Stefan Richter

Since he began his culinary training as a teen, celebrity chef speaker Stefan Richter has won many awards as well as amassed many skills from his travels around Europe. He moved from his home country of Finland to the beautiful, sunny beaches of Santa Monica, California.  In 1998, he along with the master chefs Grant McPherson, Sotta Kuhn, Jacques Torres, Jean Philip Maury and Marc Poidevin made up the creative team for the development of the Bellagio Hotel, Resort, and Spa in Las Vegas. In 2004 he became the executive chef of the critically acclaimed restaurant Enoteca Drago. Since his move to Santa Monica he has ran a successful catering business specializing in European Cuisine. In 2009 he opened his own restaurant, Stefan’s at L.A. Farm. In 2011 he opened another restaurant, Stefan’s Steakhouse, in his hometown of Tampere, Finland and has since opened a few more restaurants in his native country.

Chef Richter began his television career in 2008 as he competed on season five of the popular Bravo TV series, Top Chef. Chef Stefan survived thirteen rounds of competition before tying with Chef Carla Hall for runner-up to the Top Chef winner of the season, Chef Hosea Rosenberg. Prior to the airing of the finale, renowned chef Eric Ripert was quoted saying he thought Richter was the strongest candidate and would win the final competition. Other notable contestants on season 5 were Fan Favorite Fabio Viviani, Chef Jeff McInnis, and Ariane Duarte. In 2012, Chef Richter returned to season 10 of Top Chef to compete again, making it to the 13^th episode where he was eliminated by the judges, including guest judge celebrity chef Curtis Stone. Judges for both seasons included celebrity chefs Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Gail Simmons, Toby Young, Emeril Lagasse, Hugh Acheson, and Iron Chef Wolfgang Puck.