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David Solomonov was three days from being discharged and had volunteered for duty that night to give a more observant member of his battalion leave for the high holiday. And we talk about it all the time. And I was not a good person to work with. There is just something crazy that happens in your psyche when you enter an airplane knowing that youre going to open a window and jump out of it, Solomonov said. Marc Vetri rules over a Roman Empire, with an expanding range of foods that are all recognizably inspired by Italy. When I first asked about spending time with him, the chef told me, I dont know what youre going to see. Michael Solomonov is the James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur behind several restaurants in Philadelphia, including Zahav, Abe Fisher, and the Rooster. He also sings the praises of the produce and ingredients you can buy there. Milkshakes have been around for awhile. I was a pretty terrible eater as a kid. You would expect that any earth-shattering innovations in milkshake technology would have already been developed by now, but it seems that culinary progress can happen at any time. In the few minutes he has before the laffa is done cooking, Solomonov uses his central position to quarterback the kitchen staff. A 2011 James Beard Award winner for "Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic," Chef Michael Solomonov is the executive chef at Zahav (237 St. James Place, 215-625-8800), Philadelphia's renowned modern Israeli restaurant. People found him to be funny and engaging, always full of. Of course, right now also happens to be smack in the middle of the age of the rock-star chef/entrepreneur, and Solomonov has already walked gingerly into that wave of heat. Still, for now, on most nights, Solomonov plants himself behind the hammered-copper kitchen counter at Zahav and shovels dough into the blast furnace. His first restaurant Zahav, founded in 2008, has received national recognition including the James Beard Foundation "Outstanding Restaurant" in 2019. Though he wont be specific with the timeline, it seems obvious that this was the period when Solomonov decided to get sober. I was a talented actor, Solomonov said. But thats not true. That isnt the case at all though. 3 records for Michael Solomonov. You can follow Camille on Twitter @CamealAshley. Though he wont be specific with the timeline, it seems obvious that this was the period when Solomonov decided to get sober. Are they, as Food and Wine recently suggested, poised to helm the next Philadelphia restaurant empire? When he opened Zahav, Mike Solomonov had to struggle with all of that while simultaneously dealing with twin addictions to crack and heroin (via NPR). The Sephardic dish is laced with warm spices, such as allspice and turmeric, rich with onion and garlic. I definitely drank too much and went off on a couple different tangents, which is obviously a mistake that doesnt help you deal with anything., At one point, Solomonov got the idea of moving back to Israel and joining the army himself. The show, "Where Chefs Eat," features the former "Queer Eye" personality visiting various cities and eating at places that are favorites of local food professionals. It was mandatory, and I like my job, Zahav manager Okan Yazici told me. We didnt listen, Solomonov says. Im scared to death of mayo. Its micro-management at every single level., Thats the reason he heads for the boxing ring three mornings each week. Marc Vetri rules over a Roman Empire, with an expanding range of foods that are all recognizably inspired by Italy. On any given night, a customer who walks through the verdant, manicured grounds of I.M. Michael Solomonov: From Crack Addict to James Beard Chef - The Atlantic For the next few years, Solomonov struggled with addiction. I broke up with my girlfriend. Excuse meIm sorry, the chef added, his tone somehow combining his general affability with zero tolerance for slacking, but WHERE THE FUCK are the amuse coming from tonight? When it comes to cursing, chefs are the new sailors. Read the interview with Joey Baldino. I could believe the things that people constantly write, or let my head get big and get arrogant, and Id go right back out.. Cook, who is uncomfortable in the public eye, describes his partner as chief marketing officer for the brand. He started shoving food aside and cursing. I dont think coffees going out of style. The Untold Truth Of Mike Solomonov From Where Chefs Eat The Untold Truth Of Mike Solomonov From Where Chefs Eat. So we hung out for three weeks together. Like anything else, being on TV is a skill that takes practice, and the chef's first foray on the small screen didn't go so smoothly. Michael Solomonov on Getting Through the Pandemic That was the criterion for the partnership to work. Zahav ships our famous Pomegranate Lamb Shoulder nationwide with Goldbelly straight from Philly right to your doorstep. Working in the restaurant industry means that Mike spends most of his time around delicious food. We were humbled to the point where we just had to cook and give great service, Solomonov says. Itll all be for nothing. How could we improve it? Which is very cool. Marc Vetri, who gave Solomonov one of his early cooking jobs, calls Zahav one of the most interesting restaurants in America right now.. His wet suit is in the trunk, and on this bright and cool