Phillyist Interviews... Chef Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook

After the delight of both Percy Street and Zahav, Phillyist was intrigued and wanted to know more about the guys behind the curtain, so to speak. We recently had the chance to chat with Chef Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook over a cup of well-made coffee about their restaurant endeavors, as well as why their business partnership works so well and what their plans on the horizon are.

What brought you two together?
Mike: We have a lot of the same acquaintances and share a love of all things food.
Steven: We've actually knew 'of each other' before officially meeting. There was a point when I was at Marigold as the chef and we wanted a new one and Mike was sous at Vetri and we clicked and he became the new Marigold chef and the rest is history. We share a great working relationship because we agree a lot about key decisions.

Do you both fully share responsibility for each space?
Steven: I handle more operations and Mike handles more of the menus. We both oversee a staff of nearly 75 people and I spend a lot of time in my car between places. However, we both share the same background and share many of the same ideals, so Mike has a say in the operations and I share menu ideas as well.

Do you miss being on the line?
Steven: My life is different now and while I do miss the creative outlet of being on a line, I don't actually miss the hours.
Mike: Steve shares the same hours, but he's just working from home at night as opposed to in the kitchen.

Tell us a little bit about the menu concepts for Percy and Zahav.
Mike: I think for Percy both of us just wanted a place with some good barbecue.
Steven: There has been an evolution at Zahav where originally we stuck to its authentic roots. One could go to Israel and find the exact same dish served in a restaurant as they would find at Zahav. Today, it would be a bit tougher because Mike has taken creative license and riffs on those authentic dishes by putting either a modern, fun, or more mainstream culinary twist on them.

Tell us about some of the products you use for Zahav, as they are pretty exotic for most Philly natives.
Mike: We like to use a combination of authentic ingredients from Israel married with the local flavors found in Philadelphia and support local vendors. Because the seasons are completely different in the Middle East, it can be tough. However, our tahini is shipped from Israel and, when in season, our Persian cucumbers are from local sources.

Tell us about the decision to open a Texas BBQ place as opposed to a ubiquitous vinegar-based sauce/pulled-pork joint?
Mike: We both love brisket and we are both big fans of the clean, smoky flavors the cooking process lends to the meat. Other places are just kind of masking food with different choices of sauce.
Steven: I think, much like Zahav, we wanted a unique experience and Texas BBQ lends itself to some unique choices over other barbecue places.

Are there any plans on the horizon for you two to create new concepts for us in Philly?
Mike: We have a many discussions, but nothing quite substantial yet.
Steven: We've been toying with a hummus bar idea.

Will there be any chance we might be able to buy Zahav-branded hummus or Percy Street Barbecue Sauce in supermarkets?
Mike: Green Aisle already sells Zahav's hummus
Steven: We would like to extend into product lines

Can you give us a snapshot of the day in the life for both Mike and Steven?
Mike: Different every day. Very diverse.
Steven: I would say the same.