In this episode of CHEF Radio, we're thrilled to feature none other than Mike Solomonov of Zahav and the CooknSolo empire. Join us as we dive into Mike's Israeli roots, his courageous battle with addiction, and the challenging beginnings of Zahav. Discover how he built a unique company, blending accessible, scalable concepts like Federal Donuts and Goldie alongside his boundary-pushing experiences at Zahav and Laser Wolf. Mike Solomonov is truly one of a kind, and we can't wait to share his incredible story with you all. 

• (00:00:46) Intro
• (00:06:45) Trip to Israel
• (00:09:14) Falling In Love with Baking in Israel
• (00:20:04) Mike Arrives in Philadelphia
• (00:24:10) How Getting Fired Helped Mike
• (00:28:15) Mike's Meal Made by Eli
• (00:29:34) Eli’s Move from New York to Philadelphia
• (00:31:30) Marigold and Xochitl Restaurants
• (00:37:44) Refined Cooking vs Grandma's cooking
• (00:46:00) The Passing of Mike's brother, David and the Beginning of Addiction
• (00:53:05) Inside the Mind of addiction
• (01:06:29) From Struggling to Thriving at Zahav
• (01:15:30) The Zahav Umbrella
• (01:26:02) Steve and Mike's Partnership
• (01:29:40) How Mike Sets the Bar for the Culture at His Company
• (01:39:00) Wrap Up Questions

A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful.

If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani.

Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from.

My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week’s guest.

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