TCC announces the 2023 celebrity chef for 8th annual Cleaver and Cork event

Tallahassee Community College Foundation will welcome award-winning chef, television personality, author, and philanthropist, Iron Chef Michael Symon to Tallahassee for its eighth annual Cleaver and Cork event.

Chef Michael Symon cooks with soul. Growing up in a Greek and Sicilian family, the Cleveland native creates boldly flavored, deeply satisfying dishes at his restaurants: Mabel’s BBQ, Bar Symon, and Angeline.

Past chefs: Chefs Aaron Sanchez, Marc Murphy slice, dice and entertain at TCC's Cleaver and Cork

Restaurant: Inside the latest soul food restaurant at Governor's Square mall

Cleaver and Cork: 'Take care of others with food': Chef Aarón Sánchez is star of TCC Cleaver and Cork dinner

The 2023 Cleaver and Cork event begins Feb. 26 with a Progressive Cocktail Party, and continues March 3 with a Signature Dinner and March 4 with the Food and Wine Festival.

Symon shares his exuberant, approachable cooking style and infectious laugh with viewers on Food Network shows "Symon’s Dinners" and "Throwdown."

Since being named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine in 1998, Symon and his restaurants have been awarded numerous honors. In 2000 Gourmet magazine chose Lola as one of America’s Best Restaurants.

In 2010, Symon was the first and only chef ever to host the annual Farm Aid benefit concert. In 2009, Symon earned The James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Great Lakes.

Symon made his debut on the Food Network in 1998. In 2008 he won The Next Iron Chef which earned him a permanent spot on the roster of esteemed Iron Chefs. In September 2011, he joined the cast of "The Chew" on ABC as one of the show’s five hosts.

Symon toured throughout the United States in 2015 hosting "Burgers, Brew and Ques" on Cooking Channel, tasting the best of America’s classics. Symon’s Dinners

Cooking Out premiered on the Food Network in 2020 and his fans quickly fell in love with watching Symon use his grilling and BBQ skills in his very own backyard.

While Symon shines on television, he is a genuine hometown guy who made his name cooking in his acclaimed restaurants. Lola, Roast, Mabel’s BBQ, and Angeline at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa have all been award-winning restaurants, garnering accolades for the fare served. Chef Symon has also published five cookbooks, with three of them recognized on The New York Times Book Review best sellers list.

Chef Symon and his wife Liz started The Michael D. Symon Foundation in 2010 focused on assisting the Cleveland culinary world and the many charitable needs supported by the restaurant and hospitality industry.

Tallahassee Community College Foundation's Cleaver and Cork is a three-party culinary experience to help fund student scholarships.

Never miss a story:  Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: TCC names Michael Symon as celebrity chef for Cleaver and Cork event