including medicine. He attended the Beijing Medical Institute, received a Bachelor of Arts, government, law and business from Georgetown University in 1974, attended Cornell University from 1974- 77 in business and food & beverage development, and also graduated from the Beringer School for American Chefs. He apprenticed with a French chef at L’ Auberge du Couchon Rouge in Ithaca, New York while attending Cornell. After graduation, he traveled to France and visited with Great Chefs Paul Bocuse and Alain Chapel, before returning to Chicago to look for a place to open his own restaurant.
In 1981, he opened Printers Row in a blighted area of Chicago, changing his menu 80% every week. It was an instant hit winning every award possible. Great Chefs Television showed up to tape Chef Foley in 1984 for a PBS series called Great Chefs of Chicago. Everyone on both coasts laughed and said there were no “great chefs” in Chicago. We proved them wrong, and Chef Michael was a big part of that. He ran Printers Row for 25 years before closing the doors in 2006, and looking for new opportunities.
In 2007 he worked as Director of Food R & D for the Hyde Park Group for the next 5+ years before becoming the Vice President of Innovation and Brand Strategy at Cosi Restaurant Group, followed by a short stint with Tim Horton’s USA as a culinary consultant.
In 2005 he founded and still operates Vegetable Alchemy, and in late 2007 he founded michaelfoleyfood.com and still in 2016, consults with various food clients around the world. The Bungalow Café is one of his fun preservation passions.
Recipes
New York Duck Liver Terrine
Serving: 6 to 8 Print New York Duck Liver Terrine By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 Duck liver, garlic sausage coins, and truffles are layered with seasoning and gently cooked with moist heat, then chilled for two days before serving. The terrine slices are served with braised celery. Ingredients Terrine New York State Duck Liver […]
Wild Mushrooms Flavored with Pine Needles
Serving: 4 Print Wild Mushrooms Flavored with Pine Needles By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 A wonderfully earthy appetizer, this simple dish combines mushrooms, soy sauce, saki, and pine needles. Harvest fresh clean needles; they provide an aromatic touch to the dish. Ingredients Wild Mushrooms – 4 large Dashi – 1 tablespoon, dried Soy Sauce […]
Macaroon Mocha Buttercream Cake
Serving: 8 to 10 Print Macaroon Mocha Buttercream Cake By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 Chocolate genoise is layered with mocha buttercream and glazed with chocolate. Ground macaroons are sprinkled over the layers and pressed around the outside of the cake. Ingredients Chocolate Genoise Unsalted Butter – 2 tablespoons Cocoa – 1 heaping tablespoon Cake […]
Fluke and Daikon
Serving: 4 Print Fluke and Daikon By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 For this unusual soup-appetizer, Japanese radish — daikon — is wrapped with thin scallops of fluke – flounder — then warmed. A broth of julienned vegetables is poured over the daikon and fluke to finish. The taste is clean and distinctly Asian. Ingredients […]
Veal Done Six Ways
Serving: 4 Print Veal Done Six Ways By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 This is a tour de force with veal: sausage, shanks, grilled tenderloin, sweetbreads and kidneys, and medallions. To simplify for home cooking — in the absence of a kitchen staff of friends and relatives — make it “Veal Three Ways,” or “Veal […]