Alex Hitz
Alex Hitz (born February 10, 1969) is an American celebrity chef, author of two cookbooks, philanthropist, socialite, columnist. Founder of the food product line The Beverly Hills Kitchen. Former food editor of House Beautiful.
He was named “the very best host in the world” by The Wall Street Journal.[1][2][3]
Biography
[edit]Alex Hitz was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on February 10, 1969, to Caroline Bryans Sauls and Alex Hitz. His mother's family was one of the investors in The Coca-Cola Company, and Mrs. Hitz was a trustee of the Atlanta Memorial Arts Center (now called the Woodruff Arts Center) and the Atlanta Historical Society (now called the Atlanta History Center).[4] His father's family is descended from Florian Hitz, the first Swiss ambassador to the United States.[5] His parents divorced when Hitz was three years old, and in December 1973 his mother remarried Robert Shaw, a symphonic and choral conductor. Hitz spent his young years at the family home in France.[6]
In 1987, after graduating from Avon Old Farms School, Hitz worked at the restaurant The Patio by The River in Atlanta, Georgia.[7]
Education
[edit]Alex Hitz graduated with a bachelor's degree in English from Washington and Lee University in 1991. At the same time, he attended undergraduate programs at the University of London, where he studied English and Theatre, and at L’Université de Paris-La Sorbonne, where he studied French Culture and Civilization.[8] He completed advanced programs at Peter Kump's Cooking School (now the Institute of Culinary Education) in New York City in 1995 and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris in 1996.[4][9]
Career
[edit]In 1991, Hitz became co-owner of The Patio by the River with Mary Boyle Hataway and sold it in 1994. In 1995, he moved to New York City and produced some Broadway shows (Triumph of Love (1997), the revival of The Sound of Music (1998) etc.)[10] In 1998, Hitz started investing in real estate in the New York, Atlanta, and Los Angeles areas and designed bespoke clothing.[11][3] Since 2009, Hitz is one of the three trustees of The Dennis Hopper Trust.[12]
Food product line
[edit]In 2008 Hitz began developing The Beverly Hills Kitchen which was a line of gourmet frozen food products. The first food product, Beef Bourguignon, was presented on the QVC on October 1, 2009.[13][14][15] In January 2011 Hitz moved his product line to the Home Shopping Network (HSN) television station.[16]
Culinary manner
[edit]Hitz culinary art combines the Atlanta and French cuisines and cooking styles. He creates haute-cuisine restaurant-quality recipes for the home cook. His updated Southern dishes consist of the Low Country and the Creole cuisines.[5] His teachers were Andre Soltner at Lutèce in New York, and Michel Guerard at Eugenie-Les-Bains in France.[17]
Books
[edit]Hitz is the author of the cookbook My Beverly Hills Kitchen: Classic Southern Cooking with a French Twist (Knopf, October 2012).[18][19][20][21]
In October 2019, he published his second book The Art of The Host: Recipes and Rules for Flawless Entertaining (Rizzoli).[22][23][24]
He was a food columnist of House Beautiful[25] and he is a contributing editor of Town&Country Magazine.[26]
Recognitions
[edit]He is known as “The Ralph Lauren of food and wine”.[9][27]
References
[edit]- ^ Moss, Charlotte (2012-09-21). "That's Entertainment!". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "JUST IN: Alex "The Very Best Host In The Word" Hitz Is Returning For 2021 Kappa Kappa Gamma's Tablescapes". My Sweet Charity. 2021-06-11. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ a b Anner, Rosemarie T. (2020-02-09). "No matter what goes wrong in the kitchen, Alex Hitz serves 'cream and butter food' with a smile". Connecticut Post. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ a b "Greatest Hitz". New York Post. 2013-02-07. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ a b "Q&A with Host Extraordinaire, Alex Hitz". Flower Magazine. 2019-12-21. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ Department, Communications (2021-05-13). "Alex Hitz - Thursday, August 12, 2021". Huntsville Museum of Art. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "Birmingham's Antiques at the Gardens hosts celebrity chef Alex Hitz (video)". al. 2012-10-03. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "Charitybuzz: Consultation with Celebrity Chef Alex Hitz in NYC or LA - Lot 3231156". /www.Charitybuzz.com. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ a b Townsend, Bob. "A head start for hosts:Recipes for a totally do-ahead holiday gathering". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "Alex Hitz – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "International Best-Dressed List - Alex Hitz" (PDF).
- ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Dennis Hopper's Wife Wins Bid To Block Art Sale". RadarOnline. 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ LaPorte, Nicole (2009-11-29). "A Hollywood Host Takes on QVC". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "Let Him Entertain You". Over the Mountain Journal. 2012-10-02. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ Zilkha, Bettina. "Verdura Celebrates Alex Hitz's The Art Of The Host". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "Chef Alex Hitz on Organic Eating, and Why He'd Bring Salt to a Desert Island". Vanity Fair. 2012-10-02. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "Alex Hitz". CathedralAntiques. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ Hitz, Alex (2012). My Beverly Hills Kitchen: Classic Southern Cooking with a French Twist. Knopf. ISBN 978-0307701527.
- ^ "Table Talk: Cookbook Author Alex Hitz on Holiday Entertaining". Vogue. 2012-11-14. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ ""The Art of The Host" by Alex Hitz is a Guide to Flawless Entertaining - Downtown Magazine Art of the Host by Chef Alex Hitz". Downtown Magazine. 2019-09-03. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "Nonfiction Book Review: My Beverly Hills Kitchen: Classic Southern Cooking with a French Twist by Alex Hitz. Knopf, $35 (368p) ISBN 978-0-307-70152-7". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "Chef Alex Hitz Latest Cookbook Includes Some Local Flavor".
- ^ "Acclaimed Host and Chef Alex Hitz Gives Us a Look at His New Cookbook".
- ^ "Alex Hitz with THE ART OF THE HOST". SQUARE BOOKS. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "Alex Hitz Contributor". House Beautiful. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ "Alex Hitz Contributor". Town & Country. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ TheColumbusite (2018-10-09). "'The Ralph Lauren of Food & Wine' to Headline Columbus Botanical Garden's 10th Annual Garden Gala". thecolumbusite. Retrieved 2021-11-25.