September 22, 2011
Chef Caspi cut his culinary teeth at New York establishments like Per Se. (Photo courtesy M Restaurant)
In honor of this fall’s Center City District Restaurant Week, which kicked off September 12 and lasts through this Friday, September 23, we’ve been running a short series of Q&As with some top Center City chefs whose restaurants are participating in the biannual promotion.
The final featured chef is Michael Caspi of M Restaurant at the Morris House Hotel. The restaurant recently won the coveted title of Best Outdoor Dining in Philadelphia Magazine’s 2011 Best of Philly issue.
Chef Caspi began his career in Israel, following in his father’s footsteps, before moving to New York in 2005. He spent several years there at extremely high-end restaurants such as Daniel, Adour Alain Ducasse and Per Se. In 2010, he came to Philadelphia and, following a short stint at Parc, landed his current position at M.
We got a chance to chat with the chef about using local and organic ingredients, his favorite restaurants to eat at when he’s off the clock and more. Check it out:
Uwishunu: An exciting new aspect of this fall’s Restaurant Week, in partnership with Philly Homegrown, is the inclusion of a fresh, local dish on each participating restaurant’s menu. What’s your favorite local ingredient to use or local dish to make?
Chef Caspi: The amazing fresh peaches. We use them in our house salad and I also make a vinaigrette with them.
Uwishunu: Delicious. Philly’s restaurant scene is thriving more than ever before. What do you think makes it great?
Chef Caspi: The fact that people are catching on to the importance of using local organic ingredients. We have done this from day one at M, and always support local farmers and what they have to offer, which is always better than frozen food or produce with pesticides.
Uwishunu: We totally agree. When you’re off the clock during Restaurant Week or otherwise, what is one of your favorite places to go for a bite?
Chef Caspi: Zavino Wine Bar.
Uwishunu: And what Philly spots do you take out-of-towners to, food-related or otherwise?
Chef Caspi: The Farm and Fisherman on Pine Street.
Check out M Restaurant’s Restaurant Week menu here.
Center City District Restaurant Week
When: September 12-16 and September 18-23
Where: Center City District
Cost: $35 for dinner, $20 for lunch
More info: www.centercityphila.org/restaurantweek
September 21, 2011
Famed restaurateur Georges Perrier introduced Philadelphians to fine French cuisine when he opened Le Bec-Fin some 40 years ago.
(Photo courtesy Le Bec-Fin)
In honor of this fall’s Center City District Restaurant Week, which kicked off last week and lasts through this Friday, September 23, we’re running a short series of Q&As with some top Center City chefs whose restaurants are participating in the biannual promotion.
Next up is the legendary Chef Georges Perrier. Perrier’s Le Bec-Fin has become a Philadelphia landmark and an international gastronomical destination. Le Bec-Fin has been a long-standing recipient of both the coveted Mobil Five Star and AAA’s Five Diamond awards, among other accolades.
We got to chat with Chef Perrier about his favorite local ingredient, young culinary talent in Philadelphia and more. Check it out:
Uwishunu: An exciting new aspect of this fall’s Restaurant Week, in partnership with Philly Homegrown, is the inclusion of a fresh, local dish on each participating restaurant’s menu. What’s your favorite local ingredient to use or local dish to make?
Chef Perrier: Kennett Square mushrooms.
Uwishunu: Delicious. Philly’s restaurant scene is thriving more than ever before. What do you think makes it great?
Chef Perrier: All the new young talent that are opening restaurants and concentrating on wonderful, full flavor dishes.
Uwishunu: And they have a wonderful example to follow, set by venerable chefs like you. When you’re off the clock during Restaurant Week or otherwise, what is one of your favorite places to go for a bite?
Chef Perrier: I like Moda Mia but I do support all our local restaurants.
Uwishunu: And what Philly spots do you take out-of-towners to, food-related or otherwise?
Chef Perrier: I am very proud of the Philadelphia Art Museum and think it is a must for any visitor to our City.
Check out Le Bec-Fin’s Restaurant Week menus here.
Center City District Restaurant Week
When: September 12-16 and September 18-23
Where: Center City District
Cost: $35 for dinner, $20 for lunch
More info: www.centercityphila.org/restaurantweek
September 20, 2011
Tellez was the first winner of the James Beard Foundation's Felipe Rojas-Lombardi Award of Achievement for Hispanic Chefs.
(Photo courtesy Square 1682)
In honor of this fall’s Center City District Restaurant Week, which kicked off last week and lasts through this Friday, September 23, we’re running a short series of Q&As with some top Center City chefs whose restaurants are participating in the biannual promotion.
First up was Daniel Stern, Chef of R2L. Next, Anne Coll, Executive Chef at Meritage Restaurant & Wine Bar. Then, Chef Marcie Turney.
Next up is Chef Guillermo Tellez of Square 1682 inside the Hotel Palomar.
Chef Tellez’s 20-year restaurant resume, from the famed Charlie Trotter empire to Philadelphia’s own Starr Restaurant Organization, is nothing short of impressive. Plus, his restaurant is Philadelphia’s first LEED-certified eatery and bar.