spring morning he is barreling down the A.C. Expressway toward the ocean. He's also a fan of Middle Eastern-style grilled meats, including a grilled mixed offal sandwich that's a specialty in Jerusalem. Were the busiest weve ever been, Solomonov told me in mid-May. There was a need, and he was there and was hungry and had a vision for what he wanted to do., When he took over the Marigold kitchen, Solomonov began to embrace his native countrys polyglot cuisine. While those two chefs have created new restaurants in the context of their original successes, Solomonov and Cook are operating in that postmodern mode. With his ability to embrace high and low and still make dining fun and delicious, his energetic and idiosyncratic enthusiasm for both ends of the spectrum, Solomonov may have whipped up his own secret sauce for success. With the owners approval, he pivoted toward the Middle East. And hes got that next-level kind of drive.. At all., We were getting all the accolades that you could get, but we were doing, like, 30 covers on a Tuesday. This search result is here to prevent scraping, Maria Gallagher wrote in this magazine in 2006, Hop Sing Laundromat Charging $75 for Bar Reservations, Exciting I-95 Capping Project Finally Begins In Philadelphia, Those Gummies May Not Have Contained Fentanyl After All, Why I'm Boycotting the Roots Picnic This Year. In terms of more dignified media, Solomonov has signed up to star in a PBS documentary about the foods of Israel, which should start filming this fall. This search result is here to prevent scraping, Maria Gallagher wrote in this magazine in 2006, Hop Sing Laundromat Charging $75 for Bar Reservations, Exciting I-95 Capping Project Finally Begins In Philadelphia, Those Gummies May Not Have Contained Fentanyl After All, Why I'm Boycotting the Roots Picnic This Year. It makes my head spin. Hed heard it was something sailors used to do. Overcoming fear, Solomonov told me, is an important part of life: Right now Im working on my fear of sharks. To that end, he had a large shark tattooed on his torso. At 44 years old, Michael Solomonov height not available right now. The film, a documentary called "In Search of Israeli Cuisine," follows Solomonov as he travels around Israel eating food and talking to people about how the region's unique cuisine has developed (via Menemsha Films). When reservations went live on Thursday for Michael Solomonov's first restaurant to open outside of Philadelphia, the first several days of spots were gone within minutes. Add the lemon juice and teaspoon salt. In the way successful chefs are these days, hes being pulled in a dozen different directions. It was an aunt calling to tell him that David was dead, shot by snipers as he patrolled an apple orchard on Israels border with the nation of Lebanon. 10 Things You Didn't Know about Mike Solomonov At the time, he says, I was eating a shitload of wings at Caf Soho. The unlikely pairing of chicken with doughnuts never seemed unlikely to Solomonov. 10 Things You Didnt Know about Mike Solomonov, Borrowers Reboot Movie In Development From Universal, 10 Things You Didnt Know About Celeste Pechous, Nickelodeon Animator Illustrates Coffee Cups In Her Spare Time, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Fiona Palomo, Ozzy Osbourne Has Failed his Drivers Test More than Anyone We Know, 12 Things You Didnt Know About Andrew Lincoln, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Patrick Duffy, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Jake McDorman, Five Actresses Who Could Play Kella Ripa in a Lifetime Movie, 10 Things You Didnt Know About Jackson Michie, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Andrew East, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Andy Puddicombe, Thanoss Snap Takes on a New Light in Moon Knight, 10 Things You Didnt Know About Patrick Fugit. I wasnt very good at accepting what happened to my brother or what was happening to myself. Michael Solomonov transforms simple foods into artful culinary masterpieces and is widely regarded as one of the country's top chefs and entrepreneurs. The first job I ever had was at a Subway sandwich shop in Pittsburgh. The predictable happened, and Solomonov immediately cut off the tip of his thumb on live TV. April 15, 2022. All I do is work. Then he came back with an offer of an array of athletic activities: surfing, running (he was scheduled to do the 10-mile Broad Street Run the next day) and boxing. Lately, as they slouch toward empire, Cook and Solomonov have been reading Danny Meyers book Setting the Table. He pushes it onto a plate to be served with hummus. Something went wrong. There was more attention last year when the pair engineered the much-buzzed-about opening of a high-end kosher restaurant on the Main Line, Citron and Rose. Just then, the four people who had reserved the chefs tasting counter were arriving. Only five to 10 photographers in the state get selected to go, and I was one of them. We wanted to be very casual and then have this high-end thing in a different room, which was me trying to show off. Michael Solomonov Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family But will what seems a boy-band-esque foodie fad become a lasting venture? At some point in my life, Ill be very upfront about it if I can find a way to make it helpful, he told me. He attended Florida Culinary Institute which is now called Lincoln Culinary