Michael Schulson is the chef and restaurateur behind the Schulson Collective of restaurants whose imagination and ingenuity have made him one of Philadelphia’s most successful hospitality professionals.
ABOUT MICHAEL
Michael Schulson is the chef and restaurateur behind the Schulson Collective restaurant group whose imagination and vision have made him one of Philadelphia’s most successful hospitality professionals. Schulson is the owner of Philadelphia’s Midtown Village destinations Double Knot, from which DK Sushi was born, a fine-casual sushi concept located at the University of Pennsylvania; Sampan, along with the adjacent Graffiti Bar. Most notably, Schulson opened his intimate boutique steakhouse, Alpen Rose. On the corner of 13th and Sansom, Schulson established Prunella, a casual yet energetic pizzeria, and Pearl & Mary, a stunning oyster bar. Schulson Collective’s portfolio also includes the new-American spot, Harp & Crown, in Philadelphia’s Center City, as well as the red gravy Italian restaurant, Giuseppe & Sons; Right off of Rittenhouse, Via Locusta, another inviting Italian concept; and the expansive Independence Beer Garden in historic Old City. Schulson has recently unveiled Bar Lesieur, a French eatery featuring a modern à la carte menu. Additionally, Schulson is preparing to debut two new dining establishments, Samuel's and a second location for Pearl & Mary, at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City.
Schulson attended and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, working his way up the culinary chain of command in such acclaimed restaurants as New York’s Peacock Alley at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and David Burke’s Park Avenue Café, and Philadelphia’s Le Bec-Fin and Susanna Foo. Before setting out on his own, Schulson helmed legendary kitchens in New York City and Philadelphia and traveled to Japan. He eventually learned the ability to speak conversational Japanese following his stints in prestigious Tokyo kitchens, among them Spago and the Four Seasons Hotel.
“As a student of Asian cuisine, I have always emphasized flavor over fat, and I’m proud to bring that approach to other culinary styles, as well.”
— SCHULSON
achievements
In 2008, Schulson opened his first restaurant, Izakaya, a modern Japanese pub in Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. At Borgata, Schulson found himself among the likes of Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck, earning rave reviews and immense popularity. He opened his second restaurant, Sampan, in 2009 in Philadelphia’s bustling Midtown Village. The contemporary Asian restaurant and bar was promptly named one of Bon Appetit’s “Top Six places to Taste Asian Fusion,” and Schulson was named one of Esquire’s “Chefs to Watch” in their annual restaurant issue soon after.
In summer 2014, Schulson took on his biggest project to date with Independence Beer Garden, a 25,000 square-foot open-air drinking and dining mecca steps from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in Philadelphia’s Independence National Historic Park. The massive, largely outdoor space quickly attracted huge crowds and became known as one of the city’s best places to enjoy a beer, snacks and fun with friends
“From delicious bites to scenic views, Independence Beer Garden is looking to spruce up the summer. - But we can’t forget about the piece that brings the entire garden together: beer. And with a beer menu almost as big as the location itself, you might have a tough time narrowing things down.”
— PHILLY MAG, FOOBOOZ
In 2016, Schulson introduced restaurants Double Knot and Harp & Crown to the Philadelphia scene. Double Knot is a bi-level speakeasy that offers a modern Japanese dining experience highlighting sushi, sashimi, robatayaki, and a combination of small and large tapas. Double Knot has received numerous accolades including “three bells” from The Philadelphia Inquirer, three stars and the title of “2016 Best New Restaurant” from Philadelphia magazine and was named one of the “15 Biggest Restaurant Openings of 2016” by Zagat. Schulson Collective’s Harp & Crown offers guests a menu highlighting seasonal ingredients and global cuisines with delicate yet complex flavors. It was named one of the "Most Beautiful Restaurants of 2016" by Eater National. Harp & Crown also features a cocktail bar and two-lane, reservations-only bowling alley beneath the main room where cocktails, pizza and charcuterie are served.
In 2018, Schulson Collective opened their first fine-casual concept, DK Sushi, at the remodeled food hall at the University of Pennsylvania. DK Sushi is a spin-off of Schulson’s lauded sushi bar and izakaya, Double Knot. Schulson created a menu of a la carte items and signature sushi sets that are made-to-order as guests make their selections from the touch-screen kiosks.
Later in 2018, Schulson Collective opened Italian American Center City hot spot, Giuseppe & Sons. This red gravy restaurant is located next to Harp & Crown and mimics the operation of Double Knot, with a cafe upstairs and a more refined restaurant below street level.
In spring 2019, Schulson and his team opened Alpen Rose, a classic steakhouse on 13th Street, next to Double Knot and Sampan. This 40 seat boutique steakhouse in the Midtown Village draws inspiration from Schulson's family’s history of butchering in the Bronx.
Following the opening of Alpen Rose, in December 2019, Via Locusta opened its doors. Schulson and his team brought this handmade pasta focused Italian restaurant to the heart of Rittenhouse. Located on Locust just off of 18th street, the menu highlights fresh, handmade pasta dishes, made with locally-sourced ingredients from Pennsylvania farms. Via Locusta offers a focused selection of sharable plates and pastas along with a few larger dishes. Guests may also enjoy the from-scratch cocktail program created to pair perfectly with the locally sourced, seasonal ingredients from the kitchen. The intimate interior creates the perfect space to share a bottle of wine from the carefully curated, extensive reserve list
Over the course of the next three years, Schulson perfected the Collective of restaurants he built, establishing his mark on Philadelphia’s food scene. In the spring of 2022, Schulson added another restaurant to 13th and Sansom with the opening of Prunella, a neighborhood spot for American style pizza. The effortlessly beautiful interior creates the perfect ambiance for both an intimate dinner or a happy hour with friends. Pulling inspiration from the floor to ceiling windows, the menu matches its bright aesthetic by using fresh seasonal ingredients to create small plates, pizza, and fresh pasta. The menu would not be complete without a signature wine and beer list, paired with thoughtful cocktails designed to complement the light and airy ambience of Prunella.
After Prunella’s successful opening, winning the Philadelphia Magazine’s Best Happy Hour of 2022 award, the Schulson Collective continued on to open Pearl and Mary on the corner of 13th and Sansom. Pearl and Mary offers elevated dishes inspired by classic coastal favorites, including an assorted raw bar, mixed crudos, and refreshing cocktails.
“We named it [Double Knot] the Best New Restaurant In Philly in this year’s Best Of Philly issue. It took the highest spot of any of the new restaurants that made it onto this year’s 50 Best Restaurants list. I still use the broiled sea bass I had there as the standard against which I judge all fish dishes in Philadelphia (and not a single one has measured up).”
— PHILLY MAG, FOOBOOZ
ADDITIONAL ACCOLADES
Schulson has starred in two original series, TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off and Style Network’s Pantry Raid, and has also appeared as a guest on TODAY, The View, The Rachael Ray Show and FOX News. He has been featured in a wide range of publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Men’s Fitness.
Twitter/Instagram: @michaelschulson