Evan Funke Biography
Evan Funke is a renowned American chef based in Los Angeles, celebrated for his mastery of traditional Italian pasta-making techniques. His culinary journey began in earnest after training under the legendary Alessandra Spisni at La Vecchia Scuola Bolognese in Bologna, Italy. This experience solidified his passion for handmade pasta, and he became a custodian of Italian culinary traditions. Funke is known for his meticulous attention to old-world methods of crafting pasta and has brought this expertise to several high-profile restaurants.
Funke’s most famous venture is Felix Trattoria on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California, which showcases his skills in pasta fatta a mano, featuring a pasta laboratorio at the heart of the restaurant. In addition to Felix, Funke operates Funke in Beverly Hills, which is considered his flagship restaurant and a love letter to Italy’s culinary traditions. His other ventures include Mother Wolf, a Roman-inspired restaurant, and Tre Dita, which focuses on Tuscan cuisine and is located in Chicago.
Funke has also gained recognition for his media presence. He starred in the documentary Funke, which chronicles his journey as a chef, and he hosts the docu-series Shape of Pasta, exploring rare pasta shapes across Italy. Both are streaming on various platforms. Additionally, his critically acclaimed cookbook American Sfoglino won several awards, including a James Beard Foundation Award.
Evan Funke Age
Evan Funke is 44 years old as of 2024.
Evan Funke Hometown
Evan Funke hails from Los Angeles, California.
Evan Funke Educational Background
Evan Funke’s educational background is heavily rooted in hands-on culinary training rather than traditional academic education. After working with renowned chef Wolfgang Puck at Spago Beverly Hills for six years, Funke’s pivotal educational experience came from his apprenticeship in Bologna, Italy. There, he studied under master pasta maker Alessandra Spisni at La Vecchia Scuola Bolognese.
Evan Funke Wife
Evan Funke is married to Grace Kim Funke. The couple tied the knot in 2016, and Grace has been a crucial source of support throughout Evan’s culinary career.
Evan Funke Career
Evan Funke’s culinary career has been defined by his deep passion for Italian cuisine, particularly the art of handmade pasta. His journey began in Los Angeles, but it truly took off after spending six years working under the legendary chef Wolfgang Puck at Spago Beverly Hills. During his time at Spago, from the early 2000s until around 2007, Funke gained significant experience, mastering a range of cooking techniques that would serve as the foundation for his later endeavors.
A major turning point in Funke’s career came when he moved to Bologna, Italy, to study under Alessandra Spisni at La Vecchia Scuola Bolognese. It was here that he honed his craft and learned the traditional art of pasta fatta a mano (handmade pasta). This immersive training in Italy instilled in him a deep appreciation for the old-world methods of pasta-making, and this expertise would go on to define his career as a chef.
Upon return to Los Angeles, Funke began making a name for himself in the city’s competitive food scene. He became the executive chef of Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica, where his focus on local, sustainable ingredients and traditional techniques drew critical acclaim. In 2013, Funke opened his first restaurant, Bucato, in Culver City. The restaurant quickly gained a reputation for its impeccable handmade pasta and its dedication to authentic Italian cooking. However, Bucato closed in 2015 due to legal issues, marking a brief setback in Funke’s career.
In 2017, Funke made a triumphant return to the restaurant industry with the opening of Felix Trattoria on the bustling Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California. Felix was an immediate success, with its pasta laboratorio (a dedicated space for hand-rolling pasta) at the heart of the restaurant. The restaurant became famous for its adherence to traditional Italian methods, and within a year, it was named Eater’s Restaurant of the Year and received multiple accolades, including a finalist nomination for the James Beard Foundation’s Best New Restaurant Award.
Funke’s influence continued to grow with the opening of Mother Wolf in 2021 in Hollywood, Los Angeles. This restaurant focused on Roman cuisine, with a menu that paid homage to the Eternal City and its iconic dishes like cacio e pepe and Roman-style pizza. Mother Wolf quickly became one of the most sought-after dining spots in LA, attracting celebrity clientele and further solidifying Funke’s status as one of the leading Italian chefs in the U.S.
In 2023, Funke expanded his culinary empire with the launch of his flagship restaurant, Funke, in Beverly Hills. The three-story establishment is dedicated to showcasing Italy’s diverse culinary traditions, with a particular focus on regional pastas. This ambitious project reflects Funke’s decades of research and his deep reverence for the nonnas and artisans who passed down these recipes and techniques.
Beyond his restaurants, Funke has also made an impact in the media. His cookbook American Sfoglino, released in 2019, delves into the art of making handmade pasta and won the 2020 IACP Award for Best Cookbook in the Chefs and Restaurants category. He was also featured in the documentary Funke (2018), which chronicles his career and the opening of Felix. Additionally, Funke starred in the 2020 docu-series Shape of Pasta, which explores the rare and traditional pasta shapes of Italy.
