Biography for
Cat Cora More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

1 January 1968, Jackson, Mississippi, USA

Birth Name

Catherine Cora

Height

4' 11" (1.50 m)

Mini Biography

Cat Cora was raised in a small Greek community in Jackson, Mississippi, by a family who held strongly to their Greek and Southern heritage. Both her grandfather, father, and godfather were restaurateurs and, by the time she was fifteen, she had already presented a business plan to them for her very own restaurant. During college, she cooked at an Italian bistro and a private dining club, preparing classical French cuisine. After graduating from college, Cat backpacked through Europe for four months, in search of good food and wine.

Leaving Mississippi for New York with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise physiology and biology under her belt, Cat got the education of her dreams at The Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park. While in New York, she apprenticed with and then worked for Chef Anne Rozenweig at Arcadia and worked at the Beekman tavern under Chef Larry Forgione, (father of Marc Forgione and Bryan Forgione), of "An American Place". Her culinary education continued in Europe with apprenticeships with two of France's three-star Michelin chefs: Georges Blanc and Roger Verge.

After returning to New York, Cat worked as a sous chef at The Old Chatham Shepherding Company, under Chef Melissa Kelly, before heading west to Northern California. She was offered the position of Chef de Cuisine in Napa Valley's Bistro Don Giovanni.

IMDb Mini Biography By: LizFL

Spouse

Jennifer Cora

(2001 - present) 4 children

Trivia

She says her interests are Yoga/meditation, water skiing and skiing/boarding, body surfing, dancing to ABBA with her 14-month-old son, rocking' out with her guitar. And, of course, cooking, eating and drinking great wine.

She says her alternate dream job would be an actress or a novelist.

Has cooked for Jacques Pepin, Robert Mondavi, Wolfgang Puck and Bill Gates. Member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Executive chef for Bon Appetit magazine.

President and co-founder (in January 2005) of Chefs for Humanity.

Receiving her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology and Biology at the University of Southern Mississippi, she enrolled (at the urging of Julia Child) at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

Parents are father, Spiro Cora, who is Greek, and mother, Virginia Lee Cora.

Cat and her partner, Jennifer Cora, are each expecting a boy. Cat is due in July, 2009 and Jennifer is due in April, 2010 [March 10, 2009].

Son, Thatcher Julius, born April 4, 2009, by Jennifer.

Son, Nash Lemuel, born July 19, 2009. He weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz.

Co-owner of "Kouzzina by Cat Cora" in Orlando, Florida. Opened on August 15, 2000.

Iron Chef [2005].

Planning to open a barbecue restaurant named "CCQ" [2008].

Sister of Chris Cora.

Where Are They Now

(2007) Release of her book, "Cooking from the Hip: Recipes for Fast, Easy, Phenomenal Meals" by Cat with Ann Krueger Spivack.

(2008) Lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her partner Jennifer and sons Zoran, 5, and Caje, 23 months.

(2010) Release of her cookbook, "Cat Cora's Classics With a Twist" by Cat with Ann Krueger Spivack.