Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook say they have concluded their consulting arrangement with Citron & Rose, the kosher restaurant they helped open for philanthropist David Magerman in Merion Station.
The restaurant, which opened last November, will remain in business.
Solomonov was billed as executive chef. With kosher laws at the heart of the operation, he and Cook were not billed as "owners" because they own restaurants serving non-kosher food (Zahav, Federal Donuts, Percy Street).
In a statement, Cook and Solomonov said chef de cuisine Yehuda Sichel would "return temporarily to Zahav as we work on our next restaurant project."
"Mike and I are extremely proud of what our amazing staff accomplished at Citron and Rose in such a short period of time. It was gratifying to see a full restaurant every night that served kosher cuisine to a diverse clientele. We are grateful to David Magerman for allowing us to put kosher dining in the spotlight. We would also like to thank our Mashgiach Rob Kandler as well as Community Kashrus of Philadelphia for their wisdom, guidance and patience throughout our involvement. We wish Citron & Rose continued success."
A statement from Citron & Rose: "Citron and Rose, and owner David Magerman, thank Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook for their tremendous help and culinary guidance though our opening. Their vision and expertise have fostered a successful beginning for the restaurant. Now it is time for Citron and Rose to continue expanding and building off of the solid brand they have helped us cultivate. Citron and Rose will continue to fulfill the mission of providing unique kosher cuisine and explore innovative avenues to reach more people across the Philadelphia region."