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Evan Funke Restaurant Locations
Evan Funke operates several critically acclaimed restaurants, primarily focused on traditional Italian cuisine and handmade pasta. Here are the locations of his major restaurants:
Felix Trattoria
- Location: 1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, California
- Focus: Traditional handmade pasta and regional Italian cuisine.
Funke Beverly Hills
- Location: 9388 S Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, California
- Focus: A three-story flagship restaurant dedicated to Italy’s diverse regional culinary traditions.
Mother Wolf
- Location: 1545 Wilcox Ave, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
- Focus: Roman cuisine, including Roman-style pizza and traditional dishes from the Eternal City.
Mother Wolf Las Vegas
- Location: Fontainebleau Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Focus: Roman cuisine in an upscale, opulent setting.
Tre Dita
- Location: St. Regis Hotel, Chicago, Illinois
- Focus: Tuscan cuisine with a particular emphasis on grilled steaks and traditional pastas.
Evan Funke Cookbook
Evan Funke’s cookbook, American Sfoglino: A Master Class in Handmade Pasta, was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. The book delves deep into the art and tradition of handmade pasta, focusing on the sfoglia, a sheet of pasta rolled entirely by hand. The cookbook highlights techniques that Funke mastered during his time in Bologna under the tutelage of Alessandra Spisni, a renowned pasta maker at La Vecchia Scuola Bolognese.
Evan Funke Awards and Recognitions
Here is a list of Evan Funke’s awards and recognitions throughout his culinary career:
James Beard Award Nominations: Funke has been nominated twice for the prestigious James Beard Award, which honors culinary excellence in the U.S.
IACP Award for Best Cookbook (2020): His critically acclaimed cookbook, American Sfoglino, won the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Award for Best Cookbook in the Chefs and Restaurants category in 2020.
James Beard Foundation Award for Best Photography (2020): American Sfoglino also won the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Photography.
Esquire Magazine’s “#1 Best New Restaurant in America” (2017): Felix Trattoria was named the #1 Best New Restaurant in America by Esquire Magazine in 2017.
Eater’s Restaurant of the Year (2017): Felix Trattoria was named Restaurant of the Year by Eater in 2017, shortly after its opening.
Finalist for James Beard Foundation’s Best New Restaurant Award (2018): Felix Trattoria was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s Best New Restaurant award.
Michelin Guide Recognition (2023): His Beverly Hills restaurant, Funke, was listed in the Michelin Guide’s California edition, earning it a place among LA’s top dining destinations.
Evan Funke Net Worth
Evan Funke has an estimated net worth of $6.5 million as of 2024.
Evan Funke Instagram Presence
Evan Funke is active on Instagram, where he shares insights from his culinary world, including behind-the-scenes looks at his restaurants, his passion for handmade pasta, and glimpses of his travels. His Instagram handle is @evanfunke.
FAQs
Who is Evan Funke?
Evan Funke is an acclaimed American chef based in Los Angeles, renowned for his mastery of handmade pasta. He is the owner of several high-profile Italian restaurants, including Felix Trattoria, Mother Wolf, and Funke.
What is Evan Funke known for?
Funke is best known for his dedication to traditional Italian pasta-making techniques. He studied under master pasta maker Alessandra Spisni in Bologna, Italy, and has brought these old-world skills to the U.S. food scene.
Where did Evan Funke receive his culinary training?
Funke honed his pasta-making skills in Bologna, Italy, where he apprenticed at La Vecchia Scuola Bolognese. He also worked at Spago Beverly Hills under Wolfgang Puck, which further solidified his culinary foundation.
What restaurants does Evan Funke own?
Evan Funke owns multiple renowned restaurants, including Felix Trattoria in Venice, Mother Wolf in Hollywood, and his flagship restaurant Funke in Beverly Hills. He also has ventures in Chicago and Las Vegas.
Has Evan Funke written any books?
Yes, Funke authored the critically acclaimed cookbook American Sfoglino, published in 2019, which explores the art of handmade pasta. The book won several awards, including the IACP Award for Best Cookbook and a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Photography.
What TV shows or documentaries has Evan Funke been featured in?
Funke starred in the documentary Funke (2018), which chronicles his culinary journey. He also hosted the docu-series Shape of Pasta (2020), which explores rare pasta shapes throughout Italy.
Has Evan Funke received any awards?
Funke has been nominated for the James Beard Award twice and has received multiple other accolades, including Esquire’s “#1 Best New Restaurant in America” for Felix Trattoria and Michelin recognition for Funke in Beverly Hills.
What is Evan Funke’s signature dish?
While Funke is known for his mastery of many pasta shapes, his dedication to traditional Roman and regional Italian dishes, such as cacio e pepe and bucatini all’amatriciana, are fan favorites.
