Philadelphia Friends of Jacques Pépin organized by High Street Hospitality Group

Nicholas Bazik (Chef & Owner of Provenance) has spent the past 15 years working in and running some of Philadelphia’s finest restaurants (Fork, The Good King Tavern, Lacroix at The Rittenhouse). Prior to opening Provenance Bazik served as the Culinary Director for 13th Street Kitchen (Kensington Quarters, La Chinesca).

During the build out process of Provenance, he collaborated with the region’s best chefs, hosting preview dinners at a.kitchen (Chef Eli Collins), Le Cavalier (Chef Tyler Akin), River Twice (Randy Rucker) and more. Additionally, he met Joshua An, the then Chef de Cuisine of the Two Michelin Starred Le Clarence in Paris while dining there on his and his wife’s honeymoon/babymoon. This led to the two becoming friends which led to Bazik staging at the restaurant. Later he would return to the City of Light in February 2024 to partner for a sold-out, two-night-only dinner at Mokoloco during Chef An’s residency.

Provenance has been over two years in the making. It is truly a labor of love for Bazik, combining his passion for modern French cooking, alongside local ingredients as well as Korean influences–from his wife Eunbin. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, Bazik was introduced to Korean food staples only after meeting his Eunbin, the vast processes and food culture of Korea (ie fermentation and pickling) have been fascinating to study and dive further into learning about–it’s cultural heritage that excites and is yet another layer of provenance to explore.

Christoper Curtin, Master Chocolatier and Pastry Chef, started his journey more than three decades ago. From Madison, Wisconsin to the house of Le Compagnons du Devoir, the premier guild for artisan pastry chefs in France, to being the first American to be awarded the title of Master Pastry Chef and Chocolatier in Cologne, Germany in 1996.

Returning to the Brandywine River Valley, outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Éclat Chocolate is the continuation of over twelve years of hand-selected European chocolate experiences in the finest chocolate houses in Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Japan.

Abigail Dahan was born near Paris, France, where she grew up until the age of six. She then moved with her family to South Jersey until she graduated from high school where she then returned to Paris for pastry school.

She matriculated with Gregoire Ferrandi with an apprenticeship at the renowned Gerard Mulot Patisserie, then returned stateside to work in various luxury hotels and restaurants, such as Ritz Carlton, Park Hyatt, and Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas. She was more recently Executive Pastry Chef of Parc Restaurant for nearly eight years, and then Executive Pastry Chef for the Schulson Collective for two years. In 2024, she joined the team at Provenance for the highly anticipated opening.

Chef Christopher Kearse graduated from Philadelphia’s Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in 2005 as valedictorian. Kearse then moved to Chicago and launched a campaign to work in some of the country’s most influential kitchens- sending a letter each week to the same ten chefs in order to get his foot in the door.

Due to his diligence and talent, Kearse was able to land several coveted positions in some of the top kitchens in America and the UK, from stage to saucier to line cook and  poissonnnier. In August 2012, at age of 2,  Kearse opened Will BYOB on East Passyunk  Avenue to rave reviews. Kearse was subsequently named “Best New Chef” by Philadelphia magazine, has been named one of the 2013 Philadelphia Rising Stars by  StarChefs  and was a semifinalist for a James Beard Award in both 2013 and 2014.  At Forsythia, Kearse and his team exhibit a commitment to excellence and innovation from an open kitchen holding court over bright, modern surroundings. Upon opening in August of 2019, Forsythia earned 3 Bells from acclaimed Philadelphia Inquirer Food Critic Craig Laban

Cherry Hill, NJ native Greg Vernick could be found in the kitchen at an early age thanks to his grandfather owning a butcher shop in Philadelphia and his mother, Beth, owning a local restaurant near their hometown of Cherry Hill, NJ. Pursuing his passion for the restaurant business, Greg went on to earn a degree in hospitality management from Boston University followed by a culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York.

Upon completion of his CIA externship with Chef Ken Oringer at Boston’s Clio, and after graduation, Greg moved to New York City to work the line for the opening of Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Perry Street. Over a five year span, Greg rose through the ranks of the Jean-Georges group as sous chef at Jean-Georges, Nougatine, and Spice Market, and eventually traveled the world as a chef trainer for restaurants in Qatar, Tokyo, Vancouver, Boston, and Park City. After years working with the Vongerichten team, Greg took his final post in New York City as chef de cuisine at Tocqueville. In 2012, Greg returned to the Philadelphia area with his wife Julie, to open his debut restaurant, Vernick Food & Drink, in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of the city where he serves an honest, no-fuss menu featuring his take on American cooking.

Since opening, Vernick Food & Drink has been recognized by Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, StarChefs, Philadelphia magazine, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. In October 2016, Vernick Food & Drink earned a 4-Bell, re-review from Philadelphia Inquirer’s restaurant critic Craig LaBan who called it the “best overall restaurant” in the city. In December 2016, Greg was also named “Chef of the Year” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, noting that he has never stopped refining his craft and has helped redefine the concept of what American dining can be.

In May 2017, after receiving his third nomination in the category, Greg Vernick was named the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic by the James Beard Foundation, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the restaurant’s opening. The Foundation’s recognition continued in 2023 when Food & Drink was recognized as a semifinalist for Outstanding Hospitality and again early in 2025 when Greg was named a semifinalist for Outstanding Chef by the Foundation. Greg teamed up with Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Technology Center, to open Vernick Coffee Bar, a café dining space and barista bar in October of 2018. Philadelphia Inquirer gave it a 3-Bell review citing, “There’s so much more than good coffee perking at this restaurant disguised as a ‘coffee bar,’ where Vernick has turned the soaring second-floor space into a peaceful oasis to rethink breakfast and lunch in a sleek modern dining room that feels like an urban tree house.” His second restaurant with the Four Seasons, Vernick Fish, opened its doors in August of 2019 with the intention of serving his take on the favorite hallmarks of American oyster bar fare. Inspired by his years growing up visiting the Jersey shore and time spent in Boston, Fish is committed to sourcing an extensive list of the best ingredients and showcasing them in the best possible way. Since opening, it’s been lauded as one of the Best New Restaurants by Philadelphia magazine and others.