Institute. Because of the complicated rules of kashrut, as Jewish dietary laws are known, Solomonov chose to only sign on as a consultant. How a Chef Beat His Drug Habit With a Healthier Lifestyle FedNuts, as devotees like to call it, now has three locations and counting, including the frequently mobbed counter in the stands behind left field at Citizens Bank Park. But he was about to find his mtier. Susur Lee (Chinese: ; born December 1958) is a . Earlier, I watched Solomonov fold the origami himself. It was so different from what I was doing prior, he says. The pandemic also left him unable to travel to Israel, a place he misses dearly. Michael Solomonov's Philly Restaurant Is an Ode to the Israeli Grill House. It was awesome. Because of my responsibility to other people in recovery, I need to figure out how Im going to be more specific and more detailed. So I did it. He doesnt think hed do it again. It was an aunt calling to tell him that David was dead, shot by snipers as he patrolled an apple orchard on Israels border with the nation of Lebanon. One afternoon, Nathan talked to me in an affectionate and almost motherly way about the young chef. Boxing is everything but that. In 2019, Zahav took home the award for Outstanding Restaurant. The places Solomonov took Allen to showed the breadth and diversity of the contemporary Philly food scene, giving viewers a deep look at what makes the city's food so special. It was Yom Kippur, and three days. StarChefs notes that after his tenure under Vetri, Solomonov took a job as the chef at businessman Steve Cook's Marigold Kitchen. It was legitimate work, and it was fuckin hardlike, super-hard. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Is Susur Lee still married? Its heading toward two a.m., and Solomonov has finally shed his apron and enlisted two of his top young chefs for a pilgrimage to one of his favorite restaurants, a Korean fried chicken wings joint in Cheltenham called Caf Soho. Hes been named best chef in the region by the James Beard Foundation. Were the busiest weve ever been, Solomonov told me in mid-May. Michael Solomonov was born on 1978 in Savyon, Israel. In the way successful chefs are these days, hes being pulled in a dozen different directions. Theyre here, Chef, she said. Solomonov is expanding his. Awesome, right? Peis Society Hill Towers and into the restaurant called Zahav will likely see its young salt-and-pepper-haired chef and co-owner, Michael Solomonov, flipping a pie-sized floppy disk of bread dough onto a flat paddle and shoveling it, with a quick shrug, into a brick oven thats been fired with compressed hardwood to a blazing 800 degrees. Mike Solomonov presides over an empire now, and he owes much of his success to Zahav, his first Israeli restaurant. A wedding reception followed the ceremony at the Coronado Ballroom. We didnt listen, Solomonov says. Going to the beach. He entered rehab in 2008 and was able to turn his life around. David Solomonov was three days from being discharged and had volunteered for duty that night to give a more observant member of his battalion leave for the high holiday. Are you ready, Chef?. By submitting your email, you agree to our, The freshest news from the local food world, 5 Things You Didnt Know About Michael Solomonov, Sign up for the With his ability to embrace high and low and still make dining fun and delicious, his energetic and idiosyncratic enthusiasm for both ends of the spectrum, Solomonov may have whipped up his own secret sauce for success. Solomonov later agreed to talk publicly about his addiction, but only in general terms. But he was about to find his mtier. If a Cook and Solo empire emerges, it will be different from what weve seen before. CookNSolo Restaurants Solomonov began cooking Italian cuisine at Vetri in Philadelphia. The chef has earned accolades as an author in addition to all the recognition he's received for his restaurant. It was another chef, Osterias Jeff Michaud, who introduced Solomonov to boxing. I would just freestyle when I was bored.. For years, he was addicted to cocaine and and heroin, but it took him a while to realize that he he had a serious problem. Though Solomonov believes in the genetic basis of addiction, any amateur psychologist could point to triggers, life events that can lead a person toward addiction. That's why he obsesses over things like creating the perfect Persian rice with a crispy toasted bottom, or crafting ethereally creamy hummus (though he's perfectly fine with eating store-bought hummus too, and even has it in his fridge at home). Ten careful courses lay before him, from the Negev olives to Fred Flintstone-sized rib-eye steaks and kiwi sorbet. It was so different from what I was doing prior, he says. But Michael Solomonov's future challenges are no match for the ones he's already faced. His wife is Mary Solomonov (m. 2006) Michael Solomonov Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. And at one point she said gently, Frankly, I think hes doing so much these days., I asked Solomonovs partner whether so much could be too much. It was legitimate work, and it was fuckin hardlike, super-hard. There was no slapping or punching or anything like that in the breakup, Solomonov insists. And at one point she said gently, Frankly, I think hes doing so much these days., I asked Solomonovs partner whether so much could be too much. On a busy night, this happens several hundred