When Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby moved Horizons to Philadelphia from Willow Grove in 2006, they single-handedly and indisputably changed perceptions of vegan food from fringe fare to fine dining fit for the most discerning omnivores.
Vegan fine dining has been done before, in other cities, but not like this. Jacoby and Landau’s famous commitment to quality and innovation has garnered Horizons both local and national honors. The Inquirer's Craig LaBan bestowed his coveted three-bell rating on the restaurant and Horizons is the only vegan restaurant to have been invited to cook at the James Beard House in New York City.
It is not surprising, then, that when Horizons closed its doors for the last time on July 4, vegetarians and vegans around the country collectively grieved. Fortunately, Horizon’s groundbreaking chef/owners will be opening their new endeavor, Vedge, in Center City soon after Labor Day. Until that happy day, heated debate over which Horizons’ favorites will make the cut at Vedge will undoubtedly continue to rage amongst Horizons fans.
Jacoby and Landau were able to squeeze some time out of the busy restaurant opening process to answer our questions about Horizons, Vedge and restaurant culture in Philadelphia (oh, and the great seitan scandal)!
Flying Kite (FK): What prompted the decision to change locations and concepts?
Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby (RL/KJ): When we moved into our 7th Street location, we thought we’d be there forever. People think that just because you are a business owner that you don’t crave the next level in your career, but it’s quite the opposite. The creative force that got you to where you are never rests. This new building will be a great step forward for us in a different part of town.
The concept change is more of an adaptation to the current dining climate. Smaller plates will give diners more freedom to break away from the classic appetizer-entrée-dessert format.
The food will taste the same for all intents and purposes…it’s how we cook, we really don’t do anything else.
FK: How does this move feel compared to your last move from the suburbs into the city?
RL/KJ: This move is really exciting. We’re working with a talented group of people who are bringing great ideas to the table. From designers and contractors to media and web people. When we moved from Willow Grove, we did so much with our own hands; we went home many days with spackle on our jeans. This time around, we’re taking the time to think through things and have things done professionally. The goal is for the atmosphere to match the quality of the food we serve.
FK: We’ve heard that you are bringing most of your staff with you from Horizons.
RL/KJ: We are fortunate to run a restaurant that attracts good people. We’re hoping that, time permitting, our staff will be able to follow us to our new location. Many of them had already been with us for a long time. Turnover is not a big problem for us! When we first announced that we’d be moving to a new spot, most people seemed really enthusiastic, especially when we described the new concept. It’s comfortable and familiar for everyone, but also new and exciting at the same time. So yes, if they can wait, they can follow.
FK: Why do you think turnover isn’t an issue for you?
RL/KJ: We like to imagine that it’s all about the food, that between happy customers and good staff meals, work each day becomes very satisfying and a real pleasure. It’s also gratifying for many of us who are vegetarian and vegan to find a work atmosphere that supports and furthers our own personal ethics. But we also like to think of ourselves as a mom-and-pop operation. As owners who have done everything at this restaurant over the years (from cooking and bartending to bussing and washing dishes), we like to think that our passion and enthusiasm is contagious, and that it makes for a rewarding, long-term employment opportunity. The bottom line is that we like to see our staff as co-workers. Once we become bosses, the relationship is automatically compromised. We hire people who take pride in their work and look out for the good of the restaurant -- after that it’s easy.
FK: There was a rumor you were considering leaving the city altogether at one point. What prompted you to stay in Philadelphia and start Vedge here instead?
RL/KJ: It’s true that we do not like the cold. For years, we toyed with the idea of moving to LA. But try as we might to envision a life in a warmer climate, we are both Philly natives with deep roots in and around the city. We have family here, and friends, and customers. Horizons has been at the forefront of the vegetarian and vegan dining scene in Philly; we couldn’t just take that away. And the outpouring of support we’ve had with the move from Horizons to Vedge has proven that this is the perfect spot for our new restaurant.
FK: Will the very famous Horizons Grilled Seitan be on the menu at Vedge?
RL/KJ: There are 4 people in the world who know how to cook Horizons grilled seitan. They would each tell you that it is really challenging work that demands precise attention and skill. The dish has also been somewhat limiting from the creative side of menu planning. However, we became convinced that our seitan was an integral part of our dining experience (via an outpour of emails, messages and death threats), one that we should be proud of and happy to include at Vedge. In some way or another, it will be there
FK: Do you feel it will be in keeping with your new menu and concept?
RL/KJ: We’re thinking of a happy hour crunchy seitan taco, a call-ahead, reservation-only, family-style seitan feast, and a really elegant grilled seitan entrée.
FK: Will your new "fruit-forward" dessert menu still be a decadent one, or will the goal be to create a lighter end-of-meal experience?
RL/KJ: While there is room for simple fruit and sorbets, the really good, exciting stuff comes with decadent desserts that make your eyes roll back in your head. So when we say fruit forward, we’ll still aim to have sinfully rich desserts, but we intend to have fruit more prominently featured in some new dessert ideas. Again, the food will not be changing as much as people think. It’s what we do.
FK: There are so many great travel stories in your cookbooks. Would you say your travels are inspired by food, or that your cooking is inspired by your travels?
RL/KJ: It goes both ways. When we travel, it’s all about the food. I mean, we just don’t rest until we have experienced everything we came for. Then once we are back, the experiences are all absorbed into our restaurant. Take for instance our recent trip to Portugal. You can read all you want about piri piri sauce or a vintage Madeira. But once you are there and have an actual memory, it helps you translate it better to others.
FK: You’ve now hosted the only two vegan dinners at the Beard House in New York City. Do you think this represents a sea change in the way foodie institutions view vegan cuisine?
RL/KJ: Yes, absolutely. Five years ago, chefs simply didn’t take vegetarianism seriously, let alone veganism. But now you have mainstream restaurants offering vegetarian/vegan options and tasting menus. Look at Steve Wynn’s restaurants in Vegas, look at any LA restaurant, look at any good NYC restaurant. Good servers are trained these days how to respond and follow up if a guest asks about chicken stock in a soup. From Mario Batali to Jose Andres to Tom Colicchio. It’s a convergence of the farm to table trend and going green, concern for human health, and the traditional ethical approach that captured our attention so many years ago.
FK: How do you feel vegan cuisine has evolved in Philly over the past five years?
RL/KJ: It’s a whole new world. Labels are more clearly marked, options on mainstream menus abound, restaurants embrace the growing number of vegan diners, and there are more restaurants focusing on vegetables themselves. But rather than the number of strict vegans increasing, what we’ve noticed is an overall shift in food preferences for the population. As it’s become easier for people to find and select vegan items, people are choosing to incorporate vegan items into their diet (for ethical, health, and environmental reasons). Whether they ever “go vegan” themselves is another story. There are still the die-hard meat heads who eat 2 pound cheeseburgers with fried chicken buns smothered in cheese, but we’d be willing to bet that the overall vegetable to meat ratio is leaning more toward veggies.
FK: What would you like to hear people say as they leave Vedge after a meal?
RL/KJ: Any of the following would be great:
“Can I make a reservation for next week?”
“I followed you from Willow Grove to 7th Street, and I just love what you’ve decided to do here!”
“If I could eat like this all the time, it would be easy to be vegetarian!”
AMANDA FEIFER is a freelance writer in Bella Vista who always eats her veggies. Send feedback here.