Top Chef Fabio Viviani Named National Ambassador for American Humane Association

Renowned Chef and Restauranteur to Bring Tenderness to America's Tables by Promoting Humanely Raised Food

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Fabio Viviani, one of the world's greatest chefs and restauranteurs, has been named a National Ambassador for American Humane Association, the nation's voice for the protection of children and animals. In accepting this position for the 134-year-old nonprofit, Chef Viviani will be seeking to bring some tenderness to America's tables by promoting the use of humanely raised food.

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As part of its continuing efforts to protect the voiceless and the vulnerable, American Humane Association launched the first, and now largest, third-party-verified farm animal welfare program in North America. Through rigorous, science-based standards, monitoring, and certification, AHA now helps safeguard the welfare of more than 130 million farm animals and certifies more than 90 percent of the nation's cage-free egg production.

"It is important not only to eat right, but also to do right when it comes to the food we put on our tables," says Chef Viviani.  "Whether you're buying milk, cheese, eggs, yogurt or meat, it is important to buy food from farms that treat their animals humanely."

Viviani is perhaps best known in America for appearing on Bravo's reality series "Top Chef," where he was one of the final four contestants in Season Five, and was named "Fan Favorite." He returned to Bravo in 2010 to compete in their "Top Chef All Stars" edition.  Chef Fabio Viviani was born in Florence and began working in a bakery at a young age. At 14 he began working at the very busy Il Pallaio in Florence and later worked with luminaries such as Simone Mugnaini, Alessandro Panzani and Saverio Carmagini, managing and/or owning several restaurants and nightclubs in Italy. Fabio moved to California at the age of 27 and now works as the owner and executive chef of Cafe Firenze, a renowned Italian restaurant in Ventura Country and Osteria Firenze, a popular Los Angeles Italian eatery. He has published two successful cookbooks including the "Cafe Firenze Cookbook" and an e-book, "Did I Really Make Breakfast," which made it onto multiple Amazon bestseller lists.

"We are very honored to have Fabio Viviani serve as a National Ambassador," said American Humane Association President and Chief Executive Officer Robin R. Ganzert, Ph.D. "His talent and dedication to the welfare of animals create a sure-fire recipe for a better and more compassionate world."

About American Humane Association

Since 1877, the historic American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in protecting children, pets and farm animals from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Today we're also leading the way in understanding human-animal interaction and its role in society. As the nation's voice for the protection of children and animals, American Humane Association reaches millions of people every day through groundbreaking research, education, training and services that span a wide network of organizations, agencies and businesses. You can help make a difference, too. Visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org today.

SOURCE American Humane Association