What Does Erin French’s Husband Really Do? Inside Michael Dutton’s Surprising Career

Published by Staff Writer on March 14, 2026 March 14, 2026

Dutton and Erin French met while living in very different worlds — he was based in Manhattan, while she was rebuilding her life in rural Maine. They later married in 2018, and over time he became closely involved not just in her personal life but in the professional expansion of The Lost Kitchen. By 2018, local reporting already identified him as French’s media relations advisor, which suggests that even before marriage he was helping shape communications around the restaurant.

Later public bios went further, describing him as the executive producer of The Lost Kitchen television show and the person managing media strategy and public relations for Erin French and the brand.

What makes Dutton interesting is that his résumé stretches far beyond restaurant publicity. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at The Associated Press, where he served as Global Director of Entertainment Products. In that position, he helped oversee AP’s awards-season digital coverage through AP Live, a project designed to give online audiences interactive access to major events like the Golden Globes, Grammys, and Oscars.

He was also involved in AP’s larger entertainment-content strategy, including a deal with Morgan Spurlock’s Warrior Poets to develop programming from AP’s editorial archive and a partnership aimed at adapting AP entertainment content for Mandarin-speaking audiences in China.

He was also recognized inside AP for innovation. In 2010, he received a Gramling Achievement Award for creating and monetizing “Banner News,” a rich-media advertising product that embedded AP news tickers and teasers into banner ads. That matters because it shows his work was not just editorial or promotional — it sat at the intersection of journalism, product development, and revenue strategy.

Before and after AP, Dutton’s career also moved through digital product design and immersive media. In 2013, he was identified as a Senior Experience Designer at Optimal Experience, where he was noted for studying and ranking mobile banking apps in New Zealand. Later, by 2017, he was serving as SVP of Strategy and Content Partnerships at Mesmerise Global VR, appearing on industry conference panels and speaking publicly about VR partnerships with companies such as USA Today Network and Time Inc.

Today, Dutton appears to split his time between The Lost Kitchen and wider creative work. Public event listings from 2025 identify him as a cofounder of Rare Agency and associate him with media, culture, technology, and immersive storytelling.

At the same time, brand coverage around Erin French says he helps manage The Lost Kitchen’s “growing culinary universe,” which now includes television, books, retail, travel content, and the broader lifestyle identity around the restaurant. So, the clearest answer is this: Michael Dutton makes his living as a media and brand strategist, producer, and communications executive — and much of that expertise now supports Erin French’s expanding Lost Kitchen empire.