times, and the whole processthe pounding rollout, the quick puff, the intense heat, the crucible quality of it allprovides some convenient metaphors for the life, up till now, of the 34-year-old hot-shot chef who still calls himself a dirt-bag line cook even though he stands on the verge of becoming a brand-name culinary star. In the late summer of 2005, Solomonov met Steve Cook, who was trying to replace himself as chef at the popular West Philadelphia BYO Marigold Kitchen. Wed like to have an empire. He has been married to his wife, Mary, since. How this chef went from heroin to hummus - New York Post Hummus Recipe | Michael Solomonov | Food Network If you're a human and see this, please ignore it. Are you ready, Chef?. But Michael Solomonov's future challenges are no match for the ones he's already faced. And I was not a good person to work with. I lived in the office at the restaurant for a few months. On the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in 2003, when Solomonov was a 25-year-old up-and-coming chef working on the line in Marc Vetris kitchen (Vetri had only one restaurant at the time), he was driving a family car from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. In the chefs life, one such event stands out. California residents do not sell my data request. I like when people come to Philadelphia to have dinner.. Michael Solomonov Biography | Booking Info for Speaking Engagements After meeting with financier Steven Cook, they opened Zahav in 2008. In an interview with the New York Times promoting the film, Solomonov talks about some of the themes that the documentary explores. We had about a year of being scared to death that the bank was going to take our homes, or everyone was going to quit. With his business partner, Steve Cook, a onetime investment banker who transformed himself into a respected chef and then quickly went back to the business end of the restaurant business, Solomonov has interests in Percy Street Barbecue and Federal Donuts. Hes won several James Beard Foundation awards including the 2011 award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic and another in 2017 for Outstanding Chef. Becoming a chef isnt something that was always on Mikes to-do list. Theres no decisions. Doughnuts definitely arent. As time passed, It became clear that that was the way I was going to attach myself to Israel, he says, and in some way, even, with Judaism, and certainly with my brother.. Mike has devoted lots of time an energy into his career, but hes also dedicated lots of time to building a happy life at home. Though there have been discussions about opening a Zahav in New York, CookNSolo, as the partners call their company, sees FedNuts as its best opportunity to debut a show out of town. In a different season, snowboarding would be on the agenda. Id work harder than I ever had to work before and nobody gave a shit. In addition to his duties at Zahav Chef Solomonov is a partner in Federal Donuts Dizengoff Goldie and Abe Fisher. It doesnt stop: Solomonov and crew also released a Federal Donuts cookbook last year, and the chefs second Israeli cookbook, Israeli Soul: Easy, Essential, Delicious, is due out next fall. Solomonov's breaking point came when his younger brother, David, was shot to death by Hezbollah snipers while he was patrolling Israel's border with Lebanon. Though hes suffered his share of burns on the way to this point, its all happening lately for Michael Solomonov. Remember the name Michael Solomonov, Maria Gallagher wrote in this magazine in 2006. Its in the back, his grill chef told him. Send 150 words about where you grew up and what it means to you now to opinion@philly.com Some answers maybe featured on Philly.com and in the Inquirer. In the late summer of 2005, Solomonov met Steve Cook, who was trying to replace himself as chef at the popular West Philadelphia BYO Marigold Kitchen. If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) This is something Mike Solomonov understands completely. I started thinking about culinary school. After three years studying at the Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach and working in some South Florida restaurants, Solomonov landed in Philadelphia and quickly moved through two kitchens in the then-flourishing Neil Stein empireat Avenue B and Striped Bass. Zahav's Mike Solomonov takes his Israeli cuisine outside of On a busy night, this happens several hundred times, and the whole processthe pounding rollout, the quick puff, the intense heat, the crucible quality of it allprovides some convenient metaphors for the life, up till now, of the 34-year-old hot-shot chef who still calls himself a dirt-bag line cook even though he stands on the verge of becoming a brand-name culinary star. During this time Solomonov had a hidden addiction to heroin, cocaine, and other substances. We sort of talked him out of that, says Marc Vetri. To call it a fad minimizes everything that we put into it, Solomonov says one day. Hed heard it was something sailors used to do. Of course, right now also happens to be smack in the middle of the age of the rock-star chef/entrepreneur, and Solomonov has already walked gingerly into that wave of heat. Meanwhile, they were hinting that an Israeli street-food joint that wouldnt compete with Zahav is a distinct possibility. It was the only thing we based our decision on to work together. Michael is going to be a