Rich Vellante

• Graduated from New York City's prestigious French Culinary Institute.

• Fresh out of school, landed job as chef at Waltham, MA's much-touted Allegro restaurant.

• Has run restaurant bearing his name: Vellante's, in Milford, MA, from 1990-95.

• Has been guest chef at the James Beard House—twice.

• Happen to catch that chef who did the lobster bake on the Rosie O'Donnell Show last spring? It was him.

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