Mario Batali counts 26 restaurants, nine cookbooks, numerous television shows and two Eataly marketplaces among his ever-expanding empire of deliciousness.

Last winter, Mario opened Eataly Chicago – the second U.S. outpost of the hugely successful artisanal food and wine marketplace. The 63,000 square-foot artisanal market is located in the heart of Chicago’s famed Michigan Avenue district.

Last December, Mario, along with business partner Joe Bastianich opened  their fourth restaurant in Las Vegas. B&B Burger & Beer in The Venetian Hotel & Casino is a casual 120-seat space, featuring a menu of local ingredients and a beer-driven beverage menu that spotlights beers from Las Vegas and other local craft breweries.

Mario is the author of nine cookbooks including the James Beard Award Winning, Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes (ecco 2005); New York Times Bestseller Mario Batali Italian Grill (ecco 2007); and Molto Batali: Simple Family Meals form My Home to Yours (ecco 2011).

Mario’s tenth book, America Farm to Table: Simple, Delicious Recipes Celebrating Local Farmers, will be released in October of this year. This book is an homage to farmers, the true rock stars of the food world. Mario appears daily on ABC’s “The Chew,” a daytime talk show on ABC that celebrates and explores life through food.

To learn more about Mario Batali, visit mariobatali.com

To learn more about the Mario Batali Foundation or to donate to the matching program, visit http://www.mariobatalifoundation.org.