We got to chat with him about his favorite locally sourced fall dish to make, where he takes visitors to Philadelphia and more. Check it out, below:
Uwishunu: An exciting new aspect of this fall’s Restaurant Week, in partnership with Philly Homegrown, is the inclusion of a fresh, local dish on each participating restaurant’s menu. What’s your favorite local ingredient to use or local dish to make?
Chef Tellez: My favorite local ingredients are the peppers, the mushrooms and tomatoes we’ve been getting from the garden and other local sources. The dish I like to make this time of year is the Roasted Vegetable Lasagna.
Uwishunu: Delicious. Philly’s restaurant scene is thriving more than ever before. What do you think makes it great?
Chef Tellez: I think the diversity of the small restaurant scene and the amount of up-and-coming chefs that are willing to take risks adds so much to the city’s culinary vibrancy. Plus Philadelphia being able to support all these restaurants that are trying to do the right thing allows it to happen.
Uwishunu: Cheers to that. When you’re off the clock during Restaurant Week or otherwise, what is one of your favorite places to go for a bite?
Chef Tellez: One of my favorite places is the Sang Kee Noodle House. I also like small Indian places in the suburbs, basically all ethnic cuisines. I love discovering the holes-in-the-wall.
Uwishunu: Speaking of insider knowledge, what Philly spots do you take out-of-towners to, food-related or otherwise?
Chef Tellez: Out-of-towners always want to see the Liberty Bell. After that we try to experience a cheesesteak. I take them to Tony Luke’s. After that, maybe take a tour of the city, visit Reading Terminal Market and some of the outdoor markets.
Check out Square 1682′s Restaurant Week menus here.
Bonus: don’t forget you can still enter to win one of two $100 restaurant gift cards, one to The Dandelion and Fork. You have until today at noon!
Center City District Restaurant Week
When: September 12-16 and September 18-23
Where: Center City District
Cost: $35 for dinner, $20 for lunch
More info: www.centercityphila.org/restaurantweek
September 19, 2011
We couldn't name all of Marcie's accolades all in one place if we tried. She's a tour de force amping up Philadelphia's dining scene cred and we can't wait to see what's next from her. (Photo courtesy Marcie Turney)
In honor of this fall’s Center City District Restaurant Week, which kicked off last week and lasts through Friday, September 23, we’re running a short series of Q&As with some top Center City chefs whose restaurants are participating in the biannual promotion.
First up was Daniel Stern, Chef of R2L. Next, Anne Coll, Executive Chef at Meritage Restaurant & Wine Bar.
Now, we got the inside scoop from the venerable Chef Marcie Turney, helming the kitchens of Bindi, Lolita and Barbuzzo, and cleaning up foodie awards left and right. She was most recently featured in Food & Wine. She and partner Valerie Safran are co-empresses of 13th Street, recently crowned Best Restaurant Row by Philadelphia Magazine.
We got to chat with Marcie about repurposing ingredients in each of her three restaurants, her take on the awesome growth of Philly’s restaurant scene and more. Check it out:
Uwishunu: An exciting new aspect of this fall’s Restaurant Week, in partnership with Philly Homegrown, is the inclusion of a fresh, local dish on each participating restaurant’s menu. What’s your favorite local ingredient to use or local dish to make?
Chef Turney: My favorite local ingredient to use in the kitchen are tomatoes. We have so many varieties of local tomatoes on all three of our Restaurant Week menus: Barbuzzo has sungolds with the pan seared gnocchi; Bindi has a mix of heirloom tomatoes in the tomato-ginger chutney with the parsi chicken liver mousse; and Lolita has crazy amounts from fresh salsas to the house smoked tomato “crying salsa” on the murrays chicken breast a la parilla.
Uwishunu: We can’t wait to try them all. Speaking of multiple awesome restaurants, Philly’s dining scene is thriving more than ever before. What do you think makes it great?
Chef Turney: 15 years ago Philadelphia’s restaurant scene was just cheesesteaks shops (don’t get me wrong, I love a good cheesesteak!) and high-end dining, but now you’re seeing chefs make their mark in a variety of ways with some great gastro-pubs, BYOBs and farm-to-table restaurants. It’s an exciting time for Philadelphia’s culinary scene.
Uwishunu: To that end, when you’re off the clock during Restaurant Week or otherwise, what is one of your favorite places to go for a bite?
Chef Turney: Val and I love to go to Varga Bar or Pub & Kitchen.
Uwishunu: What Philly spots do you take out-of-towners to, food-related or otherwise?
Chef Turney: My favorite place to take out–of-towners would be Reading Terminal Market. There’s something for everyone, from the Fair Food stand to the Amish pastries, meat/seafood counters or the roasted pork noodle soup from Sang Kee. I’ve gone there for over 10 years and I still see the same friendly faces behind the counters.
Bonus: don’t forget you can still enter to win one of two $100 restaurant gift cards, one to The Dandelion and Fork. You have until tomorrow at noon!
