A Culinary (Michelin) Star, Chef Nick Curtin ’05, Returns to Wheeler This Fall as the Latest Fox Family Speaker

September 7, 2023

Culinary Michelin Star, Chef Nick Curtin '05
Renowned chef and Wheeler alumnus Nick Curtin ’05

 

We are proud to announce that renowned chef and Wheeler alumnus Nick Curtin ’05–who has been recognized with a Michelin Star both for the quality of his food and his commitment to sustainable practices–is this year’s Fox Family Speaker. 

Growing up in a home where making homemade jams and pickles were family activities, Curtin developed a childhood passion for food and cooking. After graduating from Wheeler and then NYU with a B.A. in Political Science, he pivoted, turning his passion into a career. He honed his skills at some of the best kitchens in New York, most notably at ACME, where he served as head chef, and Rosette, where his work with vegetables and wood-oven cooking landed him on Zagat’s Top 30 Under 30 list. In 2014, Curtin relocated to Copenhagen, Denmark, where he joined forces with his wife, Camilla Hansen, to open their own restaurant, Alouette, which features a constantly shifting menu reflecting the land, season, and growing techniques of his adopted country. Within the first year, Alouette was awarded a coveted Michelin Star, and the following year, it received a Michelin Green Star celebrating the restaurant’s sustainable efforts. 

Curtin will return to Wheeler in November as the latest Fox Family Speaker. The longstanding series brings accomplished adults to campus to engage with students in all grade levels and share their passion for learning. “The academic program at Wheeler had an immense impact on my learning and my sense of self,” Curtin says. “I’m really excited to engage with the school’s young people and talk with them about the many routes of food and how much meaning Wheeler gave me. My time at Wheeler was a turning point in my life and education, and having the opportunity to come back and be part of inspiring the community in return is the greatest honor.”

Curtin joins a distinguished list of former Fox Family Speakers, including honorees like Dr. Jane Goodall, “RBG” documentary producer Betsy West ’69, composer Nico Muhly ’99, and 2017 Nobel Laureate Dr. Michael Rosbash. The series is funded by an endowed gift from alumni parents Lucy and Jim Fox P’03, P’05.

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