Ben Pollinger, Executive Chef at Oceana Restaurant, has a unique cooking style that artfully blends the freshest seafood with the finest ingredients from a global pantry. Sensitive to the seasons, and with a preference for buying local, he has received critical acclaim first in July 2008 when Oceana was awarded three stars in the New York Times, and again in October that year when Oceana was awarded a Michelin star for the second year. Pollinger’s recipes are a reflection of time well spent abroad, working in, and dining at, some of the world’s most prestigious restaurants. Each dish he creates embodies a passion for, and love of, all things from the land and the sea, and his fervent desire to share them at the table. Ben Pollinger believes in being a good steward of our planet, and he lives this philosophy at work and at his New Jersey home where he tends to a 500 square foot organic garden, and provides many of the vegetables and herbs that flavor Oceana’s global seafood cuisine.

Pollinger discovered a passion for his career while cooking part-time in his college dormitory at Boston University. After working several years in local restaurants, he attended the Culinary Institute of America, graduating as class valedictorian. He then headed to Monte-Carlo to work for one year at the world-renowned Le Louis XV under Alain Ducasse. During his stay in Europe, Pollinger explored the local culture, traveling extensively throughout the neighboring countries of France, Italy and Spain, fully developing his love and respect for the local flavors of each culture, the seasonal ingredients inherent to all, and the relationship between pristine native products and the true art of cooking.

Upon returning to New York, Ben Pollinger worked under Christian Delouvrier at Lespinasse. He spent the next eight-and-a-half years working with Chef Delouvrier, as well as renowned chefs Michael Romano at Union Square Cafe, and Floyd Cardoz at Tabla. As Chef de Cuisine of Tabla, Pollinger learned about true Indian flavors, and expanded his global repertoire of flavors, textures and colorful combinations of ingredients. It was during this time that Ben was greatly influenced by Danny Meyer’s emphasis on hospitality as well, a quality he brings with him to the experience he creates at Oceana since joining this restaurant as Executive Chef in 2006.

Pollinger generously donates his time to various charitable organizations such as City Harvest, Share Our Strength, Autism Speaks and the James Beard Foundation. He also serves on the Curriculum Advisory Committee at the French Culinary Institute and as an advisor to the Alaskan Seafood Marketing Institute.

Oceana Restaurant, the flagship of the Livanos Restaurant Group, has been serving superbly fresh, innovative seafood cuisine for almost two decades. As the leader of its kitchen today, and tomorrow, Chef Pollinger has designed a state of the art kitchen at Oceana’s next location, 1221 Avenue of the Americas at 49th Street, and is poised to bring Oceana to an ever-growing audience of seafood lovers of every appetite and description.