Center City District Restaurant Week
When: September 12-16 and September 18-23
Where: Center City District
Cost: $35 for dinner, $20 for lunch
More info: www.centercityphila.org/restaurantweek
September 15, 2011
Philadelphia Magazine presciently named Anne Coll one of Philly's Next Great Chefs back in 2006.
(Photo courtesy Meritage)
In honor of this fall’s Center City District Restaurant Week, which kicked off this week, we’ll be running a short series of Q&As with some top Center City chefs whose restaurants are participating in the biannual promotion.
First up was Daniel Stern, Chef of R2L (and MidAtlantic, which is located in West Philadelphia and therefore not a part of CCD Restaurant Week).
Next, Anne Coll, raised in Media and currently impressing customers and critics alike as Executive Chef at Meritage Restaurant & Wine Bar, home to the famed Korean Fried Chicken.
Anne was Executive Chef for six years at the venerable Susanna Foo’s on Walnut Street, following formative experiences at Le Bec-Fin and Savona. We got a chance to chat with Chef Coll about her take on why Philadelphia’s restaurant scene has taken off so stridently, her favorite place to get watermelon and more. Check it out:
Uwishunu: An exciting new aspect of this fall’s Restaurant Week, in partnership with Philly Homegrown, is the inclusion of a fresh, local dish on each participating restaurant’s menu. What’s your favorite local ingredient to use or local dish to make?
Chef Coll: Right now we are using only local ingredients that are all being sourced by me from Chester and Lancaster counties. I am also growing all of the restaurant’s tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes and sweet white corn and white peaches are probably all of my favorite things right [now] to use. And I have been getting great heirloom watermelons from an Amish farm near my house.
Uwishunu: Sounds absolutely delicious. Philly’s restaurant scene is thriving more than ever before. What do you think makes it great?
Chef Coll: The restaurant scene has really changed since I first started cooking. It’s great because there is such a diversity of different types of restaurants and Philly does have a lot of great talent in its kitchens.
Uwishunu: Including you! When you’re off the clock during Restaurant Week or otherwise, what is one of your favorite places to go for a bite?
Chef Coll: During Restaurant Week my favorite place to eat is my home. Most chefs don’t cook on their days off but I am always cooking at home. If I do go out it’s either to Shiao Lun Kung or for pho at Viet Huong.
Uwishunu: What Philly spots do you take out-of-towners to, food-related or otherwise?
Chef Coll: Great Places for out-of-towners to visit…. I would definitely think we would go to Head House Farmers Market, drinks at the Bellevue, and if we can get a reservation then Bibou would be the place.
Check out Meritage’s Restaurant Week menu here.
Center City District Restaurant Week
When: September 12-16 and September 18-23
Where: Center City District
Cost: $35 for dinner, $20 for lunch
More info: www.centercityphila.org/restaurantweek
September 13, 2011
The celebrated chef has brought infinite acclaim to Philadelphia's dining scene over the years. (Photo courtesy Daniel Stern)
In honor of this fall’s Center City District Restaurant Week, which kicked off yesterday, we’ll be running a short series of Q&As with some top Center City chefs whose restaurants are participating in the biannual promotion.
First up, Daniel Stern, Chef of R2L (and MidAtlantic, which is located in West Philadelphia and therefore not a part of CCD Restaurant Week).
Chef Stern has received high-gloss accolades from outlets as various as Esquire, Food & Wine and Condé Nast Traveler, most recently landing the title of “Best Service” by Philadelphia Magazine.
We got the chance to chat with him about sourcing locally for his restaurant kitchens, Philadelphia’s thriving culinary scene and more: Check it out:
Uwishunu: An exciting new aspect of this fall’s Restaurant Week, in partnership with Philly Homegrown, is the inclusion of a fresh, local dish on each participating restaurant’s menu. What’s your favorite local ingredient to use or local dish to make?
Chef Stern: It’s hard to choose a favorite dish, as everyone’s preferences change with time or the weather or just what you’re craving right then. Fortunately there is enough variety, and so much available to us, that we are able to offer a range of tastes and flavors.
Uwishunu: Philly’s restaurant scene is thriving more than ever before. What do you think makes it great?
Chef Stern: Philly’s restaurant scene is thriving and it continues to grow and change. Almost like the ingredients available from local producers, there is so much variety and so many different people opening restaurants and creating experiences that our food and restaurant culture continues to explode.
Uwishunu: When you’re off the clock during Restaurant Week or otherwise, what is one of your favorite places to go for a bite?
Chef Stern: I have two favorite taco stands: one in West Philly and one in South Philly. One is very close to MidAtlantic and one is easily accessible from R2L. Forgive me for not telling the names, but the lines are already long enough!
Uwishunu: What Philly spots do you take out-of-towners to, food-related or otherwise?
Chef Stern: Definitely Reading Terminal. Hopefully a Phillies game or Eagles game (for food and “not food”). And then the tour varies based on time and personalities.
Check out R2L’s Restaurant Week menu here.
Center City District Restaurant Week
When: September 12-16 and September 18-23
Where: Center City District
Cost: $35 for dinner, $20 for lunch
More info: www.centercityphila.org/restaurantweek
