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1 month ago | 
starchefs.com | Jason Lyons
Although the transition back to everyday life was a challenge, Popa returned to the United States with a sense of purpose. Like many others entering hospitality, he started working as a dishwasher. At Zai Lai, a Taiwanese food stall in Columbus Circle, he became a prep cook and then a line cook before eventually becoming the kitchen manager. Learning from Chef Edward Huang, Popa got a feel for the operations side of the business while developing his culinary talent.
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1 month ago | 
starchefs.com | Jason Lyons
Although it may come as a relief to some, leaving the world of fine dining can be unexpectedly daunting. “I think it's tough for fine dining chefs to find their niche after leaving,” says Chef Antonio Barbieri. “Those restaurants are so regimented and organized, and everyone is at the top of their game.
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1 month ago | 
starchefs.com | Jason Lyons
According to Chef Luis Herrera, summer is “the happiest time in New York.” That’s because it's the beginning of soft shell crab season. Like chefs all across the city, Herrera celebrates the arrival of the warm weather with his own clever spin on the crowd-pleasing crustacean. At Ensenada, his Williamsburg restaurant, the crab provides an annual opportunity to highlight the best ingredients of the season. “Each summer, I have a different set for the soft shell crab,” he says.
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Feb 1, 2025 | 
starchefs.com | Jason Lyons
“We are kind of obsessed with sandwiches,” says Chef-Owner Jeremiah Schenzel of Daps Breakfast & Imbibe in Charleston. "What is the most epic sandwich that comes to mind? That's the club sandwich. Everyone knows it. [It’s] the king of sandwiches.”So, when Schenzel set out to create a new breakfast sandwich for the menu, he knew he wanted to go big.
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Jan 14, 2025 | 
starchefs.com | Jason Lyons
Tying the culinary traditions of the Lowcountry to more personal flavors comes naturally for Chef Bintou N’Daw. Crab is “so typical for South Carolina, but in Senegal we eat crab also. So it's those little things that remind me of both Senegal and Charleston.” Crab rice became an exciting way for her to share the flavors of her upbringing, and of Africa more broadly, with the local community.
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Nov 13, 2024 | 
starchefs.com | Jason Lyons
How and when did the Urban Agriculture program at the Gary Comer Youth Center start? And how did the relationship between the center and Bocadillo Market develop? Sandra Reno: Since 2011, we have been building out the farm as a greenspace oasis and a way for young people to really find a lot of things. We try to build the programs to be about skill building, community engagement, and food access. We start with middle school.
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Nov 1, 2024 | 
starchefs.com | Jason Lyons
For over a decade, Mike Satinover worked in market research, starting as an analyst before climbing up the corporate ladder. But back when he was in college, studying business and marketing, he also studied Japanese. “I went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison because it had one of the best Japanese programs in the country,” says Satinover. During college, he spent a year living in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, the birthplace of miso ramen.
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Oct 9, 2024 | 
starchefs.com | Jason Lyons
For Elmer Fajardo Pacheco and Lauren Reese of Anticonquista Café, their business has always been a family affair. The couple works with and sources their beans from Fajardo’s farm in Chiquimula, Guatemala, which is managed by his brothers, who both have farms of their own. The close relationship between the farm and the roasters has led to a slew of impressive advantages for the couple as they grow their business.
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Sep 26, 2024 | 
starchefs.com | Jason Lyons
With several brands now available in the United States, there is greater variety in the kinds of traits chefs and bartenders can pull out of verjus. While some are still better for culinary applications, bartenders like Nicole Yarovinsky are appreciating verjus for its “body” and finding ways to incorporate even more dynamic flavors into the juice. “I would rather infuse verjus because of its textural components.
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Aug 22, 2024 | 
starchefs.com | Jason Lyons
In Newton, Massachusetts, Chef-OwnersKate and Trevor Smithhave found a way to bring their passion for European flavors, techniques, and ingredients to the Boston suburbs. Their cozy, refined gastropub Thistle & Leek—nestled comfortably on Union Street in Newton’s Piccadilly Square— has become a neighborhood favorite with dishes that embrace seasonality and bring a fresh perspective to traditional English pub fare.