star, says Roger Sherman, producer and director of the planned PBS documentary. His most recent book, Israeli Soul: Easy, Essential, Delicious, was released in 2018. Per NoCamels, after David died, Solomonov decided to hone his Israeli cooking skills. Please enter a valid email and try again. I had more responsibility at Vetri, he says. At Caf SoHo, the leftover wings are wrapped to go. I was just like, What are you gonna do? A quick perusal of Goldie's menu shows that in addition to the now-classic original flavor, the restaurant also offers versions flavored with coffee, mint-chocolate, and banana (though the options might change over time). Then Solomonov steps back into the blast zone of the open oven, slips the paddle under the dough thats now charred and crunchy, and pulls it out for a quick sprinkle of olive oil and a dusting of the Middle Eastern spice mix called zaatar. Solomonov was 27 now, scarred by loss and headed for a confrontation with his obsessive and addictive nature. [1][2] Solomonov was also awarded Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2011, Cookbook of the Year in 2016, and Outstanding Chef in 2017 from the James Beard Foundation. Solomonov said he wanted to tell me something off the record. I was just like, What are you gonna do? His idea for a vegan milkshake was ingeniously simple: a chilled mix of tehina (commonly known as tahini), almond milk, and sugar. The couple has two sons together. He's got quite a few businesses now, ranging from a fried chicken and donut chain to a falafel shop to a bakery (via CookNSolo). At the age of 18, he returned to Israel with no Hebrew language skills, taking the only job he could get - working in a bakery - and his culinary career was born. The press doesnt fucking matter at that point., Nowadays, the press for Zahav is only more effusive, and the customers are waiting to get in. With surprise hits like Zahav and Federal Donuts, Philly's most iconoclastic chef seems poised for the big time. It was so small, and everybody knew who you were. You may not know him yet, but his work at Marigold is the best possible introduction, affirming him as one of Philadelphias most promising young culinary talents with a technique that is already mature.. Its the latest in a tat collection that includes a string of elephants on his biceps (he cant remember the inspiration); a rooster on the other arm, laced with a Hebrew prayer and his brothers name; and another on his shoulder that reproduces his brothers army insignia. Then business at the CookNSolo office behind Zahav, a quick visit with his wife and son at home, and then about seven hours of service. Remember the name Michael Solomonov, Maria Gallagher wrote in this magazine in 2006. The chicken recipe is based on Korean fried chicken, and has the same shatteringly crunchy exterior as its inspiration. SABICH. Its a big challenge to come., But for now, most nights, hes there in the heat at Zahav. The resulting Citron & Rose garnered . Its the latest in a tat collection that includes a string of elephants on his biceps (he cant remember the inspiration); a rooster on the other arm, laced with a Hebrew prayer and his brothers name; and another on his shoulder that reproduces his brothers army insignia. Like cooking, its also a way for him to express his creative side. GANS-SOLOMONOV WEDDING - St. Louis Jewish Light His unique Israeli-inspired restaurant has four bells from the Inquirer and raves from this magazine, and has been the object of adulation in the national press, ranging from the New York Times to Bon Apptit. [16] Its recipe for hummus was chosen as "2015 dish of the year" by Bon Apptit. | James Beard Foundation", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Solomonov&oldid=1141852069, "Outstanding Chef" (2017) by the James Beard Foundation, "Outstanding Restaurant" for Zahav (2019) by the James Beard Foundation, "The Restaurant List" for Laser Wolf (2021), one of 50 restaurants included by, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 04:16. With his business partner Steven Cook, Solomonov is co-owner of several Philadelphia restaurants: Abe Fisher, Dizengoff, Percy Street Barbecue, Laser Wolf, and Federal Donuts, a fried chicken and donut chain. If he keeps on going at this pace, he's going to have to build a bigger mantel to hold all the awards. His day began early with his toddler son, named for his brother David, waking him. How long can that last? Although his first cooking job was at a bakery in Israel, he moved back to the United States after he decided he wanted to pursue kitchen work long-term. When I was nine, I entered an origami competition and created this sick flamingo that was awarded. Earlier, I watched Solomonov fold the origami himself. Mike is so high-energy, says one friend, who helped teach him to surf. In 2003, his brother David was killed on Yom Kippur during an Israel Defense Forces military campaign on the border of Lebanon by three enemy snipers, for which he volunteered. Michael is going to be a star, says Roger Sherman, producer and director of the planned PBS documentary. Chef Michael Solomonov is a lot like Philadelphia: scrappy but flourishing despite some hard times. ), The concepts weve chosen are more an expression of our personalities than some sort of calculated empire-building strategy, Cook told me one afternoon, sitting in a new private dining room at the recently expanded Zahav.