Michael Solomonov facts for kids
Michael Solomonov in 2006
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| Born | 1978 (age 46–47) Ganei Yehuda, Israel |
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| Cooking style | Israeli, Jewish |
| Education | Florida Culinary Institute |
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Current restaurant(s)
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Award(s) won
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| Official website | |
| http://www.cooknsolo.com/ | |
Michael Solomonov, born in 1978, is a famous chef from Israel. He is well-known for his many restaurants in Philadelphia, USA. His first restaurant, Zahav, opened in 2008. It has won national awards, including "Outstanding Restaurant" in 2019 from the James Beard Foundation. This foundation gives out very important awards in the food world.
Solomonov himself has won several top awards from the James Beard Foundation. These include "Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic" in 2011 and "Outstanding Chef" in 2017. In 2021, his restaurant Laser Wolf was named one of the best places to eat in America by The New York Times.
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Michael Solomonov's Early Life
Solomonov was born in a small village called Ganei Yehuda in Israel. His family has roots in Bulgaria. He grew up in Pittsburgh, USA, where he went to high school.
When he was 18, he went back to Israel. He didn't know much Hebrew, so he took the only job he could find: working in a bakery. This is where his journey into cooking began!
Michael Solomonov's Culinary Career
After his time in Israel, Michael Solomonov returned to the United States. He went to culinary school at the Florida Culinary Institute. After finishing school, he moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There, he started cooking Italian food at fancy restaurants.
Later, Solomonov worked as a chef at Marigold Kitchen. He then teamed up with the owner, Steve Cook. Together, they opened a Mexican restaurant called Xochitl. They also started a restaurant group called CooknSolo.
A sad event in 2003 changed Michael's cooking focus. His brother, David, who was serving in the Israeli army, passed away. After this, Michael decided to focus on Israeli and Jewish cuisine. With help from his business partner, Steve Cook, he opened Zahav in 2008. This restaurant became very famous for its Israeli food.
Solomonov's Restaurants
Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook own several popular restaurants in Philadelphia. These include:
- Dizengoff, which serves delicious hummus.
- Goldie, a vegan falafel restaurant.
- Laser Wolf, known for its grilled meats.
- Abe Fisher, which offers modern Jewish food.
- Percy Street Barbecue, a barbecue spot.
- Federal Donuts, a chain famous for fried chicken and donuts.
In 2015, Cook and Solomonov wrote a cookbook based on their restaurant Zahav. The book, called Zahav: A World of Israeli Cuisine, won an award for "Cookbook of the Year" in 2016. A recipe for hummus from the book was even named "2015 dish of the year" by Bon Appétit magazine.
Awards and Recognition
Michael Solomonov and his restaurants have won many important awards:
- 2011: "Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic" by the James Beard Foundation.
- 2016: "Cookbook of the Year" for Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking by the James Beard Foundation.
- 2017: "Outstanding Chef" by the James Beard Foundation.
- 2019: "Outstanding Restaurant" for Zahav by the James Beard Foundation.
- 2021: Laser Wolf was included on "The Restaurant List" by The New York Times, as one of the top 50 restaurants in America.
