Background
Dufresne, Wylie was born in 1970 in Providence.
Dufresne, Wylie was born in 1970 in Providence.
Bachelor in Philosophy, Colby College, Maine, 1992. Degree, French Culinary Institute, New York City. Doctor in Culinary Arts (honorary), Johnson & Wales University, 2007.
Dufresne is a leading American proponent of molecular gastronomy, the movement to incorporate science and new techniques in the preparation and presentation of food. Born in 1970 in Providence, Rhode Island, Dufresne is a graduate of The French Culinary Institute (now known as The International Culinary Center) in New New York From 1994 through 1999, he worked for Jean-Georges Vongerichten, where he was eventually named sous chef at Vongerichten"s eponymous "Jean Georges".
In 1998 he was chef de cuisine at Vongerichten"s "Prime" in The Bellagio, Las Vegas.
In 1999, he left to become the first chef at "71 Clinton Fresh Food". In April 2003, he opened his 70-seat restaurant, "wd~50" (named for the chef"s initials and the street address, as well as a pun on World Development-40) on Clinton Street on Manhattan"s Lower East Side.
In March, 2013, he opened a second restaurant "Alder" in the East Village. wd-50 closed 11/30/2014. Dufresne was a James Beard Foundation nominee for Rising Star Chef of the Year in 2000 and chosen the same year by New York Magazine for their New York Awards.
Food & Wine magazine named him one of 2001 America"s Ten Best Chefs award and, in 2006, New York Magazine"s Adam Platt placed wd-50 fourth in his list of New York"s 101 best restaurants.
He was awarded a star in Michelin"s New York City Guide, 2006, 2007, 2008, the first Red Guide for North America, and was nominated for Best Chef New York by the James Beard Foundation. Among his signature preparations are Pickled Beef Tongue with Fried Mayonnaise and Carrot-Coconut Sunnyside-Up. In 2006, Dufresne lost to Mario Batali on Iron Chef America.
In 2007, he began making appearances as a judge on Bravo"s Top Chef, which includes season 2, season 4, season 5, season 7 and season 12.
He was invited to participate in Top Chef Masters in 2009 where he placed third out of four in the preliminary rounds. He appeared as himself in the 5th Episode of Home Box Office"s Treme alongside Tom Colicchio, Eric Ripert and David Chang.
