Missy Robbins

Co-Founder Grovehouse, Chef-Owner of Lilia and Misi

Celebrated chef, restaurateur and cookbook author Missy Robbins is recognized for the exemplary Italian cuisine on display at her two Williamsburg restaurants - Lilia and Misi - both of which have received three stars from The New York Times. Since opening Lilia in 2016, Robbins has become known for her passionate cooking and warm hospitality. As a result, both Misi and Lilia have quickly become distinguished restaurants within the Williamsburg community which Robbins now calls home. In 2018, she was recognized nationally by the James Beard Foundation as Best Chef New York City, for which she was named a finalist in the year prior. Following the success of her first cookbook, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner...Life! Recipes and Adventures from My Home Kitchen,Robbins is currently working on a pasta-focused cookbook to be released in 2021.

Prior to opening her own restaurants, Robbins spent five years as the executive chef of Michelin starred restaurant, A Voce, where she focused on developing her personal style of cooking. Before that, she honed her craft for five years in Chicago as the executive chef of Spiaggia and Café Spiaggia, which completely immersed her in cuisine and culture of fine dining Italian restaurants. Early in her career, Robbins spent many years training under critically acclaimed chefs in New York City, but her love of Italian culture began when she embarked on an excursion to Northern Italy. She worked in several kitchens, from family-run rustic trattorias to Michelin-rated restaurants, and grew intimate with the country’s products and cooking. Robbins quickly developed a long-lasting admiration for the simplicity, regional inspiration and innate focus on quality ingredients that characterize Italian food. She continues to highlight these characteristics at both Misi and Lilia today.