James Beard-nominated "Rising Star Chef of the Year" Michael Saperstein and partner Evan David signed a lease in Boca Raton this week to open a third restaurant by December 2011: a chef-driven, eclectic, small-plates restaurant that's "unlike anything we have in the area so far."
Saperstein and David are the duo behind E&M Munchies Holdings Corp., the parent of Charm City Burgers, which debuted
three years ago, and El Jefe Luchador, a taqueria that opened last year.
Both have been well-received by bloggers such as
BurgerBeast and the media for their tasty eats.
Saperstein cited
as inspiration for the new place the L.A. restaurant Animal and its meat-focused menu, as well as David Chang's Momofuku Ssam Bar in New York that glorifies all things pork."A well-known local chef" has been hired, says Saperstein, and the concept has been hammered out, though details will remain under wraps until the project is further along. Plates will range between $3 and market rates for share plates, said Saperstein.The restaurant will debut in a space on East Palmetto Park Road.
Saperstein is also a partner at K&G Brothers, where he gets the brisket, short-rib, and chuck burger blend for Charm City Burgers. He had also partnered with Andrew Lampasone, owner of Wine Watch, as the shop's high-end caterer. Locally, Saperstein had been executive chef at Bistro 17, Gotham City Steak in Delray Beach, and Cafe Maxx, where he snagged the nomination for the James Beard Award in 2000.
Earlier in his career, Saperstein worked for several years as line cook in New York at Charlie Palmer's Aureole alongside Top Chef season six contestants Bryan and Michael Voltaggio. He has also served stints at David Burke's Park Avenue Cafe and for Rocco D'Spirito.
