Chef Kevin Diskin of Righteous Tap House discusses his culinary influences and the ethos of his kitchen.
How long have you been working here? Since October 2017.
What do you like about it? I like the owners, the people I work with, and the clientele. I love the scenic drive to work too. And the food!
How long have you been a chef? Since I graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1998. As an executive chef, I owned Bigfork Restaurant in Chadds Ford for nine years. But I have three kids, and I wanted to spend more time with my family. Even on my days off as an owner, I was still working. I just wanted to cook, so I sold it in 2013.
How’s life as a Righteous chef? The owners, Jon and Mike are great. They give me an opportunity broaden my horizons and do what I want on the menu with the clientele in mind.
Have any favorite dishes you’ve made? The specials, like the burgers and wings. We had chicken and dumplings too, and shrimp and grits. I try to elevate them. It’s all about fresh ingredients and not overhandling them. You want to prepare it in in a way that you don’t compromise the dish. You’re not trying to turn asparagus into bubbles. Pair the ingredients together, like starch and veggies with a nice, homemade sauce.
How did you know you wanted to be in this field? I grew up in Springfield and we had a Philly-Italian woman across the street named Mrs. Flaherty. She would invite our family over for dinner and I just remember every time walking into that house, there were so many aromas, like peppers and eggs in the morning. I always liked to eat. Maybe I was little picky as a kid, but I always enjoyed eating food. And my grandfather did all the cooking when I was little, and he was amazing. In grade school too, I started watching the PBS’ “Great Chef” series and they were all so professional. I wanted to be like them.
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