April Bloomfield is the British-American chef, restaurateur and cookbook author widely recognised as one of the defining figures in modern American gastropub and nose-to-tail cookery across the past two decades. Born 9 December 1974 in Birmingham, England, Bloomfield trained at Birmingham College of Food and worked at Bibendum under Simon Hopkinson and at the River Cafe under Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray in London, before moving to New York in 2003 and co-founding the Spotted Pig in West Village with Ken Friedman and Mario Batali in 2004. The Spotted Pig defined the modern American gastropub format and earned a Michelin star.
Bloomfield’s 2025-2026 work centres on a major operational restructuring with her move from New York to Austin, Texas. In May 2025 it was announced that she is joining MML Hospitality in Austin as executive chef, leading the food and beverage programme at the historic Driskill Hotel and overseeing menus at Jeffrey’s and Pecan Square Cafe. She remains involved as a partner and chef at Sailor in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, which she opened in 2023 with Gabe Stulman. The Texas move marks her first major expansion outside New York since the 2018 dissolution of her previous restaurant group following allegations against business partner Ken Friedman.
TL;DR
- British-American chef born 9 December 1974 in Birmingham, England
- Trained at Bibendum under Simon Hopkinson; River Cafe under Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray
- Co-founded Spotted Pig West Village 2004 with Ken Friedman (Michelin star)
- Co-founded Breslin and John Dory 2009; restaurant group dissolved 2018
- Sailor in Fort Greene Brooklyn co-founded 2023 with Gabe Stulman
- May 2025: Joins MML Hospitality Austin Texas as executive chef
April Bloomfield key facts
| Born | 9 December 1974, Birmingham, England |
| Nationality | British-American |
| Training | Birmingham College of Food; Bibendum under Simon Hopkinson; River Cafe under Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray |
| Defining restaurant | Spotted Pig West Village 2004 (Michelin star; closed 2020) |
| Current restaurants | Sailor Fort Greene Brooklyn (2023); Driskill Hotel and Jeffreys Austin TX (May 2025) |
| 2025 transition | Joins MML Hospitality Austin Texas as executive chef |
| Cookbooks | A Girl and Her Pig (2012); A Girl and Her Greens (2015) |
Early life and training of April Bloomfield
Bloomfield was born on 9 December 1974 in Birmingham, England. She grew up in the West Midlands and attended Birmingham College of Food for formal culinary training in the early 1990s. She subsequently worked at Bibendum in Chelsea, London, under Simon Hopkinson, one of the defining London restaurants of the period, gaining classical British and French technique.
Through the late 1990s and early 2000s Bloomfield worked at the River Cafe in Hammersmith, London, under Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray, one of the defining Italian restaurants in London of the period. The River Cafe period gave her direct exposure to the seasonal Italian regional cookery and the ingredient-led approach that has anchored her subsequent career across more than two decades.
In 2003 Bloomfield moved to New York at the invitation of Ken Friedman, who was developing a new restaurant concept with Mario Batali. In 2004 the three opened the Spotted Pig in West Village, a gastropub combining British pub heritage with American restaurant operations and Italian-influenced menus. The Spotted Pig earned a Michelin star and became one of the defining New York gastropubs of the late 2000s and 2010s.
April Bloomfield career timeline
- 9 December 1974: Born in Birmingham, England
- Early 1990s: Birmingham College of Food
- Mid-1990s: Works at Bibendum under Simon Hopkinson, London
- Late 1990s-early 2000s: Works at River Cafe under Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray
- 2003: Moves to New York at invitation of Ken Friedman
- 2004: Co-opens Spotted Pig in West Village with Ken Friedman and Mario Batali
- 2007: Spotted Pig earns Michelin star
- 2009: Opens Breslin Bar and Dining Room at Ace Hotel
- 2010: Opens John Dory Oyster Bar at Ace Hotel
- 2012: Publishes A Girl and Her Pig cookbook
- 2014: James Beard Foundation Best Chef New York City
- 2015: Publishes A Girl and Her Greens cookbook
- 2018: Dissolves restaurant group following allegations against Ken Friedman
- 2020: Spotted Pig closes amid Covid-19 pandemic
- 2023: Co-founds Sailor in Fort Greene, Brooklyn with Gabe Stulman
- May 2025: Announces move to Austin, Texas; joins MML Hospitality as executive chef
- 2025-2026: Leads food and beverage at Driskill Hotel; oversees Jeffreys and Pecan Square Cafe
- 2026: Sailor Brooklyn continues; Austin operations continue
April Bloomfield signature style: nose-to-tail British-American gastropub cookery
Bloomfield’s central argument, developed across more than two decades from the Spotted Pig onwards, is that nose-to-tail British-pub heritage cookery combined with seasonal American ingredients and Italian-influenced restaurant operations can anchor sustained New York and now Texas restaurant operations. The Spotted Pig menu (2004-2020) established her approach with whole-animal butchery, signature dishes including the Spotted Pig burger, and elevated gastropub presentation.
