She realized she needed to get an education to hone her skills, and she was accepted to the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After two years of studies, she was hired as a sous chef at the Highlawn Pavilion in West Orange, NJ.
Two years later, after a brief stint with a major New York catering firm, she accepted a line cook position at The Terrace in NYC. After three years there, she left the Tri-State area to become the lead grill cook at the Star Canyon in Dallas, TX. That was where she met her husband, Michael, and the pair moved to Chicago to cook in his family’s restaurant. While in Chicago she broadened her culinary knowledge by taking a position at Trio, and assisted Charlie Trotter in writing a cookbook.
When she decided to come back home, she immediately found a position in the film industry cooking for the stars. After a year of twilight cooking, she accepted the position as opening chef de cuisine for Vine. Within eight months she was given the title of Executive Chef, and commanded the kitchen of one of New York City’s most desirable restaurants for five years.
Simultaneously, Ariane and her husband were running their own catering company, CulinAriane, in New Jersey. When Vine closed its doors, Ariane and Michael opened their own restaurant. Two months after opening in February 2006, CulinAriane received a four-star rating from the Star Ledger, quickly followed by a “very good” rating from the New York Times.
Presented with the opportunity to be on Top Chef Season 5, filming in NYC, Ariane jumped at the chance. Appearances on the Today Show, Iron Chef and the Tyra Banks Show have kept her busy ever since. Currently she is working with the website Dinnertool.com producing cooking videos, is a contributing chef for Prevention Magazine and national spokesperson for Finlandia cheese. After six years and one expansion Ariane continues to light the stoves and excel in one of New Jersey’s best restaurants, CulinAriane.
