Nancy Silverton is the American chef, baker, restaurateur and cookbook author widely recognised as one of the defining figures in modern American baking and Italian-Californian fine dining across the past four decades. Born 24 July 1954 in Los Angeles, California, USA, Silverton grew up in the San Fernando Valley and attended Sonoma State University. She trained at Le Cordon Bleu in London and at the Ecole Lenotre in France, before becoming pastry chef at Spago under Wolfgang Puck in 1982. She co-founded La Brea Bakery and Campanile in 1989 in Los Angeles, both defining American institutions of the period.
Silverton’s 2025-2026 work centres on her continued operation of the Mozza restaurant group in Los Angeles, including Pizzeria Mozza on Highland Avenue and Osteria Mozza on Melrose Avenue, both of which she co-owns with Mario Batali partners and Joe Bastianich (with Silverton continuing on the kitchen and bakery side). Recent appearances include the December 2025 Palisades Village feature and the On The Pass with Gabriel Ornelas interview from December 2025, alongside her 2025 LA No Kid Hungry charity dinner appearance. She continues her cookbook output and remains one of the most-recognised names in American baking and Italian-Californian cookery.
TL;DR
- American chef and baker born 24 July 1954 in Los Angeles, California
- Trained at Le Cordon Bleu London and Ecole Lenotre France
- Pastry chef at Spago under Wolfgang Puck from 1982
- Co-founded La Brea Bakery and Campanile in 1989
- Mozza restaurant group with Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza Los Angeles
- 2025-2026: Mozza continues; December 2025 Palisades Village and On The Pass features
Nancy Silverton key facts
| Born | 24 July 1954, Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Training | Sonoma State University; Le Cordon Bleu London; Ecole Lenotre France |
| Defining restaurants | La Brea Bakery (co-founder 1989); Campanile (co-founder 1989); Pizzeria Mozza; Osteria Mozza |
| Major awards | James Beard Foundation Outstanding Pastry Chef 1991; Outstanding Chef 2014 |
| Mozza partnership | With Joe Bastianich and partners |
| 2026 activity | Mozza Los Angeles continues; December 2025 features |
Early life and training of Nancy Silverton
Silverton was born on 24 July 1954 in Los Angeles, California, USA, and grew up in the San Fernando Valley. She attended Sonoma State University in Northern California and developed an interest in cookery during her undergraduate years. After graduation she pursued formal culinary training, attending Le Cordon Bleu in London and subsequently the Ecole Lenotre in France for advanced pastry training, gaining classical French baking and pastry technique at the very highest level.
In 1982 Silverton joined Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in West Hollywood as pastry chef, in the restaurant’s defining early period as one of the leading American restaurants of the 1980s. The Spago period gave her a national platform and direct collaboration with Wolfgang Puck and the team that defined modern California cuisine in the 1980s. She left Spago in 1989 to co-found her own restaurants alongside her then-husband Mark Peel and partner Manfred Krankl.
In 1989 Silverton co-founded La Brea Bakery and Campanile in Los Angeles. La Brea Bakery became one of the defining American artisanal bakeries of the late 1980s and 1990s, and is widely credited with launching the modern American artisanal bread movement. Campanile became one of the defining Los Angeles fine-dining restaurants of the 1990s and 2000s. Both restaurants established Silverton at the front rank of American baking and California cuisine.
Nancy Silverton career timeline
- 24 July 1954: Born in Los Angeles, California
- 1970s: Attends Sonoma State University Northern California
- Late 1970s: Trains at Le Cordon Bleu London and Ecole Lenotre France
- 1982: Joins Spago as pastry chef under Wolfgang Puck
- 1989: Co-founds La Brea Bakery and Campanile in Los Angeles
- 1991: James Beard Foundation Outstanding Pastry Chef
- 1996: Publishes Nancy Silverton’s Breads from the La Brea Bakery
- 2001: Sells La Brea Bakery to focus on restaurant operations
- 2006: Co-founds Pizzeria Mozza in Hollywood with Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich
- 2007: Co-founds Osteria Mozza on Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles
- 2012: Closes Campanile after 23 years
- 2013: Opens Mozza2Go and Chi Spacca in Los Angeles
- 2014: James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef
- 2018: Continues Mozza group operations across Los Angeles
- 2019: Distances Mozza brand from Mario Batali following allegations
- 2020-2022: Continues operations through Covid-19 pandemic
- 2024: Continues sustained Mozza Los Angeles presence
- 2025: LA No Kid Hungry charity dinner appearance
- December 2025: Palisades Village Instagram feature; On The Pass with Gabriel Ornelas interview
- 2026: Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza continue; cookbook and television appearances continue
Nancy Silverton signature style: artisanal American baking and Italian-Californian fine dining
Silverton’s central argument, developed across more than four decades from Spago through Campanile and La Brea Bakery to the current Mozza group, is that artisanal American baking, sourdough breads, and Italian-Californian cookery deserve serious fine-dining and bakery presentation. The 1989 La Brea Bakery launched the modern American artisanal bread movement, and the Campanile restaurant alongside it became the platform for Silverton’s California-Italian dining approach.
