The Philadelphia culinary scene is so jammed packed with uniquely amazing women chefs and cocktail bosses, restaurant and food truck owners, online dining entrepreneurs and various other female eatery organizers that to try to list them here would be at my peril; in fear of missing someone whose accomplishments loom large in the local food firmament.
What Philadelphia Weekly will do, however, is top off Women’s History Month with great events from great women’s chefs, mixologists and more.
The Cooks Who Care Raffle. Now through March 30, 2023 with The Pineapple Club’s Amanda Rucker and Amanda Shulman
The mental health and well-being of Philly’s food and beverage workers is as crucial as their talents. To that end, Cooks Who Care, the Media, PA-based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting those mental health goals and support systems, has partnered with The Pineapple Club – the join platform helmed by River Twice Owner Amanda Rucker and Her Place Supper Club Chef/Owner Amanda Shulman, to hold an online fundraising raffle now through Thursday, March 30 with prizes spanning culinary-focused evenings spent at Forsythia, Ember & Ash, and June BYOB, and private classes from Holy ‘Que Smokehouse and Small Oven Pastry Shop. With the raffle being tied to the Cooks Who Care’s Break the Ice Nights charitable series of dinners and experiences, it is important to note that the next three events are coming on Wednesday, March 22 with a dining Karaoke at Jose Pistola’s (213 S 15th St, Philadelphia, PA 19102-3804), Saturday, March 25’s cooking demonstrations at Chabaa Thai Bistro (4343 Main St, Philadelphia, PA 19127-1415, really Manayunk) and Tuesday, March 28’s throw down at Love City Brewing (1023 Hamilton St, Philadelphia, PA 19123-3726). Across these three dates, a portion of proceeds from all Break the Ice Night dinners (5-15% depending on event) will also benefit the print edition of the Community Cookbook and the growth of the community fund.
Chef Jennifer Carroll at Spice Finch, anytime from now until the end of the month
Anyone who knows Philadelphia white linen dining knows local Top Chef star Jennifer Carroll whose still new-ish restaurant in the Rittenhouse Area’s Warwick Hotel – Spice Finch – holds its focus on yummy Mediterranean fare and boldly imaginative cocktails.
Spice Finch, 220 S. 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Women’s Way Wednesday at Stratus Rooftop Lounge, Wednesday, March 22, 2023 with Chef Kiki Aranita and Chef Olga Sorzano
Who doesn’t love kinda-sorta happy hour high up in the skies of Old City. Starting at 5:30 pm, Women’s Way Wednesdays, held in partnership with Sisterly Love Collective, to benefit the Women’s Way local non-profit dedicated to women, girls, and gender and racial equity causes hooks up a collab between two fine female Philly chefs. Chef Kiki Aranita of Poi Dog and Chef Olga Sorzano of Baba’s Acid Trip with pastries and baked good provided by Mardhory Santos-Cepeda of Kouklet Brazilian Bakehouse throw down in collaboration for a finger-foodie meal that includes
Chef Kiki Aranita:
Oxtail Adobo – Baba’s Acid Trip Raspberry Lime vinegar, Poi Dog Guava Katsu sauce, and garlic, served over rice and topped with a mussel
Tequila Lobster & Corn Seaweed Soup – finished with a splash of Baba’s Acid Trip Grapefruit vinegar
UFO Musubi – Lebanon bologna, Baba’s Acid Trip kombucha vinegar sushi rice, furikake, Poi Dog Chili Peppah Water
Chef Olga Sorzano:
Slow-Roasted Pulled Pork – Poi Dog Katsu BBQ Sauce, pineapple salsa with Baba’s Acid Trip Pear-Ginger vinegar
Lamb Kebab – Poi Dog Chili Peppah Water, sumac, Baba’s Acid Trip Raspberry Lime vinegar-marinated onions, and haydari
Revani Turkish-Style Semolina Cake – Soaked in Baba’s Acid Trip Grapefruit vinegar simple syrup
Raspberry Tequila Sunrise – Cocktail with Baba’s Acid Trip Raspberry Lime vinegar.
Stratus Rooftop Lounge, 433 Chestnut St, 11th Floor of Kimpton Hotel Monaco, Philadelphia, PA
Chef Kate Jacoby at Vedge, anytime from now until the end of the month
Jacoby’s husband, Chef Rich Landau, may get the lion’s share of the publicity for the revolutionary plant-based cuisine at this Mid-Town Village eatery. But it is Chef and Vedge co-owner Kate Jacoby who puts the hammer down, has been James Beard Award nominated (2014-2016) for Outstanding Pastry Chef, is a certified sommelier, and makes impeccably dynamic pies and homemade ice creams that are easily half the reason you’ll dine at Vedge.
Vedge, 1221 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA
Chefs Kaitlin Wines and Ryan Elmore of Mom-Moms Kitchen start their Chefs in Residency dinners at Volver, Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Iron Chef and Volver owner Jose Garces continues his monthly Chefs in Residency program of bringing deserved area chefs to shine – and show their wares – at his white linen culinary salon on the Kimmel Cultural Campus with Chefs Kaitlin Wines and Ryan Elmore of Mom-Moms Kitchen, from March 22 to April 23, 2023. Mom Mom’s Kitchen, a favorite of Food Network chef and professional eater Guy Fieri (a la Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) finds its self-taught chefs Wines and Elmore coking inventive twists on soulful Eastern European food and traditional Polish dishes with everything from Cheesesteak Pierogis stuffed with ribeye and served with tangy sour cream, caramelized onions and black pepper ketchup to modern day Kolabki cabbage rolls. I grew up in an old Polish neighborhood, with grandmothers serving me haluptkes, so I WILL KNOW.
Volvér at the Kimmel Cultural Campus, 300 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102-4901
Charisse McGill of Lokal Artisan Foods, anytime from now until the end of the month
Want to know how ubiquitous Charisse McGill’s tender homemade sweet French Toast Bites, French Toast Bites Beer and French Toast Bites Coffee is, beyond events at Spruce Street Harbor Park and other area celebrations? Her French Toast fare was the dining hit of the Philadelphia Flower Show. I know her stands are often at the cavernous Cherry Street Pier. Go now.
Cherry Street Pier, 121 N. Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
Sabrina’s Café’s female pastry chefs at its Graduate Hospital location, through early April
Sabrina’s Cafe South Street outpost hosts a surround-sound Technicolor wealth of pastries and desserts from Philly’s female pastry chefs such as gluten-free blueberry lavender scones and chocolate chip banana bread by pastry chef Monica Glass of Essen Bakery and sonhos (Brazilian cream-filled doughnuts) from Kouklet Brazilian Bakehouse owner Mardhory Santos-Cepeda. Proceeds from Sabrina’s pastry sales will go to Project Home’s Women of Change, which offers a safe residence for women.
Sabrina’s Café’ 2101 South Street, Philadelphia, PA
Chef Cristina Martínez, South Philly Barbacoa and Casa México, anytime from now until the end of the month
Mexican-born chef, barbacoa artisan and outspoken immigration activist Cristina Martínez has taken over the lower portion of South Philadelphia’s longtime legendary Italian Market with her two hotspots – her daytime only South Philly Barbacoa corner with its mouth-watering fresh lamb and broths, and her still-new and colorfully accented Casa México, serving Martínez’s tacos and full meal menu late into the night.
South Philly Barbacoa, 1140 S. 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Casa Mexico, 1134 S Ninth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
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