Chef Jon Amann
Chef Jon Amann is the Executive Chef and Co-owner of Amanis’ BYOB and was named “Best Chef in Chester County” for the past two years.
Downingtown Native or Transplant: He is originally from Massachusetts, but moved to the area 12 years ago.
Favorite Area Restaurant: Nectar (1091 East Lancaster Avenue, Berwyn)
Favorite Local Ingredient to Cook With: Late spring/early summer – the berries and asparagus; Mid-summer – tomatoes and peppers; Late summer/early fall – corn and peaches
Why He Loves Working In Downingtown: “We have enjoyed the guests at our restaurant as well as the town of Downingtown. I think for us the best thing about Downingtown is that it seems to be on the brink of becoming a destination town, similar to a West Chester, or Phoenixville. We like that we are here on the ground floor so to speak, we hope to play a large roll in putting Downingtown on the map, at least from a culinary stand point.”
Brewmaster Bill Covaleski
Bill Covaleski is the President and Brewmaster at Victory Brewing Company, which has been producing unique craft beers since 1996.
Downingtown Native or Transplant: Destiny brought Bill to Downingtown and her name was Victory Brewing Company. Bill hails from Levittown, PA, but has called Downingtown home for the past 14 years.
Favorite Area Restaurant: Nectar.
Why He Loves Working in Downingtown: “There are very practical reasons for Victory being in Downingtown. For instance, the water is great for beer-making, and the town’s water infrastructure is robust, having been built to accommodate paper mills that no longer exist. We’ve got great local farmers with diverse produce offerings and we are pleased to ‘green’ their bank accounts as they keep our beautiful vistas green. We love delivering flavorful fun to our locals every day.”
Mayor Josh Maxwell
Josh Maxwell has served as the Mayor of Downingtown since 2009 and was named 2011 Best Young Politician by Philadelphia Magazine.
Hometown: He has lived in Downingtown his whole life, except for his years in college.
Favorite Area Restaurant: Any restaurant in Downingtown, of course.
Favorite Thing To Do When He Isn’t Working: Running on the Struble Trail either at dawn or just before dusk.
Why He Decided to Run for Office: “Our town was changing and I wanted to make sure we were moving in the right direction. I thought that with more restaurants, more attention paid to our rich history and zoning changes to allow for more commercial growth, Downingtown could flourish. We have some exciting, positive changes coming that I am very excited about.”
Why He Loves Working in Downingtown: “I love the people here. It’s a hardworking, no-nonsense town filled with a very unique volunteer spirit. Everyone I reach out to wants to help move the town in the right direction, it makes my job a lot of fun.”
Chef Olga Sorzano
Olga Sorzano is a professional chef who planted LOST Gourmet in our area in May 2011 to celebrate all foods that are local, organic and sustainable foods and the lost art of traditional cooking methods.
Downingtown Native or Transplant: Olga lived in the Unionville area until five years ago when she picked Downingtown as the perfect place to raise a family.
Favorite local ingredient to cook with: “Mushrooms. Kennett Square produces the best variety of the freshest mushrooms in the country, and they’re practically in my back yard. One of my favorite recipes is Cream of Wild Mushrooms Soup.”
Favorite Chester County Restaurant: Blue Pear Bistro (275 Brintons Bridge Rd., West Chester)
Why She Loves Doing Business in Downingtown: “When I work with a client, it’s such a personal experience. When you cook for someone, you share a piece of yourself. I think having my business centralized in a small community helps keep me grounded and enables me to translate this into my cooking.”
Jon Wright
Jon Wright is the owner of The Wright Agency, a local insurance provider which has been protecting area residents and businesses for nearly 30 years.
Downingtown Native or Transplant: Jon was born and raised in Downingtown.
Favorite Chester County Restaurant: The Whip Tavern (1383 North Chatham Road, Coatesville)
Favorite Thing to Do in Downingtown: “Stop at Lione’s Pizza and get a stuffed slice and then drive my car up Route 282 along the Brandywine to enjoy the scenery.”
Why He Loves Doing Business in Downingtown: “Downingtown is where my family is from, its where our business has always been located, and the feeling of being a part of a community for over 30 years is a great thing. My favorite thing about Downingtown is the location. It’s very close to everything, West Chester, Main Line, Philly, The Shore and the Poconos – yet separate at the same time.”
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