Rich Landau

Coming Up

At Horizons in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where Rich worked as chef until 2011, the craft was sharpened through repetition, precision, and the pressure of making vegetables carry the center of the plate. That stretch set a method: serious about structure, exacting about flavor, and comfortable with vegetable cookery as an argument, not a compromise. In 2011, he moved into Vedge as chef and co-owner, carrying that point of view into a room built around it.

Where They Are Now

At Vedge, Rich describes the food as “layered, rustic, and bold -- designed to satisfy the inner caveperson in us all.” The language points to a cooking style that relies on texture, depth, and directness rather than adornment. In practice, that means flavors assembled carefully and allowed to land plainly, with enough weight to satisfy without leaning on meat. For the menu, Rich points to “The cycle of the seasons.” As an answer, it keeps the focus on timing and ingredient change rather than fixed formulas. The result is a kitchen rhythm shaped by what arrives when, and by how a menu can stay responsive without losing its footing.

Signature

Rich's signature dishes include Portobello Frites, fingerling fries, gold beets, and figgy toffee pudding. Read together, they show a kitchen that can move between crisp, earthy, and sweet without changing register. The first two lean into satisfaction and texture; gold beets bring a direct vegetal note; figgy toffee pudding closes with warmth and richness.

In Their Words “I gave up eating meat for ethical reasons, so I needed to create a cusine that would satisfy my carnivorous palate.” “Our flavors are layered, rustic, and bold -- designed to satisfy the inner caveperson in us all.”