Bio
Richard Sweeney is an American chef who was a contestant on the fifth season of the reality television competition Top Chef, from 2008-2009.
Top Chef Bio
Richard is the Executive Sous Chef at Confidential Restaurant & Loft in the Gaslamp District of downtown San Diego.
Richard grew up in food service. His father has served as a restaurant manager for years and his mother and stepfather have owned several bagel businesses in Long Island where Richard spent many summers during his youth.
He's been trained by world traveled chefs in classic French techniques and their modern applications.
His motto in the kitchen is, "Keep it simple (stupid)" - and he likes to do just that by keeping his plates simple and infused with natural harmony versus chaotic noise.
At Confidential, Richard likes to "play" with his food through the small plates style of dining, which allows him to create many new dishes for his guests to combine.
On the side, he also works at the San Diego bar, Pecs.