We didnt listen, Solomonov says. Then he laughed. In 2019, Zahav took home the award for Outstanding Restaurant. If empire is in the offing, Solomonov will be its figurehead. Get yours now. Though he wont be specific with the timeline, it seems obvious that this was the period when Solomonov decided to get sober. For the next few years, Solomonov struggled with addiction. As a teenager, he and his family started to spend long periods living in Israel. Just weeks before this, the brothers had spent time together in Israel, where the family had repatriated when Michael was 15 and David 12. 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. His latest triumph is the internationally expanding Shake Shack chain. We were humbled to the point where we just had to cook and give great service, Solomonov says. Two piles of crisp wingsgarlic soy and spicyare heaped on the table, along with a side dish of eel. That is exciting. Hes taking meetings in New York in preparation for shopping around a cookbook concept. When Zahav opened in 2008, the Great Recession was just getting under way, and the resultant wallet tightening led to the new restaurant doing dismal business (via The Atlantic). Anyone with a passing familiarity with the industry knows that the hospitality business can be brutal, and having a world-class chef and a great concept isn't always enough to overcome the harsh economics of running a restaurant. 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. 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. I hesitate to report this, because it may be the last remaining chef-competition concept that hasnt been produced for television and I dont want to give anybody ideas; the two James Beard Award winners sometimes spar in the ring. His idea for a vegan milkshake was ingeniously simple: a chilled mix of tehina (commonly known as tahini), almond milk, and sugar. Michael Solomonov (Hebrew: ; born 1978) is an Israeli chef known for his restaurants in Center City, Philadelphia. I have those things with my partner, and Squirrel Hill is certainly a big reason for it. It makes my head spin. He married a business analyst named Mary Armistead, and moved into a South Philly rowhouse. The Sephardic dish is laced with warm spices, such as allspice and turmeric, rich with onion and garlic. He and Cook reworked the Zahav concept, making the menu less didactic and the restaurant friendlier. When I first asked about spending time with him, the chef told me, I dont know what youre going to see. Emotionally, I was utterly fucked up. After a trip to Israel for his brothers funeral, he returned to the Vetri kitchen. But Vetri had a policy at the time of pushing his sous-chefs out of the cozy Spruce Street restaurant after two years, so theyd go off and see if they could fly on their own. Michael soon returned to the U.S. to finish high school and start college, but David stayed and assimilated in Israel. And as the diners left the restaurant later, they would receive some marshmallows to take home, tucked into tiny bags with origami cranes. Since then, Cook and Solomonovs cookbook, Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking, has won two James Beard Awards. I asked Marc Vetri what he thought of the FedNuts phenomenon. The Israeli-born, Pittsburgh-bred chef might be best known for his life-affirming hummus at restaurants like Zahav, but before he was helming kitchens and collecting James Beard Awards and Chef of the Year Eater Awards, a young Solomonov was teaching himself to fold paper flamingos (yes, he won an award for that, too). Chef Michael Solomonov is a lot like Philadelphia: scrappy but flourishing despite some hard times. Solomonov was 27 now, scarred by loss and headed for a confrontation with his obsessive and addictive nature. Michael Solomonovs income source is mostly from being a successful . Its micro-management at every single level., Thats the reason he heads for the boxing ring three mornings each week. Now, the likelihood of my getting eaten by a shark, Solomonov said. If you're a human and see this, please ignore it. Michael is going to be a star, says Roger Sherman, producer and director of the planned PBS documentary. 3 records for Michael Solomonov. Theyre here, Chef, she said. Click below to listen to the full Solomonov interview: Every week, The Atlantics editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, talks to someone who is shaping society for the podcast The Atlantic Interview. But he doesnt need me. 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. Pour the mixture through a . Were a restaurant thats successfulafter five years, he said. And to me, when you say fadwhats going to go out of style? The predictable happened, and Solomonov immediately cut off the tip of his thumb on live TV. Blend on high for a few seconds until you have a coarse pure. I dont think coffees going out of style. Over the next several months, we'll be publishing a feature story on each of the winners. Starting with the perennial Zagat Guide favorite Union Square Caf, Meyer developed a series of Manhattan restaurants (Tom Colicchios Gramercy Tavern was an early example), each more famous than the last. Over the next several months, well be publishing a feature story on each of the winners. I just thought it would be good to jump out of airplanes together, he said. My business partner and I met because of Squirrel Hill. Talking about life. But probably not. More recently, the chef dedicated an episode of his webseries, "Bringing Israel Home," to his brother's memory. We were just sort of friends.. I was sort of like an immigrant, and I was treated like an immigrant. Meanwhile, they were hinting that an Israeli street-food joint that wouldnt compete with Zahav is a distinct possibility. I will help make him a star a little quicker. 