The Haitian chef brings a little bit of island to every thing he does | life-style

Hailed as Philadelphia’s premier culinary event of the year, the Feastival celebrates its 12th anniversary on Thursday, October 21st. The event focuses on culinary leadership and culinary diversity, the resilience and patience of the culinary arts scene and takes place in Zabad, a new venue in the East Falls neighborhood.

More than 40 restaurants and bars in town partner with Fringe Arts to offer lavish and unique performances and delicious food.

“I couldn’t be more excited to meet in person this year,” said Nick Stuccio, President and Director of Production, Fringe Arts. “Philadelphia is constantly expanding and pushing the boundaries. We continue to be fortunate to have an exciting and talented culinary and artistic community. “

Chef McKenson Hollebe, head chef at Hotel Palomar’s Square 1682, is representing his restaurant for the first time this year and is looking forward to what he calls the “Super Bowl of Cooking Events” and his favorite dishes. I will introduce some of them.

Some of these dishes are its cauliflower curry and its griots and picrids, which are inspired by its Haitian heritage.

“I love to prepare these dishes and all the other dishes that I prepare in restaurants,” he volunteered. “It’s great to see our customers happy and smiling, surrounded by all of the talented people I work with.”

It can be said that cooking Horeve runs in the blood. Some of his childhood memories help in his family’s kitchen surrounded by the delicious flavors of Caribbean cuisine.

“I remember being in the kitchen the whole time helping my mother and grandmother prepare our meals,” he says. “And when my mother got a job in a nursing home, she worked part-time as a waitress. One day I was called to help in the kitchen and it did. “

Indeed, from that day on, his fate was sealed, and he formally studied his craft, learned and soon went his own way.

Working in the kitchen eventually sparked his passion for cooking, “and it all felt so natural,” he says.

Hollebe worked for many years for the prominent chefs in Philadelphia and played a leading role in restaurants such as Crimptons Commonner in Pittsburgh and Red Owl Tabern in Philadelphia.

He has headed the kitchen at Square 1682 for over five years, incorporating Haitian accents into the menu at the Rittenhouse Square restaurant.

“Cooking doesn’t work for me. I think it’s a way of life, a very pleasant way of life, ”emphasizes Hollebe. “And I look forward to it every day.”

The Haitian chef brings a bit of island to everything he does | lifestyle

Source link The Haitian chef brings a bit of island to everything he does | lifestyle

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