Michael Friedman

Westfield, New Jersey native Michael Friedman's professional cooking career began as a prep cook with ‪Mon Ami Gabi. Friedman spent three years with Rich Melman's Lettuce Entertain You group, rising to sous chef in just eight months before enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.‬

After graduating at the top of his CIA class, Friedman began working for Jose Andres at ‪Zaytinya. After two years, he left his mentor to travel the world. Eating through Italy, Greece, Turkey and Northern Africa, Friedman picked up the interesting and exciting nuances of each country. Back in the US, Friedman spent time staging in some influential kitchens, including San Francisco's Incanto, Los Angeles’ Lucques, Philadelphia's Vetri and New York's Scarpetta. Friedman returned to D.C. as Executive Sous Chef of Proof, and under the tutelage of Executive Chef Haidar Karoum, he learned to hone his craft and simplify his style to let seasonal ingredients shine.‬

Friedman opened up The Red Hen in 2014. His eclectic menu offers guests a focused selection of seasonal, Italian-influenced dishes interpreted with Mid-Atlantic ingredients. Red Hen continues to be a neighborhood gem within Washington DC that excites diners with new dishes every season.

In 2016 he opened All-Purpose Pizzeria - serving antipasti, classic Italian American dishes and deck oven-fired pizzas in the heart of downtown D.C. As a New Jersey native, All Purpose became a love letter to Chef Friedman’s youth. Shortly after its opening, All-Purpose was named D.C.'s top restaurant by the Washington Post. In 2017, Friedman was recognized as a James Beard Award semifinalist. Michael Friedman holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in American history from Boston University.