Following year-long stints from chefs Stephanie Izard and Pinky Cole, DoorDash has appointed Chef Michael Solomonov as its third Chief Restaurant Advisor.
The Chief Restaurant Advisor program infuses the operator perspective into DoorDash. In his new role, Solomonov will advocate for restaurant needs and connect directly to industry operators.
Chef Michael Solomonov, co-owner of CookNSolo Restaurants and head chef at Zahav.
“Collecting direct feedback from restaurant operators is critical to ensuring that DoorDash continues to remain grounded in real-time insights, concerns and opportunities,” DoorDash wrote in a statement.
Solomonov is a James Beard Foundation award winner and co-owner of CookNSolo Restaurants, where he serves as chef at Zahav—Philadelphia’s trailblazing restaurant highlighting Israel’s diverse culinary landscape. Solomonov also oversees Federal Donuts, Dizengoff, Goldie, K’Far, and Laser Wolf across Philadelphia and New York City.
During his one-year term, Solomonov will meet with various DoorDash teams to share his unique operator perspective on unreleased products and services from the delivery giant, as well as connect with employees to emphasize the importance of hospitality and liaise with restaurant operators across the nation to hear their unique perspectives.
“Many of our restaurants, including Federal Donuts and Goldie, have grown because of our partnership with DoorDash over the years, connecting our customers with greater convenience,” said Solomonov. “One of the aspects I’m most excited about is getting an inside look at how DoorDash makes decisions on behalf of its partners, and I’m not shying away from sharing what restaurant operators need.”
Pinky Cole, Slutty Vegan burger chain founder and former Chief Restaurant Advisor.
Before officially passing the torch, DoorDash asked Pinky Cole, Founder of Atlanta-based vegan chain Slutty Vegan and outgoing Chief Restaurant Advisor for one piece of advice for her successor.
“DoorDash chose you for your unique perspective. If they’re asking you for your thoughts on something, never hesitate to speak your mind or share out-of-the-box ideas on how something could be improved,” advised Cole. “You’ll soon see how much employees at DoorDash truly appreciate the perspective of restaurant operators and the change we can help bring to our fellow restaurateurs.”
