Chef
Mike Poiarkoff
- Discipline
- Chef
i. Biography
At a Glance - Role: Executive Chef. - City: New York City. - Craft focus: local sourcing, whole-animal cooking, simplicity, and wood-burning oven cookery. - In his own words: “I really wanted to put a spotlight on a condiment that often gets taken for granted in the U.S.” - On origin and ingredients, he has said: “I come from a small town outside of Pittsburgh that produces a good amount of maple syrup.” The result is a Brooklyn restaurant that reads as high-end without losing the ease of a home kitchen, translated through an exacting chef’s hand. Fire and restraint do most of the work; the room is left with the kind of lived-in comfort that can make a meal stay with you. That line about maple syrup points back to a small town outside Pittsburgh, where the pantry and the landscape seem to have informed how Mike Poiarkoff thinks about flavor. It also clarifies the logic behind his cooking: ingredients with a clear identity, handled in ways that bring that identity forward instead of covering it up. The wood-burning oven adds heat, smoke, and timing to that approach. In a kitchen built around whole-animal cooking, the method suggests completeness and discipline, with the full use of an ingredient rather than a selective cut. Paired with simplicity, those choices land less as a style statement than as a commitment to clarity.
Signature
Mike's signature dishes include Red Wattle pork chop. Within a menu built on local sourcing and wood-burning oven cookery, the dish reads as a direct expression of the same priorities: ingredient integrity, control of heat, and enough restraint to let the item speak for itself. It is a signature in the trade sense, not a flourish for its own sake.
In Their Words “I come from a small town outside of Pittsburgh that produces a good amount of maple syrup.”
FAQ What is Mike Poiarkoff's current role? As of 2026, Mike Poiarkoff is Executive Chef. What is Mike Poiarkoff known for? He emphasizes local sourcing, whole animals, simplicity, and a wood-burning oven, with a high-end home-style feel.