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 Then he laughed. He is from Israel. I lived in the office at the restaurant for a few months. Jose Garces built a kind of Incan Empire, his restaurants all rooted in some sort of south-of-the-border cuisine. Solomonov and his partners have opened seven branches of Federal Donuts, their highly regarded doughnut-and-fried-chicken joint operation; four hummusiyas in Philadelphia, Miami, and New York; and two falafel shops. He's also a fan of Middle Eastern-style grilled meats, including a grilled mixed offal sandwich that's a specialty in Jerusalem. Maybe we just had a good feel for each other at the beginning, Cook says. We wanted to be very casual and then have this high-end thing in a different room, which was me trying to show off. Chef Michael Solomonov was born in G'nei Yehuda, Israel and raised in Pittsburgh. All empires learn that expansion threatens control. Most drug addicts that dont end up dying live this double life. For Solomonov, that double life meant opening a new Israeli restaurant, Zahav, in May 2008 while using [Davids] death as an excuse to smoke crack in his car. That is fun. He then told a story of spiraling into alcohol and drug abuse and how people close to him pushed him into detox and rehab. We used that extra time to pick up new hobbies and cook more at home. I feel the most at home in Israel, but I grew up in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh. Mike is so high-energy, says one friend, who helped teach him to surf. I cant imagine.. I was 19, and everybody thought I was going to be perpetually unemployed or a drug dealer or something like that. [16] Its recipe for hummus was chosen as "2015 dish of the year" by Bon Apptit. 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. Then he shifted to the quieter kitchen of Vetri, who, he says, taught him to slow down and really pay attention. He credits Terence Feury, who fired him from Striped Bass and then hired him back, with teaching him work ethic and technique. And to me, when you say fadwhats going to go out of style? 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). If a Cook and Solo empire emerges, it will be different from what weve seen before. Solomonov said he wanted to tell me something off the record. The book shows you how to cook many of the recipes that turned the restaurant into a sensation, from hummus to roasted lamb shoulder to pink lentil soup. Michael Solomonov ( Hebrew: ; born 1978) is an Israeli chef known for his restaurants in Center City, Philadelphia. newsletter, Philly Takes Top Honors at the James Beard Awards, Everything to Know About the Eater Award Winners, Joey Baldino on the Crazy Ride of Palizzi Social Club, Phillys Friday Saturday Sunday and Heavy Metal Sausage Co. In the way successful chefs are these days, hes being pulled in a dozen different directions. 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. In an interview with the New York Times promoting the film, Solomonov talks about some of the themes that the documentary explores. He won one for International Cooking in 2016, and one for Outstanding Chef in 2017. Mike Solomonov's life was indelibly shaped by the influence of his brother David, who was tragically killed at age 21 by a sniper while he was serving in the Israeli Defense Forces (via Pittsburgh Magazine). Your brother was going to leave all that and come over here. We put the kibosh on that idea.. His business partner Steve Cook and his wife intervened and sent him to rehab. How long can that last? Solomonov told The Splendid Table that his first TV appearance was on a morning program. We were about halfway to Atlantic City, talking about our mutual disdain for the culture of gaming, when Solomonov said, Ive got one of the most compulsive and addictive personalities I know, but gambling has never been a problem. A little while later, after a shoreline survey of the paltry wave action convinced him that putting on his wet suit would be a waste of time, we were walking the Boardwalk, trying to find some coffee. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? I need an amuse-bouche, he might shout down the line of cooks, as he did on a recent night when I squeezed into the kitchen to watch him work. Still, for now, on most nights, Solomonov plants himself behind the hammered-copper kitchen counter at Zahav and shovels dough into the blast furnace. He now has several years of recovery and sobriety behind him. 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. 