Chef

The scrapple education of Marshall Green began in earnest three years ago, maybe a little longer. It was a mysterious meat to him, the great-grandson of the operator of a Jewish deli, Abe's by name, which eventually begot Murray's, the Bala Cynwyd fixture. Green had opened his own place, Cafe Estelle, on a hidden stretch of Fourth Street, south of Spring Garden. And soon it became known for extraordinary brunches (the "Spring Scramble" last week featured fiddlehead ferns, English peas and asparagus)

Who: Manager and co-owner with her husband, Greg Russell, of West Philly's Zocalo restaurant, featured on "Kitchen Nightmares," 8-10 p.m. Friday on Fox. From: Morelia, central Mexico Now: Williamstown, N.J. Age: 49 Kitchen connection: Mary and her chef-husband met as employees at Zocalo in the '90s. She made the tortillas and chips. He worked the line. In 2008, they bought the place. Having a 'Nightmare': The Russells aren't sure how chef Gordon Ramsay's producers found them, but the couple are glad they did. "It's necessary sometimes for someone to come and teach you how to run a business," said Mary.

Two months ago, Georges Perrier sold most of his interest in Le Bec-Fin, the French institution he created 42 years ago. Still, almost every day, Perrier shows up. "But Georges is my dad," says Nicolas Fanucci, who was Perrier's manager a decade ago and who now is the majority owner. Perrier is taking a backseat, offering commentary and counsel, as Fanucci goes through Le Bec-Fin from top to bottom, literally and figuratively. The restaurant, which closed the night of Feb. 29, is due to return the first week of June.

YO, CHEFS! I love sun-dried tomatoes under olive oil, but, being retired, I find them expensive. I have a bag of sun-dried tomatoes but don't know how to prepare them. Can you help me? Ray Cascella Penrose Park Dear Ray, Carla Fusaro is the chef/owner, with her husband Enzo, of the classic Northern Italian restaurant, Il Gallo Nero, which they recently relocated from Center City to Ambler. Carla says sun-dried tomatoes are similar to dried fruits like apricots.

Sylva Senat is right on time. Sous chef by 25, chef de cuisine or executive chef by 30, "and by the time I'm 40, I want to own a place," says Senat, 33, the chef de cuisine at Stephen Starr's stalwart, Buddakan, in Old City. He is a study in contrasts, this ambitious but inherently humble sophisticate who presents a striking appearance with his chiseled jaw and long dreads. A French-speaking Haitian native with Manhattan fine-dining sensibilities, Senat is a kitchen-trained, not culinary-school-educated chef who learned from some of the absolute best: Andrew D'Amico when he was at the Sign of the Dove; Marcus Samuelsson, who made Senat his sous chef at Aquavit; and Jean-George Vongerichten, who made Senat chef de cuisine at 66 Leonard Street and the Mercer Kitchen.

Family and friends of James E. Webb, who co-owned the General Wayne Inn in Lower Merion, will hold a memorial service tomorrow night to commemorate the third anniversary of his slaying. The service will take place 8 p.m. at St. Timothy's Church on Route 452 in Aston. Carol Casey of Folsom, a friend of Webb's, said the family wanted to honor his memory and keep him alive in the thoughts of those who knew him. "It's also important, I believe, since it's an unsolved murder, to keep it out in front," Casey said.

There was cannon fire in Philadelphia on the morning of Feb. 22, 1797, as 16 rounds of salute - one for each state - rang out in celebration of the nation's greatest hero. It was the 65th birthday of George Washington, the "man who united all hearts," as John Quincy Adams called him. And with Washington's final weeks as president ahead, the event was celebrated with "more sincere joy" than ever, according to the Philadelphia Gazette. People of all classes paraded to the President's House at Sixth and Market.

Authorities are turning up the heat on chef Guy Sileo. Montgomery County's first deputy district attorney yesterday called Sileo the prime suspect in the murder nearly two years ago of James Webb, Sileo's business partner and fellow chef at the General Wayne Inn. The two men were deeply in debt when Webb, 31, was shot in the head Dec. 26, 1996, as he worked in the offices of the historic inn in Lower Merion. Following the killing, authorities learned that Sileo and Webb owed more than $1 million on the restaurant, had been feuding over its operation and had taken out $650,000 life insurance policies on each other.

Joshua, 15, loves going hunting with his foster father. When the teenager bagged his first deer, using only a bow and arrow, they were both excited. Joshua's many other interests include camping, swimming, weight lifting, video games, and playing football. In the 10th grade, Joshua attends a vocational high school. He enjoyed carpentry classes so much that he may make this trade his career. He is learning auto repair. His brother Jason, 13, is in seventh grade and receives help in math and reading.

