Catherine Ann Cora is an American professional chef, television personality, business person, and cookbook author. She is best known for her featured role as an "Iron Chef" on Iron Chef America and as co-host of Around the World in 80 Plates. Early life and education Cora was born in Jackson, Mississippi, the daughter of Virginia Lee (née Brothers) and Spiro "Pete" Cora. Her father was of Greek descent (her paternal grandparents were from Skopelos, Greece). Her grandfather and father were both restaurateurs. When she was 15 years old, she brought a business plan to her father and grandfather, knowing they could help her. After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology and Biology from the University of Southern Mississippi, she enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York where she graduated in 1995. Television and entertainment career Cora made her TV debut in 1999 as co-host with chef Rocco DiSpirito of Food Network’s Melting Pot. In 2001, Cora appeared on the documentary television series, My Country, My Kitchen, in the episode Greece, Date Plate. She appeared on the television series Simplify Your Life (2002); and was a co-host of the Food Network show Kitchen Accomplished (2004). Cora made television history in 2005 as the first female Iron Chef, joining Bobby Flay, Mario Batali and Masaharu Morimoto on the first season of Food Network's Iron Chef America, spending 10 seasons on the show. In 2008, she had a voice role for the video game Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine. Cora is the co-host of Around the World in 80 Plates, an American reality competition show that premiered on May 9, 2012 on the Bravo cable TV network. Cora co-hosted the 2017 FOX reality cooking series My Kitchen Rules. Cora competed in the 2021 Second Annual Guy Fieri's Tournament of Champions on the Food Network, narrowly losing to Michael Voltaggio. Restaurants In 2008, Cora opened Cat Cora's Que (CCQ), a restaurant in Costa Mesa, California. A number of airports across the United States feature Cat Cora's Kitchen and Cat Cora's Gourmet Markets which were opened in 2011 and 2012, including at George Bush International Airport (IAH) in Houston, San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC). The eponymous Cat Cora's Kitchen, a bar and lounge-style restaurant, opened at Terminal 2 at San Francisco International Airport in April