Chef
Michael Solomonov
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
i. Biography
Israeli Cooking, city restaurant-building, and high-volume casual food meet in Michael Solomonov’s work through a consistent attention to texture, seasoning, and format. Born in G’nei Yehuda, Israel, Solomonov has done much of his recognized work in Philadelphia, where hummus at his flagship, Federal Donuts & Chicken’s spiced-cake donuts, and hand-battered chicken have become reference points for food built to be shared, repeated, and read clearly by the guest. The through-line is control without fuss. A donut can be Fancy, Classic, or Hot Fresh and still be treated as a crafted product. A chicken sandwich can depend on heat, crunch, sauce, and proportion rather than novelty. Israeli Cuisine, in Solomonov’s restaurants, is handled as a broad working language of flavor, texture, and hospitality rather than a fixed museum category.
The Climb
Professional formation in kitchens starts with fundamentals, repetition, and the ability to work clean under pressure. Michael Solomonov trained at Florida Culinary Institute before taking early hands-on roles as a bakery worker at bakery in Israel, a cook at Striped Bass, and a cook at Vetri. That path put dough, ovens, station work, and local dining-room tempo into the same foundation. Kitchen leadership and restaurant development added another register to the craft. As chef at Marigold Kitchen, Solomonov moved from execution into responsibility for the whole plate and the whole service. Later work as co-founder at Xochitl, consultant at Citron and Rose in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, and co-author at Zahav: A World of Israeli Cuisine (from 2015) extended the work into partnership, concept-building, and the written articulation of a cuisine. The current body of restaurants shows a practice built through related formats rather than one repeated model. Michael is co-founder of CooknSolo, founder, executive chef, and co-owner of Zahav (since 2008), co-owner of Dizengoff, co-owner of Goldie, co-owner of Laser Wolf, and co-owner of Abe Fisher. Across those rooms and counters, the work keeps returning to composed casualness: direct flavor, warmth, and food that can carry precision without becoming stiff.
Today
Philadelphia remains the main working ground for the restaurant group and its mix of dining-room and counter-service formats. Solomonov is co-owner of CookNSolo Restaurants. His current local restaurant roles also include co-owner of Federal Donuts. Together, those roles span the celebrated dining room, the donut box, and hot crisp chicken served for everyday eating. Federal Donuts & Chicken, which he founded in 2011 and continues as founder, is organized around spiced-cake donuts served Fancy, Classic, or Hot Fresh; hand-battered chicken tenders and sandwiches; and coffee. The famous Original Chicken Sandwich with Rooster Sauce is one of the brand’s named works, using familiar parts—chicken, bread, sauce, heat, crunch—to make a tight, repeatable object. “Everyone at Zahav orders hummus; it gets the guests fired up to share food and taste lots of different things.” Michael has said.
Signature
Signature dishes include Zahav hummus.
The Record
Michael Solomonov has received James Beard Foundation Award, Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (2011). Michael's honors include Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (2011), The Restaurant List for Laser Wolf (2021), Outstanding Restaurant for Zahav (2019), Outstanding Chef (2017), Cookbook of the Year for Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking (2016), and Dish of the Year for Zahav hummus (2015). The recognitions cover several forms of the same practice: a restaurant, a chef’s body of work, a cookbook, a dish, and a later restaurant listing. From Zahav to Laser Wolf, and from the page to the counter, the work has been judged not only by ambition but by execution—flavor made direct, hospitable, and complete.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Michael
Where did Michael Solomonov train or study?
Michael Solomonov trained at Florida Culinary Institute.
What recognition has Michael Solomonov received?
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (2011).
