Michael Sichel

Michael Sichel has over 25 years of restaurant experience and international culinary training and served for seven years as executive chef at the iconic New Orleans fine-dining establishment Galatoire’s, and its sister restaurant, Galatoire’s 33 Bar & Steak before moving to Charleston to open the Hotel Bennett. Sichel now calls the Emerald Coast home, serving as the executive chef of Raw & Juicy in Alys Beach.

After traveling around the world honing his culinary skills, Sichel returned to the US, winning a coveted internship with World Pastry Champion Chef En-Ming Hsu of The French Pastry School at the Ritz Carlton Chicago. He also earned his qualification as Certified Sommelier through The Court of Master Sommeliers. He then headed to Napa Valley, where he continued to hone his culinary style and pairing skill at the famous Auberge du Soleil Hotel and Restaurant.

After moving to New Orleans, and before overseeing historic Galatoire’s and opening of Galatoire’s 33 Bar & Steak, he opened his own Restaurant Indigo, which became a sad casualty of Hurricane Katrina. He also served as sous chef at the Grill Room in the famed Windsor Court Hotel.  

Sichel has been featured on the Travel Channel’s Food Paradise, in addition to participating as a competing chef in Bravo TV’s 2012 Top Chef: New Orleans. He has also been a featured guest chef at the Charleston Wine + Food Festival.