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.. In a different season, snowboarding would be on the agenda. The Federal Donuts in the stadium is actually run by institutional food giant Aramark, which has licensed the name. We wanted from the get-go to have the best kosher restaurant in the country. There he is on the Travel Channel, greeting Anthony Bourdain and his cameras as they arrive for dinner at Zahav, and hanging out afterward (still on camera) with Tony at the Pen & Pencil Club, where he challenges the TV star to a game of rock-paper-scissorsthe loser having to down a shot of the brackish water from the clubs crockpot of free hot dogs. Tell us how your hometown shaped you. It was so small, and everybody knew who you were. Mike enjoys sharing his talent with the world. We will update Michael Solomonov's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. But will what seems a boy-band-esque foodie fad become a lasting venture? 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. [9] 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. In the chefs life, one such event stands out. Like most of us, award-winning Chef Michael Solomonov has been cooking at home a lot this year, much more than he would normally find himself doing as an owner of multiple restaurants. Solomonov is visibly fatigued. I dont know if it was mandatory, but preferred, Solomonov said. 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. Citron and Rose opened to strong reviews, but Cook and Solomonov walked away from the restaurant within a few months, when owner David Magerman decided to broaden the appeal and try, in effect, to make the restaurant into his own suburban Jewish community center. The chef visits farms, bustling marketplaces, factories, and families' home kitchens in an effort to grasp what makes Israel's food scene so special. I broke up with my girlfriend. I wasnt very good at accepting what happened to my brother or what was happening to myself. With the support of financier Steve Cook, Solomonov opened Zahav in 2008. Talking about life. Cooks wife knew Solomonov from their childhood in Pittsburgh. He now has several years of recovery and sobriety behind him. After meeting business partner Steve Cook, he was able to open his dream Israeli restaurant, Zahav, in 2008. How would you rate this article? In January 2008, he ceded the Marigold kitchen to Erin OShea and took the leap into ownership and a full embrace of his native countrys cuisine with the 3,000-square-foot place in Society Hill (it later doubled in size) named for the Hebrew word for gold. In that role, the voluble Israeli-born, Pittsburgh-bred total-high-energy dude has started to have his ticket punched on the celebrity-chef ride. Michael Solomonov (born 1978) is an Israeli chef and restaurateur known for his landmark Philadelphia restaurant, Zahav. He was maturing outside the kitchen, too. And that is living, dude., Life is certain to change for Michael Solomonov. 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. He has been married to his wife, Mary, since 2006. Despite his numerous accolades, however, he's still not one of the most famous celebrity chefs around. Its a big challenge to come., But for now, most nights, hes there in the heat at Zahav. ), 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. Though he wont be specific with the timeline, it seems obvious that this was the period when Solomonov decided to get sober. That isnt the case at all though. 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. His first restaurant Zahav, founded in 2008, has received national recognition including the James Beard Foundation "Outstanding Restaurant" in 2019. I didnt have a clear head about me when we were opening. The donuts are all of the cake variety, and they come in a rainbow of interesting flavors. So we hung out for three weeks together. In the first year of his recovery, he never allowed himself to be alone in the car, taking rides from Cook or from his wife, and never carried money. 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. It was Yom Kippur, and three days. Solomonov has strapped his surfboard (it otherwise hangs over the living room sofa of his Old City loft) to the roof of his new Subaru sedan. Note that clicking the link below will block access to this site for 24 hours. With surprise hits like Zahav and Federal Donuts, Philly's most iconoclastic chef seems poised for the big time. Although the chef was already working in the food industry at the time of his brother's death, he wasn't cooking any Israeli food. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). However, Mike does have formal training under his belt. Like cooking, its also a way for him to express his creative side. Let's try to take a step to correct that by delving into the untold truth of Mike Solomonov. Only five to 10 photographers in the state get selected to go, and I was one of them. In the show, he invites special guests to talk about different facets of Israel and shares Israeli recipes. Michael is going to be a star, says Roger Sherman, producer and director of the planned PBS documentary. Dude, I was not a good person to work for at all. Theres no decisions. This morning, Chef just wants some big waves. I dont know if it was mandatory, but preferred, Solomonov said. In 2008, the year Solomonov got clean, the DEA made more than 12,000 arrests for cocaine-related charges, and an additional 3,000 for heroin.