The second defining element is the multi-restaurant trajectory across Manhattan, Brooklyn and now Austin. The original Spotted Pig, Breslin, and John Dory operated together through 2009-2018 as one of the more substantial New York chef-restaurant groups of the period, before the 2018 dissolution. The 2023 Sailor Brooklyn co-founding with Gabe Stulman and the 2025 MML Hospitality Austin role together represent her operational reset after 2020.
The third pillar is the cookbook output and the British-pub aesthetic. A Girl and Her Pig (2012) and A Girl and Her Greens (2015) anchor her author profile. Within the current American chef cohort Bloomfield sits alongside peers including Suzanne Goin, Nancy Silverton and Aaron Franklin (the Austin barbecue figure she joins in Texas) as one of the defining American chef-restaurateur figures of her era.
Notable April Bloomfield work
Several Bloomfield projects have become reference points in modern American restaurant culture. The Spotted Pig in West Village (co-founded 2004, closed 2020) was one of the defining American gastropubs of the era and held a Michelin star from 2007 onwards. The Breslin Bar and Dining Room at the Ace Hotel (2009) and John Dory Oyster Bar (2010) extended the Bloomfield restaurant group through the 2010s. Sailor in Fort Greene Brooklyn (co-founded 2023) is her current Brooklyn flagship. The Driskill Hotel and Jeffreys in Austin under MML Hospitality (May 2025) are her current Texas operations. Cookbooks include A Girl and Her Pig (2012) and A Girl and Her Greens (2015).
April Bloomfield awards and recognition
- 2004: Co-opens Spotted Pig with Ken Friedman and Mario Batali
- 2007: Spotted Pig earns Michelin star
- 2009: Opens Breslin Bar and Dining Room at Ace Hotel
- 2010: Opens John Dory Oyster Bar
- 2012: A Girl and Her Pig cookbook
- 2014: James Beard Foundation Best Chef New York City
- 2015: A Girl and Her Greens cookbook
- 2018: Restaurant group dissolved following allegations against Ken Friedman
- 2020: Spotted Pig closes amid Covid-19 pandemic
- 2023: Sailor Brooklyn opens with Gabe Stulman
- May 2025: Joins MML Hospitality Austin Texas as executive chef
- 2025-2026: Driskill Hotel and Jeffreys Austin programmes
April Bloomfield impact on American gastropub cookery
Bloomfield’s most concrete contribution is the 2004 Spotted Pig opening and the 16-year run that followed through 2020. The restaurant defined the modern American gastropub format and held a Michelin star from 2007, and Bloomfield’s approach to British-pub heritage combined with seasonal American ingredients influenced a generation of subsequent American gastropub openings.
The second contribution is the 2023 Sailor Brooklyn co-founding and the 2025 Austin Texas move with MML Hospitality. The Texas role represents her first major expansion outside New York since the 2018 group dissolution, and the Driskill Hotel programme will be one of the most-watched American chef-hotel launches of 2025-2026.
The third contribution is the cookbook output and the sustained influence on American nose-to-tail cookery. Within the current American chef cohort Bloomfield sits alongside peers including Suzanne Goin, Nancy Silverton and Aaron Franklin as one of the defining American chef figures of her era.
April Bloomfield FAQ
Where is Bloomfield now?
In Austin, Texas, since May 2025 as executive chef at MML Hospitality. She leads the food and beverage programme at the historic Driskill Hotel and oversees menus at Jeffreys and Pecan Square Cafe. She remains involved as a partner and chef at Sailor in Fort Greene, Brooklyn through 2025-2026.
What was the Spotted Pig?
The Spotted Pig was the gastropub Bloomfield co-founded with Ken Friedman and Mario Batali in West Village in 2004. The restaurant earned a Michelin star in 2007 and became one of the defining American gastropubs of the late 2000s and 2010s. It closed in 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Did Bloomfield work at the River Cafe?
Yes. In the late 1990s and early 2000s Bloomfield worked at the River Cafe in Hammersmith, London, under Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray. The River Cafe period gave her direct exposure to seasonal Italian regional cookery and the ingredient-led approach that has anchored her subsequent career.
What is Sailor?
Sailor is the Fort Greene Brooklyn restaurant Bloomfield co-founded in 2023 with Gabe Stulman. The restaurant continues operating through 2025-2026 alongside her Austin Texas role with MML Hospitality. The Brooklyn restaurant maintains her British-American gastropub approach in a more intimate Brooklyn neighbourhood format.
What is the Driskill Hotel?
The Driskill Hotel is the historic Austin, Texas hotel where Bloomfield leads the food and beverage programme as executive chef of MML Hospitality from May 2025. The Driskill is one of the defining historic Texas hotels and the role represents her first major hotel-restaurant programme outside New York.
What is next for April Bloomfield
Driskill Hotel, Jeffreys and Pecan Square Cafe in Austin continue under MML Hospitality through 2026, alongside Sailor Brooklyn. Cookbook and television appearances continue. Her public Instagram (@aprilbloomfield) is the best source for current updates.
