Yes, Chef.

It was December 2023 when splitting the restaurants with Chris became a reality.  It wasn’t long before that this amicable split was conceived but things moved quickly once both of us saw the potential. We convinced our investors that the restaurants would do better under one vision and that years of compromise held each restaurant back from seeing its true potential.  Lawyers began reworking operating agreements, lease guarantees, and drafting member interests  assignments. It was all happening and just like skydiving or off-piste skiing: it was a rush of fear & excitement: a trust fall into the great unknown. 

But what am I going to do about a chef? The food at Popina has always been described as combining the food of Italy with the American south. Chris was from Georgia so he wanted a menu inspired by the food he grew up with (Southern) while leaning into the food he cooked professionally (Italian). Being that we met at Maialino and I came from a Brooklyn-Italian household: Italian food always made sense. The Southern part I was less into; not because the fit; but more so because it would be hard for people to grasp. People’s idea of Southern food is kind of wild and I knew it was going to be an uphill battle; but I knew it was important to Chris. Chris described it better and made the “cucina povera” cuisines seem destined for each other & once you tasted his ham hock pappardelle there was no more questioning the direction. 

But what was our direction now that the Southern part of this concept was gone. I talked to many friends and got plenty of advice; but none better than “create the restaurant you always wanted.” I started thinking about the food I like to eat and the food I think our community craves. 

Enter Chef Zarisa, our sous chef, who held everything together through the transition. It was a pretty stressful time because I didn’t have the relationship with the kitchen like Chris, so I was nervous they would all leave and I'd have to start from scratch. But Zarisa stepped up and kept it all moving—stepping into this leadership position when ownership’s focus drifted to the restaurant each of us would take in the split. It was a time of complete uncertainty. Lots of questions with no answers; but I told them that we’d find someone and that we’d make Popina into the best possible restaurant: from the food to the culture. 

It was early January 2024 when my pal Daniel Eddy introduced me to Justin. We met a few times and decided on a six week pop-up while I continued my search for Popina’s chef. The pop-up, for the most part, was successful & got me closer to figuring out what kind of leader I was looking for. At the time, Zarisa worked with Justin and was a crucial part of running the kitchen; but it wasn’t clear if she was ready to take over when he left. 

When the pop-up ended –I had some candidates in mind; but nothing seemed like the right fit. Zarisa and I met one day when she asked to take over as the chef of Popina. I asked myself–Is she ready to take over? There’s one thing to run the kitchen in winter; but does she have what it takes to run the kitchen in summer: our busy season. Patio season is crucial for our restaurant and I didn’t take this decision lightly as a misstep in busy season could be catastrophic. I was less worried about the food part of her taking over than the leadership part. Z’s quiet and very chill—but will her agreeable personality get trampled in the kitchen? 

I thought back to my friend’s advice, “create the restaurant you always wanted.” I loved working with Zarisa–her food was great & she was a personality fit for sure. Her commitment to the restaurant during the transition proved she was the right person for the job. Now it was my job to help her navigate the new position and help her become a great leader. 

The rest of 2024 wasn’t always easy; but it proved to be Popina’s best year. And though we can’t attribute that success to one person or thing: we can say our team worked well together and the kitchen put out incredibly delicious food day in and day out. 

Working with Zarisa has been great and I really feel like we’re putting out some of the best food since we’ve opened: food that our community craves. There’s no ego when I tell her there’s Popina’s classics that need to stay on the menu or I don’t think avocados belong on our menu. We talk through what I’d like to see on the menu; but never dictate specifics. She’s done an amazing job creating dishes that could easily end up being classics. She’s a yes person–always figuring out a way to do it and staying positive while doing so. She’s a hard worker and has created a supportive kitchen environment. And for all these things and more – I’m sad to say she’s leaving us. She’s going back to be with her family on the West Coast. And while we'll miss her – I’m thankful for everything she's done for Popina. 

With all that said, we’re in an active search for someone to run the kitchen at Popina. Here’s the job posting; but please reach out directly If you or anyone you know is interested. We're excited to welcome someone new to the team!

Thanks for everything, Z! 

-J

james@popinanyc.com