Tim Zagat

Tim Zagat

Co-Founder, Co-Chair & CEO

Zagat Survey


Tim Zagat is the co-founder, co-chair and chief executive officer of Zagat Survey®, the world's leading provider of consumer survey-based dining, travel and leisure information.

Zagat Survey was launched in 1979 as a hobby by Tim and his wife Nina, who started to rate restaurants through surveys. The Survey became so popular that it rapidly developed into a full-time publishing enterprise.

Following their initial success in New York City, the Zagats expanded their concept in the mid-1980's to cover dining scenes in other markets, later adding hotels, nightlife, movies, golf, shopping and a range of other entertainment resources.

In 2000, the Zagats were recognized as Entrepreneurs of the Year by both Ernst & Young and Harvard Business School, and were inducted to New York University's Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in 2001. They are also inductees of the Hospitality Hall of Honor and members of the James Beard Who's Who in Food & Beverage.

Tim has served in various prominent, civic, cultural and charitable capacities over the years – most recently for three years as the chairman of NYC & Company, the official marketing, promotion and tourism arm of New York City. He is currently a board member and vice president of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP).

Tim earned an L.L.B. from Yale Law School in 1966 and a B.A. from Harvard College in 1961.