Peter Hoffman Peter Hoffman is a New York-based chef and cookbook author. For over two decades, he owned and operated the seminal SoHo farm-to-table restaurant, Savoy. Dubbed “A Locavore Before the Word Existed” by The New York Times, Hoffman was an early proponent of seasonal, local cuisine, inspired primarily by the produce he sourced from the Union Square Greenmarket. Experience A kitchen job at a Vermont resort sparked Peter Hoffman’s interest in the culinary profession. He began training under renowned chefs like Richard Olney and even traveled to Japan to learn more about food and cooking. These experiences taught him to appreciate the beauty of local ingredients. In 1990, he opened Savoy, one of the first farm-to-table restaurants in the country, followed by Back Forty and Back Forty West. Since shuttering his restaurants, Hoffman has devoted much of his time to writing and speaking about culinary and political topics in articles in Edible Manhattan, op-ed pieces in The New York Times, and appearing in TED Talks. He published his first book, “What’s Good: A Memoir in 14 Ingredients,” in 2021. Part memoir, part cookbook, each of the 14 chapters is named after an ingredient that inspired his Savoy menus. Education Peter Hoffman is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz. About Food & Wine Food & Wine, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is an award-winning online resource for anyone passionate about the culinary world. With rigorously tested recipes and the most trusted restaurant, drinks, culinary travel and home coverage, we inspire and empower people everywhere to discover, create, and devour the best in food and wine. Learn more about us and our editorial process.