Shelby Briggs
We’ve reached the page of the calendar where keeping up with all the events in town is like drinking from a firehose of holiday gravy. It’s delicious, but it can be a bit overwhelming. Here’s a heaping helping of news for you.
Chef Kyle Patterson was part of the opening staff at Sinema in 2014 and has served as executive chef since 2016. Patterson recently departed the Melrose neighborhood restaurant to pursue other opportunities, and the management has reached all the way to Florida to find his replacement. The new chef is Shelby Briggs, a Sunshine State native with experience working in kitchens in Maryland and Florida, most recently at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo.
A culinary arts graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (yes, you read that correctly), Briggs traveled around Italy and Southeast Asia to pick up influences for her own unique style of cooking, which will be showcased on the upcoming Sinema menu. Diners can preview a few of her favorite additions as specials between now and the end of the year as she constructs the new menu.
“As an original team member, Kyle helped shape Sinema’s culinary experience, and Sinema and the Reed family are grateful for his contributions,” says Sinema co-owner Q Taylor in the official announcement. “I’m thrilled to welcome our new chef, Shelby, to our Sinema family and kitchen. Our team has perfected the guest experience and our attention to detail over the past ten years, and I am excited about the next chapter. Our team is filled with passion, creativity and excitement, and I am confident Shelby’s leadership will further push our dining experience to the next level.”
Briggs adds: “I want to celebrate the history and tradition of the special space, along with giving our guests a superb, unforgettable experience that makes them want to return. I am excited to blend the inspiration I’ve gained from my studies and travels worldwide with a refined menu approach, providing our guests with an elite culinary experience.”
If you want to discover what’s cooking in the kitchen at Sinema, make your reservations at the restaurant’s website.
Chef Meherwan Irani with his new beer from Monday Night Brewing
Over in Germantown, Monday Night Brewing has teamed up with a James Beard Award-winning Asheville, N.C., chef to create a new beer to benefit The Giving Kitchen and its efforts to offer assistance to local restaurant workers during times of need. Chef Meherwan Irani is the founder of Chai Pani Restaurant Group, and he has contributed his talents with exotic Indian flavors to Monday Night Brewing’s new Chef Series: Meherwan Irani, a food-friendly wheated lager canned at 4.5 percent ABV.
MNB brewmaster Peter Kiley acknowledged the challenge in the official announcement of the new brew, saying, “I couldn’t imagine a liquid that could even come close to competing with the flavor profile of any authentic Indian dish, so I decided to create this beer around Meherwan’s unique story ― a biography in a beer, so to speak. I had the immense pleasure of spending time with Meherwan in Asheville, where he graciously took the time to share with me details about his life and his family’s background, as well as an abbreviated history lesson on India’s culture and cuisine ― which particularly highlighted the importance of regionality as it relates to Indian cooking. It was quite the challenge to devise a liquid that could accurately reflect the knowledge that I gained during my time spent with Meherwan.”
A portion of the proceeds of the new Chef Series beer will go to benefit The Giving Kitchen, and the beer will be available locally at Monday Night Brewing's Preservation Co., 1308 Adams St.
Hanukkah falls pretty early on the calendar this year, so don’t let it sneak up on you. If you have a hankering for some good old traditional Jewish holiday fare, the team at Bill’s Sandwich Palace has teamed up with the building's former tenant Ellen Einstein of Sweet 16th Bakery and Matt Leff of Rhizome Productions to put together a delectable menu of classics and new creations. Here’s a sneak peek at the menu:
Latke Supreme
Jumbo potato latke, salmon tartare, horseradish, cream
The Bagel Boss
Braised brisket, sesame bagel, Russian dressing, health salad (recipe inspired by Matt's grandfather, Danny)
Challah at Your Boy
Challah (baked by Ellen Einstein), whitefish salad, pickled veg
The Nick Nacker
Hebrew National hot dog topped with potato sticks & apple mostarda
Chazerei (Snacks/Sides)
Moroccan carrot salad
Plus tasty sweets, gelt, dreidels and more
Beverages: Dr. Brown's Cream Soda & Cel-Ray Soda
The special Hanukkah menu will be available starting on Sunday, Dec. 10, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., and you can just walk in and order or preorders will be available starting in the evening on Saturday, Dec, 9 so you can build your meal in advance and place your order online. (Online ordering slots will be limited, so if you don't see one available, feel free to walk in to order on Sunday.)
Chef Vivek Surti
Finally, Vivek Surti is celebrating five festive years at the helm of the kitchen at Tailor with a long weekend of special dinners Thursday, Dec. 7, through Sunday, Dec. 10, with two seatings each night at 6 and 8:30 p.m.. Surti will go above and beyond his already fantastic and flavorful menu offering with special nightly themes, including welcoming his mother Lata into the kitchen and playing the greatest hits of the past seasonal menu. Here are the details of each night’s repast:
Thursday, Dec. 7: Dinner With Mom
Price: $125 per person
Family is central at Tailor, which is why many of its guests will recognize the face leading the meal on Thursday: Vivek's mom. Much of the inspiration behind each plate served started in her kitchen, so guests are in for a real treat as she guides the menu and conversation on night one of the fifth anniversary celebration.
Friday, Dec. 8: A Showcase of Favorites Over the Years With Tequila Pairings
Price: $175 per person
Relive Tailor favorites with a showcase of the best dishes from the last five years. Friday night guests will also be treated to tequila pairings from LALO Tequila, a spirit brand from the Jalisco Highlands in Mexico founded on family traditions.
Saturday, Dec. 9, and Sunday, Dec. 10: A Showcase of Favorites Over the Years
Price: $125 per person
Five years and 20 seasons will be distilled into one highlight reel of the best menu, including dishes from the very first menu. Join Vivek to celebrate the best of TAILOR over the years
These dinners will sell out quickly, so grab your reservation ASAP at tailornashville.com.
