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Chef Harry Schwartz
From Marshalltown, Iowa and with a B.S. in Economics from
Grinnell College and Graduate Studies in Accounting at Harvard Business
School, Chef Harry's first career was far from the kitchen. He became
President and CEO of a scrap metal recycling company in Tulsa, Ok. in
1985, which he and his brother acquired with 100 percent leverage.
Under Harry's direction, the company became one of the largest scrap
metal processors in the region.
During the development of the company, Chef Harry and his
wife, Laurie, founded Back Bay Gourmet, a trendy Tulsa restaurant and
catering business which sold after six months of operation upon
receiving a substantial unsolicited offer. Harry and Laurie were then
asked to create the restaurant in Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Philbrook Museum of
Art during an $18,000,000 expansion. Laurie and Harry became very
active in Tulsa's philanthropic community and served on seven boards
until Harry successfully negotiated the sale of the scrap metal company
and retired to the beach of Jupiter Island, Florida in 1991 at the age
of 34.
On Jupiter Island, Chef Harry's first cookbook, "Easygoing
Entertaining," The "Harry's Wild About You Cookbook!" was completed.
With the help of Laurie, in May of 1995 Harry had the opportunity to
appear on NBC's Today Show, immediately becoming a regular after his
first appearance!
This opportunity resulted in Chef Harry and his family
moving to Malibu, California, to shoot his first Public Television
Show, Chef Harry & Friends and pursue his career as an author,
spokesperson, syndicated columnist and television show host. He has
done over 3000 segments and shows for over 10 networks and cable
channels since his first Today Show appearance. Chef Harry has been
instrumental in training on-air talent and spokespersons across the
country.
Chef Harry and his family now reside in Miami and on the
coast of Southern Maine. He and his wife of 27 years are active in
developing their new PBS series with WTTW Chicago based on his next
book, FITNESS FROM THE START.
