Citron and Rose, the high-end kosher restaurant in Merion Station, just announced that Chef Karen Nicolas has taken over the reins.
Chef Nicolas was born in Philadelphia and has honed her craft in some of the best kitchens in the world, including Gramercy Tavern in New York City under Tom Colicchio and the Dry Creek Kitchen in Northern California as sous chef to Charlie Palmer.
Most recently, as executive chef for Equinox restaurant in Washington, DC, she was recognized as a 2012 “Best New Chef” by Food & Wine magazine. Along with this great honor, Karen was a nominee chef for the People’s Choice Best New Chef in the Mid-Atlantic region. Her latest accolade was being inducted in the 2013 Best Chef’s America book. Chef Nicolas was also the executive chef for the now-defunct Simon Pearce restaurant that was located along the Brandywine River in West Chester, PA.
When Karen was presented with the intriguing offer to run a kosher kitchen in her hometown, she jumped at the chance to come home again. I recently spoke with her during her very busy third day at the helm of Citron and Rose’s kitchen and was able to get the latest dish on her background, arrival back to Philly and plans for the future.
1. When did you know you wanted to be a Chef?
I was born in Philadelphia and raised in State College, PA. I spent a lot of time watching the Great Chefs series on PBS. This was before the Food Network. Those classic TV shows actually showed you how to cook and weren’t about being showy. I loved to bake and used to send desserts into my dad’s office. I was taking a Home Ec class in high school and my teacher pulled me aside one day and suggested that I pursue cooking as a career because she thought I had talent. I decided to go to Johnson and Wales with the idea that I would be a pastry chef. When I did my internship “on the line,” I realized that was where I wanted to be.
2. You won Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chef award in 2012. What is it like to win such an important accolade?
That was totally unexpected. I was working at Equinox and had a good platform to showcase my food. The restaurant sent out a press release and I guess someone at Food & Wine read it and was intrigued enough to check me out. It really was a dream come true to realize that if you work hard and stay true to yourself, someone might take notice. I sometimes still don’t believe it, but I am so appreciative. I try and stay focused and just go back to my day to day work.
3. Why did you want to come back to Philadelphia?
I have truly felt that Philly is a culinary underdog. It has a very vibrant dining scene and that has attracted a slow migration of New York chefs here. I wanted to get back to Philadelphia at the beginning of this new surge of fantastic restaurants and chefs. Plus, it’s always fun to come home.
4. I’m Jewish and grew up eating Jewish cuisine. When I think about the food of my childhood, I think of matzoh ball soup, gefilte fish, chopped liver and brisket. It really isn’t very exciting. How do you translate traditional Jewish food into an upscale restaurant dining experience?
Citron and Rose’s menu has focused on European Jewish roots and traditions with updated interpretations of the cuisine. I plan to continue what has been started. I need to get to know my staff and their talents before making changes. I really didn’t know much about Jewish cuisine before coming here, but I’m doing my research and find it intriguing. This will push me out of my comfort zone for sure. I really want to embrace the melting pot of Jewish culture and cuisine. I will definitely keep the Eastern European influences on the menu, but want to also include Middle Eastern cuisine as well. There are so many amazing spices that I can add into the dishes. I want to shine a light on this community with modern, refined food utilizing seasonal ingredients. I’m looking forward to more research and development of new and unique dishes.
5. Are there any other changes coming to Citron and Rose?
We will be starting a new lunch menu on May 27. The lunch menu will include evening menu favorites and some new creative items. We’ll also be opening up our sidewalk café during lunchtime service now that the weather has gotten nice.
Citron and Rose is located at 370 Montgomery Avenue in Merion Station; phone: (610) 664-4919.
