Bill Telepan

One of New York’s first devotees of greenmarket cooking, Bill Telepan is committed to showcasing the season’s bounty through his cuisine. He insists on understanding where ingredients come from, how they’re cared for, and using the best of what’s available.

Telepan’s cooking style stems from his childhood in New Jersey, where his family cooked and shared hearty meals together, often featuring fresh vegetables from their garden. He began working at local restaurants at a young age, eventually enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).  

After graduating from CIA in 1987, Telepan trained with acclaimed chefs including Alfred Portale, Alain Chapel, Daniel Boulud, and Gilbert Le Coze.  

In 2004, Telepan published Inspired by Ingredients, a cookbook designed with the home cook in mind. In 2005 he opened Telepan restaurant on the Upper West Side, which has earned many awards, including a 2014 Michelin Star and two stars from the New York Times.  

Since 2008, he has been the executive chef of Wellness in the Schools (WITS), a non-profit organization dedicated to making school food healthy. As the first chef to join the WITS team, Telepan has served as a leader of the WITS Cook for Kids program by developing nutritious school menus, training staff, and teaching culinary and nutrition concepts to students, parents, and teachers. In 2009, Telepan was selected to be part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Chefs Move to School task force and preliminary conferences. Bill currently lives on the Upper West Side with his wife and daughter.