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Michael Solomonov מייקל סולומונוב | |
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 Michael Solomonov in 2006 | |
| Born | 1978 (age 46–47) |
| Education | Florida Culinary Institute |
| Culinary career | |
| Cooking style | Israeli,Jewish |
Current restaurants
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Award(s) won
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| Website | http://www.cooknsolo.com/ |
Michael Solomonov (Hebrew:מייקל סולומונוב; born 1978) is an American and Israelichef known for his restaurants throughout Philadelphia. His first restaurantZahav, founded in 2008, has received national recognition including theJames Beard Foundation "Outstanding Restaurant" in 2019.[1][2] Solomonov was also awarded Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2011, Cookbook of the Year in 2016, and Outstanding Chef in 2017 from the James Beard Foundation.[3][4] In 2021,The New York Times named his restaurant Laser Wolf as one of "the 50 places in America we're most excited about right now."[5][6]
Solomonov was born inmoshavGanei Yehuda, Israel, to a family ofBulgarian-Jewish descent.[7][8] He was raised inPittsburgh,[8] where he attendedTaylor Allderdice High School.[9] At the age of 18, he returned to Israel with noHebrew language skills, taking the only job he could get – working in a bakery – and his culinary career was born.[8]
At the start of his career, Solomonov moved back to the United States to attend culinary school at the Florida Culinary Institute inWest Palm Beach, FL.[10] He then moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to cook Italian cuisine at Chef Marc Vetri's upscale Italian restaurants. Afterwards, Solomonov took a job as a chef at Marigold Kitchen, owned by businessman Steve Cook.[11] Cook and Solomonov then opened the upscale Mexican restaurant Xochitl and later co-founded the restaurant group CooknSolo.[11]
In 2003, while patrolling the Israeli border with Lebanon near Metulla (Israel), his brother David was ambushed and shot to death by Hezbollah snipers on the Lebanese side onYom Kippur.[12] It was only three days before David’s release date from the Israeli army, after three years of mandatory military service. David was not supposed to be on duty that day, but he volunteered to replace a fellow soldier who wanted to go to synagogue for Yom Kippur. David was only 21 years old.[13][14] David's death was one of the main factors that influenced him to change his focus toIsraeli andJewish cuisine.[15][16] With the support of an investment banker turned chef Steve Cook, Solomonov openedZahav in 2008.[3][4][15]
With his business partner Steven Cook, Solomonov is co-owner of several Philadelphia restaurants: Dizengoff, veganfalafel restaurantGoldie, Laser Wolf, Abe Fisher, Percy Street Barbecue, andFederal Donuts, a fried chicken and donut chain. Having participated in the South Beach Food & Wine Festival in 2013, Solomonov was able to bring Percy Street Barbecue to South Florida. Bill Addison, writing forEater Philadelphia, called Chef Solomonov "the Genius of Modern Jewish Cooking" after eating at Abe Fisher, Dizengoff, and Zahav.[17]
Solomonov also spent a period of time consulting for David Magerman's, now closed, and Citron and Rose, a certified Kosher meat restaurant on the Main Line inBala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.[18][19]
In 2015, Cook and Solomonov published a cookbook based on their restaurant Zahav.[20]Zahav: A World of Israeli Cuisine was nominated for aJames Beard Foundation Book Award in the International cookbook category.[21] Its recipe forhummus was chosen as "2015 dish of the year" byBon Appétit.[22]
In 2025, Solomonov and his partner Steve Cook launched Aviv at 1 Hotel South Beach. It brings a fresh fusion of Israeli flavors and Miami energy, featuring dishes like Yemenite flatbread, haloumi baklava, and sea‑bean tzatziki, alongside an eclectic drink menu with Eastern Mediterranean wines[23] They also launched their hallmark Zahav hummus into national retail stores like Wholefoods and Target.[24]
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