Michael Perselay was born in Newark, New Jersey, on May 29th, 1960. He attended high school at Gill St. Bernard's School in Gladstone, New Jersey and followed in the family's foot steps majoring in constitutional law at Fairleigh-Dickenson University. It was then that he realized that his true professional calling would focus on food and his love of preparing it. It was at Chez Catherine's, a four star French restaurant in Westfield, New Jersey that Michael began his culinary career under the artful tutelage of renowned French Chef Catherine Alexandrou. After years of hands-on formal training and establishing an invaluable French foundation, Michael has gone on to spend twenty-six years working in professional kitchens.

In December of 2003 Perselay opened Zoota Electric American Cuisine in the historic district of Phillipsburg, New Jersey as the chef/owner. The restaurant is in a mid 1800's row house that is poised on the banks of the Delaware River overlooking the waterfall of the Leigh River, with two levels of dining rooms. "Creativity Sizzles at Zoota" say's the Morning Call; "Zoota Brings Electric Style To Phillipsburg...The Food is Fun and Engaging" declares The Star ledger; "Zoota's Eclectic Cuisine is in The Vanguard of What is New and Exciting in The Restaurant Areana" sya's The Hunterdon County Town & Country Living Magazine.

To the high praise of the press and public, Michael opened la Maison des Poëles in Peapack, New Jersey in 1989 as the chef/proprietor. He earned four stars and was rated among the "Top 10 Restaurants of 1990" by The Star Ledger and The New York Times. Las Maison received a "Very Good" rating from the New York Times; "Superb" by New Jersey Good Life Magazine and was revered as "A First Class Dining Experience" by Formes Newspaper. A restored, turn of the century Victorian home, Las Maison was ranked the No. 2 restaurant in New Jersey for "Best Ambiance" by Zagat.

Additionally, Perselay served as Executive Chef of such restaurants as Mulholland Drive Café in Manhattan, NY; Stage Left - An American Café in New Brunswick, NJ; Triumph Brewing Company in Princeton, NJ; Martini- An American Bar Bistro in Millburn, NJ; NYLA at the Dylan Hotel in Manhattan, NY; and The Skyline View in Clifton, NJ; The Fox & Hound Tavern at The Lebanon Hotel in Lebanon, NJ; along with a myriad of consulting projects. Michael has been involved in Share Our Strength as well as various fund raisers for charity.