“I feel extremely fortunate to have been a part of Philadelphia’s restaurant renaissance. There hasn’t been just one—we’ve had several. The restaurant revolution started with Neil Stein. You have to talk about Neil Stein if you’re talking about the city’s food scene. He conceived and executed the first outdoor cafe in Philadelphia. It’s impossible to imagine the city without outdoor dining now. Of course, [there’s] George Perrier, the godfather of Philadelphia’s iconic Le Bec-Fin as well. In their own ways, they each changed the fabric of our dining scene. It’s so vibrant and cosmopolitan now, with a round and full culinary and beverage scene: visionary chefs, the farm community, artisanal products, distilleries and breweries. I continue to work on CravePhilly, and I’ve been working on producing and hosting a series of videos in and around Rome. The history, food and culture in Italy has allowed me to truly appreciate what we have going on in Philly. In a way, it ties together these two places that I love.”
Photography by: Photograph by Susan Beard/Courtesy of Hope Cohen