The second defining element is the Mozza group from 2006 onwards. Pizzeria Mozza in Hollywood (2006), Osteria Mozza on Melrose Avenue (2007), Mozza2Go (2013) and Chi Spacca (2013) together represent one of the more substantial Italian-American restaurant operations in Los Angeles of the past two decades. The Pizzeria Mozza pizza programme is widely cited as one of the defining American interpretations of Neapolitan-California pizza.
The third pillar is the cookbook output. Nancy Silverton’s Breads from the La Brea Bakery (1996), The Mozza Cookbook (2011), and subsequent titles together form one of the defining American cookbook libraries on baking and Italian-American cookery. Within the current American chef cohort Silverton sits alongside peers including Michael Chiarello, Chris Cosentino and Rick Bayless as one of the defining American chef figures of the past four decades.
Notable Nancy Silverton work
Several Silverton projects have become reference points in modern American baking and Italian-Californian cookery. La Brea Bakery (co-founded 1989, sold 2001) launched the modern American artisanal bread movement. Campanile (co-founded 1989, closed 2012) was one of the defining Los Angeles fine-dining restaurants of the 1990s and 2000s. Pizzeria Mozza (co-founded 2006) and Osteria Mozza (2007) are her current Mozza group flagships. Chi Spacca and Mozza2Go (both 2013) extended the Mozza operation. Cookbooks include Nancy Silverton’s Breads from the La Brea Bakery (1996), The Mozza Cookbook (2011), Pasta (2018) and The Cookie that Changed My Life (2023).
Nancy Silverton awards and recognition
- 1982: Joins Spago as pastry chef under Wolfgang Puck
- 1989: Co-founds La Brea Bakery and Campanile in Los Angeles
- 1991: James Beard Foundation Outstanding Pastry Chef
- 1996: Nancy Silverton’s Breads from the La Brea Bakery cookbook
- 2006: Co-founds Pizzeria Mozza in Hollywood
- 2007: Co-founds Osteria Mozza on Melrose Avenue
- 2011: The Mozza Cookbook
- 2012: Campanile closes after 23 years
- 2013: Opens Chi Spacca and Mozza2Go
- 2014: James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef
- 2018: Pasta cookbook
- 2023: The Cookie that Changed My Life cookbook
- 2025: LA No Kid Hungry charity dinner
- December 2025: Palisades Village feature; On The Pass interview
- 2026: Mozza group continues in Los Angeles
Nancy Silverton impact on American baking and Italian-Californian cookery
Silverton’s most concrete contribution is the 1989 La Brea Bakery launch and the subsequent modern American artisanal bread movement. La Brea Bakery is widely credited with launching the modern American sourdough and artisanal bread movement, and Silverton’s 1996 Breads from the La Brea Bakery cookbook became one of the defining American baking cookbooks of the 1990s and 2000s.
The second contribution is the 23-year Campanile run from 1989 to 2012 and the multi-restaurant Mozza group from 2006 onwards. Pizzeria Mozza, Osteria Mozza, Chi Spacca and Mozza2Go together represent one of the more substantial Italian-American restaurant operations in Los Angeles of the past two decades.
The third contribution is the cookbook output across more than 30 years. Within the current American chef cohort Silverton sits alongside peers including Michael Chiarello, Chris Cosentino and Rick Bayless as one of the defining American chef figures.
Nancy Silverton FAQ
Does Silverton still own Mozza?
Yes. Silverton continues as a co-owner of the Mozza restaurant group in Los Angeles, including Pizzeria Mozza on Highland Avenue and Osteria Mozza on Melrose Avenue, alongside her partners. The Mozza group operates through 2025-2026, and Silverton continues on the kitchen and bakery side of the operation.
What is La Brea Bakery?
La Brea Bakery is the artisanal bakery Silverton co-founded in Los Angeles in 1989. It is widely credited with launching the modern American artisanal bread movement, and her 1996 cookbook Breads from the La Brea Bakery became one of the defining American baking cookbooks. Silverton sold the bakery in 2001 to focus on her restaurant operations.
Did Silverton win a James Beard Award?
Yes. Silverton won the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Pastry Chef award in 1991, and the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef award in 2014. The two awards together represent two of the most-prestigious American chef honours and span Silverton’s roles as both pastry chef and savoury-restaurant chef across more than two decades.
Where is Pizzeria Mozza?
Pizzeria Mozza is on 641 North Highland Avenue in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The restaurant opened in 2006 and is widely recognised as one of the defining American interpretations of Neapolitan-California pizza. The companion Osteria Mozza is on Melrose Avenue, also in Los Angeles.
Did Silverton train at Spago?
Yes. Silverton joined Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in West Hollywood as pastry chef in 1982, in the restaurant’s defining early period as one of the leading American restaurants of the 1980s. The Spago period gave her a national platform before she co-founded La Brea Bakery and Campanile in 1989.
What is next for Nancy Silverton
Pizzeria Mozza, Osteria Mozza, Chi Spacca and Mozza2Go continue in Los Angeles through 2026. Cookbook and television appearances continue. Her public Instagram (@nancysilverton) is the best source for current updates.
