Magdalena Daria Gessler rose to prominence through the Polish television programme Kuchenne rewolucje, a localized iteration of the Kitchen Nightmares format that began airing in 2010. As a restaurateur, painter, and author, her professional output encompasses a diverse range of media, from managing culinary establishments to serving as a judge on MasterChef Polska.
Early life and international exposure
Born in Komorów in 1953, the daughter of Mirosław Ikonowicz and Olga Ikonowicz, Gessler spent significant portions of her youth living abroad due to her father's professional obligations as a correspondent for the Polish Press Agency. These years included residence in Sofia between 1956 and 1959, followed by a period in Havana from 1963 to 1967. During her infancy, she was primarily cared for by her grandparents, Irena and Leon Łucek, in Komorów. Later, she moved to Warsaw and attended the XXII Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Jose Marti. In 1972, she settled in Madrid, where she completed her studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando.
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Gessler operates a broad portfolio of restaurants across Poland. Her holdings in Warsaw include U Fukiera, Słodki... Słony, Ale Gloria, Venezia, Jadka, and Zielnik Cafe. Her reach extends beyond the capital with Polka, located in Żelazowa Wola, the Kryształowa venue in Katowice, and Santo Porto in Gdynia. Her expertise is further documented in several cookbooks, including Kuchnia moja pasja published in 2005, Kocham gotować – Magdy Gessler przepis na życie released in 2007, and the 2012 collection Kuchenne Rewolucje. Przepisy Magdy Gessler.
Media career
Television remains a primary vehicle for her public work. Beyond her role on Kuchenne rewolucje and the Polish edition of MasterChef, she has contributed to MasterChef Junior Polska. Her media presence includes appearances on shows such as Big Brother, Niania, and Na Wspólnej, as well as the 2019 reality programme Starsza Pani musi fiknąć. She served as host of the 2019 Food Network series Odkrycia Magdy Gessler. Additionally, she has written for publications including Newsweek and Wprost, and she released her autobiography, titled Magda, in 2021.
Personal background
Gessler is a member of the Eastern Orthodox faith and currently resides in Łomianki. She possesses language skills in Spanish, German, Italian, English, and Portuguese. Her family history includes an Italian-descent grandmother and a paternal grandfather with roots in the Balkans. She has two children, Tadeusz and Lara, and her current partner is the doctor Waldemar Kozerawski. Her brother, Piotr Ikonowicz, is a journalist and politician.
Fast facts
- Born: 1953, Komorów, Poland
- Education: Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando
- Religion: Eastern Orthodoxy
- Known television work: Kuchenne rewolucje
- Languages: Polish, Spanish, German, Italian, English, Portuguese
- Autobiography: Magda (2021)
Questions readers ask
What is Magda Gessler's background in art?
She is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid.
Does Magda Gessler write books?
Yes, she has authored several cookbooks and an autobiography titled Magda.
Achievements
- Educated at Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando and XXII Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Jose Marti w Warszawie
