Zahav chef Michael Solomonov wins James Beard Award

Philadelphia chef Michael Solomonov was named the premier chef in the Mid-Atlantic region by the James Beard Foundation last night in New York City.

Solomonov, chef and owner of Zahav restaurant in Society Hill, beat out four other chefs for the prestigious annual award.

The mid-Atlantic region covers Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C.

The James Beard Award is the highest national honor for professionals in the restaurant industry, and it began crowning the America's top chefs in 1990.

Solomonov was in New York City yesterday to accept the award and was unavailable for comment.

He was also working last night as a guest chef for the event's gala celebration.

Zahav, which opened in 2008, specializes in modern Israeli cuisine and has been featured in Bon Apetit, Food and Wine and Esquire, among many other publications.