“The decision my spouse, LJ Johnson, and I made was that if I have the opportunity on such a massive scale, it was important to me not just to be out, but to say I’m a queer femme married to someone who identifies as genderqueer, and to use those words and pronouns, and to be clear about it,” she told the magazine.
During her long stint as executive chef and partner at Myers + Chang, also in Boston, she took a seven-week break to film season 13 of “Top Chef.” In 2017, Akunowicz co-authored her first cookbook, Myers + Chang at Home: Recipes from the Beloved Boston Eatery, and last year, she won the prestigious James Beard award for Best Chef: Northeast.Īs her career skyrocketed, Akunowicz says she never strayed from her commitment to be outspoken about her identity, especially on “Top Chef.” In an interview with Food & Wine, Akunowicz opened up about the importance of being a highly visible member of the LGBTQ community. The move to open her very own venture comes after a whirlwind few years that saw Akunowicz rise quickly in the ranks of the food world. Karen Akunowicz, award-winning queer chef and former star of Bravo’s “Top Chef” has just debuted Fox & the Knife, a new Italian bistro located in South Boston. Got Beantown on your shortlist of gay destinations to visit soon? Now there’s one more reason to move this vibrant city right to the top.