A disciple of Jimmy Bradley, Joey Campanaro is the chef at West Village spot The Little Owl as well as the hybrid market-restaurant Market Table.

Born in Philly, Campanaro entered the food industry as a dishwasher down the Jersey shore. While most would be scarred for life, Campanaro was inspired to major in restaurant management at Penn State and traveled to Italy and France to learn the trade. When Campanaro returned to the states he hopped from city to city, working with big-name chefs like Bradley, Neil Murphy, and Jonathan Waxman, and he earned his big break at Universal Studio's executive dining room and catering company. However, in 2001 he moved to New York where he's stayed for good, opening a slew of restaurants like The Harrison, Market Table, and Kenmare and the catering business Blackfoot Consulting, which maintains a high-profile client list like Martha Stewart, NBC, and Condé Nast. However, he pride and joy is The Little Owl, the upscale meatball joint which has earned legions of fans and has led him to appearances on the Today show and Iron Chef America. [Image via Getty, with Gustavo Machuca]