Breakthrough Jew - Greg Grossman

Hot, hip, and heady, the next wave of Jewish artists and influencers has already arrived. This is Breakthrough Jew, your weekly showcase of those on the verge of discovery and ready to be a regular figure in pop culture; setting trends, redefining genres, and simply getting it done-whatever ‘it’ is. These days, it’s not enough to know what’s hot now; you need to catch someone when they’re just starting to simmer.

Featuring those in film, fashion, food, and beyond, we’ll find the story before substance is obscured by style, before hype meets backlash, and before talent and purpose gets lost in a maze of Internet chatter. See an artist in the cozy bar before they hit the amphitheater, dine at a chef’s new restaurant before the line begins, and catch a young writer’s work before the demands of ratings and longevity encroach.

Follow our lead and we’ll follow yours – send us tips or suggestions via email, comment below or tweet us @ShalomLife, as we explore the Jewish landscape for pop culture pioneers.

Name: Greg Grossman

Age: 17

Hometown: New York City

Breakthrough Cred: Award winning, innovative teenage chef

It may be possible to be too young to be hyped, yet too experienced to be a rising star.

Greg Grossman is 17 years of age, but his skills have been touted by media and colleagues for almost 10 years- before he even reached double digits. It seems every year he is checked in on, a prodigy ahead of his time, yet still incredibly young. He has been equated, however unfortunately or oddly, as the Justin Bieber of the kitchen; a wunderkind wearing an apron and wielding a knife.

He has dined in Europe, started a business, worked with the finest of chefs, and cooked for New York City celebrities.

Greg started from the bottom in the culinary world, like so many others, bussing tables and washing dishes. Only, instead of doing as such while in high school, he hadn’t even yet celebrated his 9^th birthday. And instead of slowly working his way up the ladder, he quickly jumped up the line at the East Hampton restaurant, started cooking and making pizzas, and has never looked back.

That was age eight. At nine, he earned his first catering gig, and began sharing school with work. As a student of Ross School in East Hampton, a forward-thinking K-12 education institution focused on leadership and innovation, and later the Professional Children’s School in Manhattan, a school that fosters balance between education and artistic endeavor, Greg was allowed to follow his passion.

His life is a list of accolades, culinary collaborations, and impressive feats for his age and any age. Humble and mature, Greg shies away from terms such as prodigy, but what he has done and continues to do is immensely impressive.

What makes Greg particularly noteworthy isn’t simply the fact that he is talented in the kitchen; it’s that he is thoughtful and innovative. Cooking for Greg is as much a craft as it is an art, adding science to the mix as well. He subscribes to the notion of molecular gastronomy, a food science discipline that examines and embraces the physical, chemical, and technical reactions and transformations of food.

In 2008, he founded the Culinaria Group, a culinary development organization that was at first a catering company, but has since grown as major food consultancy. Instead of focusing on one type of food or one restaurant, the company has allowed Greg to have his hands in several different pots at once, using his art and science skills to spice up menus and sprinkle restaurants with some fresh ideas. He has to his credit over 500 dishes.