Joey Altman

Joey Altman is an American chef, restaurateur, TV host and writer.

Altman grew up in the Catskills in New York, where his mother worked at Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel. As a child he wanted to be a magician, a stunt man, musician or an actor.

He earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management at the Sullivan County Community College in New York. | Family = Wife Jaemie Ballesteros Children Johanna Malaer, Caleb Malaer, and Piper Altman | Pets = Two Australian shepherds Charlie Altman and Ivan The Terrible Altman. One Siberian cat Calypso aka Cali | parents = Natalie Altman and Michael Altman | siblings = Ben Altman louis Altman

Altman is an avid blues guitarist, performing with the all-chef band "Back Burner Blues" for charity events. He is married, has three children, and lives in San Francisco.

He trained under Chef Bernard Constantin at the Hotel Larivoire in Lyon, France, and also for Jean Brouilly at Tarare in Britany. He worked at the Harvest Restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1985 he moved to New Orleans, Louisiana to work for Emeril Lagasse at Commander's Palace.

In San Francisco he worked for Jeremiah Tower at Stars and Taxi, and as a private chef at music promoter Bill Graham's concert venues, before gaining prominence as the opening chef at Miss Pearl's Jam House, a popular restaurant at the Phoenix Hotel in San Francisco's Tenderloin District. He owned and ran the Wild Hare Restaurant in Menlo Park, California from 1999-2003. Beginning in 2002 Altman was spokesman for Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, a wine division of Diageo.