Last week, COOK attended Philadelphia magazine’s Best of Philly® party. Being named to the annual list – which will form the basis for a series of classes at COOK beginning next month – is one of region’s highest honors, particularly in the food world.

At the party, held at Vie on North Broad Street, we caught up with a number of our friends and instructors-to-be including: Robert Aikens, Executive Chef at The Dandelion (who won for BEST SUNDAY SUPPER); Pierre and Charlotte Calmels of Bibou (who won for BEST FRENCH RESTAURANT); Peter Woolsey of Bistrot La Minette who is Bibou’s main competition for the most ooh-la-la meal in town; Tom McCusker of Honest Tom’s Tacos (BEST FOOD TRUCK); Hiroyuki “Zama” Tanaka (Best Replacement for the Wall at the Palm– celebrity sushi rolls); Jonathan Adams of Pub & Kitchen (winner of BEST BURGER); Erin O’Shea of Percy Street BBQ and her James Beard Award-winning colleague, Michael Solomonov (the former snagged the BEST PIES award and the latter for Best Restaurant to Take Your New York Friends To for Zahav — Michael also deserves big congrats on the birth of his son whom we chatted about); and, last but not least, Mémé’s David Katz whose 4 year old son won BEST DRESSED in my opinion for his dapper seersucker suit.

Plan on seeing all these winners and many more in the coming months at COOK!