Through tense silence at Avery Fisher Hall in New York earlier this month, he heard his name wash over him. Michael Solomonov. Pronounced correctly, even. Sol-ah-MON-ov . Beaming, he made his way to the lectern, where he was handed a bronze medallion bearing the visage of James Beard, attached to a yellow ribbon. Best chef, Mid-Atlantic region. Solomonov had no prepared speech for the James Beard Foundation, the Oscars of the food world. "I didn't want to lose again and go home with a speech in my pocket," said Solomonov, 32, who was nominated last year in the same category and two years ago in the category of rising-star chef.

Bledar Istrefi, executive chef at Center City's popular Bellini Cafe, bought a house in Northeast Philadelphia. Istrefi, 33, soon realized that although the Northeast is teeming with pizzerias and other quick-serve options, it has few Center City-style Italian BYOBs — polished, candlelit, great food and service. The owner of Fish & Grill, a Turkish restaurant on Bustleton Avenue north of Grant Avenue, was getting out of the business, and so Istrefi, with his friend Ilirjan Asllani, left Bellini and opened Il Polpo (9825 Bustleton Ave., 215-677-2224, www.ilpolpo.com )

The scrapple education of Marshall Green began in earnest three years ago, maybe a little longer. It was a mysterious meat to him, the great-grandson of the operator of a Jewish deli, Abe's by name, which eventually begot Murray's, the Bala Cynwyd fixture. Green had opened his own place, Cafe Estelle, on a hidden stretch of Fourth Street, south of Spring Garden. And soon it became known for extraordinary brunches (the "Spring Scramble" last week featured fiddlehead ferns, English peas and asparagus)

Bring your mom — or your sisters, aunties and girlfriends — to a Momma's Day Brunch Cocktail Party hosted by Brown Betty Dessert Boutique and Jonathan Adler Philadelphia at Adler's shop, 33 N. 3rd St., 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Hors d'oeuvres by the Cedar Kitchen, cocktails by Marc Yanga of Liberte Lounge and, of course, desserts from mother-daughter team Linda and Norrinda Brown of Brown Betty. $35. Details at brownpapertickets.com/event/242227 . Is yours a country mom or a city mom?

Two months ago, Georges Perrier sold most of his interest in Le Bec-Fin, the French institution he created 42 years ago. Still, almost every day, Perrier shows up. "But Georges is my dad," says Nicolas Fanucci, who was Perrier's manager a decade ago and who now is the majority owner. Perrier is taking a backseat, offering commentary and counsel, as Fanucci goes through Le Bec-Fin from top to bottom, literally and figuratively. The restaurant, which closed the night of Feb. 29, is due to return the first week of June.

Twenty years ago, Girasole on Locust Street just off 13th Street was the stylish go-to Italian spot for theatergoers. After it packed its tent in 2004 — it reopened in 2009 at Broad and Pine Streets — the space housed a series of sketchy nightspots. Now, with the neighborhood on the upswing — you have Fish on the opposite corner, Green Eggs Cafe next door, and a strip of hot restaurants around the corner (Sampan, Barbuzzo, Jamonera, Zavino, etc.) — the building is going the stylish Italian route again.

Bio: 36; grew up in the Rittenhouse neighborhood; still lives in the city with his wife. Trained: Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y. Philly restaurant connections: Lacroix, Adsum. What's new? Square Peg (929 Walnut St., 215-413-3600), Barry Gutin and Larry Cohen's casual American; he is exec chef. It's all in the name: Like the old expression about square pegs in round holes, the Midtown Village spot puts "our own little twists on what classic American foods are. " And spiked milkshakes: "Diner-inspired but we're making it fun, doing it differently.

Here is an excerpt from Craig LaBan's online chat:   C.L.: I visited two of the new Ramen noodlers this week — Ramen Boy in Chinatown and Nom Nom, on 18th just south of Market. Nom Nom was hands down my favorite. Ramen Boy has a cool decor of sleek wood chairs, etc., but I found the tonkotsu broth (almost milky from all the steeped meat solids) to be surprisingly, stunningly bland — kept adding to the broth just to give it a little flavor. The roast pork was nice and tender, but the "authentic" noodles were just a little squishy.

BRAVO CAMERASrolled Monday taping Jennifer Carroll for "Life After Top Chef" as she cooked for family and friends at Meme (22nd & Spruce). Meme chef David Katz let his friend take over his kitchen for a preview tasting of her menu from Concrete Blonde, a restaurant that she is planning to open despite as yet having no location for it. Jon Gosselin, former "Jon & Kate Plus 8" star turned self-described computer geek, and his girlfriend, were...

When Jill Weber and Evan Malone hired Matt Zagorski, then chef at Rouge, to consult on their new restaurant Rex 1516, they knew they were getting a chef who could help them with staffing, health inspections, purveyor connections, and food costs. The fact that they scored the ingredients to the burger blend that he custom created for his own restaurant, Hickory Lane, was a bonus. A burger is something one can stake a reputation on. "Some people wouldn't do that," Zagorski says. "But I'll go to those lengths for Jill.