Page 7 - Jewish News_September-2020

FEDERATION NEWS September 2020 7

Sentiments of love from Chef Michael Solomonov shares recipes

the interfaith community for the High Holidays

By Gayle Guynup
ichael Solomonov is an Vetri, both of which were near the top and faced with the pressure of opening Today, with business partner Steve
award-winning Israeli chef of Philadelphia Magazine’s list of 50 a restaurant during a severe economic Cook, Solomonov is co-owner of Abe
Mand restaurateur, best known best restaurants. downturn, the young chef had turned Fisher, Dizengoff, Percy Street Barbe-
for his highly acclaimed Philadelphia In 2003, he traveled to Israel to vis- to drugs – everything from crack to cue and Federal Donuts, a fried chick-
restaurant, Zahav. At the invitation it his family. His younger brother Da- heroin. Eventually, he said, with the en and donut chain. In 2015, Cook
of a number of Jewish Federations vid had enlisted in the Israel Defense support of an excellent rehab facility and Solomonov published a cookbook
from around the country, including Forces. On Yom Kippur, Michael was and those he loved and cared about, he based on their restaurant Zahav, called
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota- driving back from Pittsburgh and got recovered from his addiction. Zahav: A World of Israeli Cuisine.
Manatee, Solomonov will be doing a The accolades started to come, be- The menu he will demonstrate in
virtual cooking demonstration of dish- ginning with being named the No. 1 September in his virtual presentation
es for the High Holidays on Monday, restaurant in Philadelphia by Philadel- was designed specifically for the High
September 14 at 8:00 p.m. phia Magazine. “That brought people Holidays, and includes Kale, Apple,
“Food is a mainstay of Jewish cul- into the restaurant,” he said. Zahav was Walnut and Sumac-Onion Tabbouleh;
ture,” said Federation Program Direc- also named Best Restaurant by Esquire Honey-glazed Chicken; and Apple
tor Trudi Krames. “We’ve had many magazine, and Michael won the James Cake. “These dishes are not dishes we
requests for Jewish cooking demon- Beard Foundation awards for Best serve in our restaurants,” he explained.
strations and programs from members Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2011, Cookbook “We created these especially for this
in our community. It is our goal to of the Year in 2016, Outstanding Chef occasion.”
present one each month as we continue in 2017 and Outstanding Restaurant in For more information on Solo-
on this virtual programming journey.” 2019. monov’s virtual cooking demonstra-
Solomonov was born in Gnei Ye- “We serve Israeli food,” he said. tion, please contact Trudi Krames at
huda, Israel. The family lived there “It is what I wanted to celebrate. It is 941.706.0037 or tkrames@jfedsrq.org.
for three years before moving to Pitts- the food that meant something to me. It To sign up for the event, visit jfedsrq.
burgh. They then moved back to Israel is part of who I am,” he said. org/events.
when Michael was 15. “My family
stayed, and after a year, I moved back GULF COAST CONNOISSEUR CLUB
to the United States, where I attended Chef Michael Solomonov
the University of Vermont for a bit, be- a call that his brother had been killed Exclusive Summer Deals!
fore coming back to Israel,” he said. by Hezbollah snipers just a few days
“I fell into cooking when I was before his release from the service. Mi-
in Israel, when I worked in a bakery. chael describes losing his brother as DOUBLE WINE
Tuesdays &
That’s when I fell in love with restau- “the most traumatic event of my life.” POINTS LOVERS
rants and cooking. Very shortly after I Solomonov then began working Wednesdays Thursdays
started working at the bakery, I realized with Steve Cook, another Jewish line
Because you deserve to wine & dine,
that this was what I wanted to do. Af- cook in Philadelphia. Together they for dining at Michael's On East. Enjoy a bottle of wine for only half of the price.
Double your reward points
ter the bakery, I got a job working in a decided to open an Israeli restaurant – GulfCoastConnoisseurClub.com
café, and after that I came back to the Zahav. BestFood.com
U.S. and attended culinary school in “Zahav opened on May 5, 2008,”
Florida,” he said. Solomonov said. “We certainly didn’t
While his plan was to move to New take the easiest path, opening right in
York, on his way there he stopped in the midst of the recession. The restau-
Philadelphia, which was undergoing a rant almost went under, and involved a
restaurant renaissance at the time, and tremendous amount of hard work.”
never left. He worked at the Striped In July 2008, Solomonov went into
Bass, and at an Italian restaurant called rehab. Still reeling from David’s death,
Guiding investors and their

HIGH HOLIDAYS AT families for over 20 years.

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