Boston's Wink & Nod Serves Up Competition For Area's Best Chefs
BOSTON (CBS) -- Welcome to Boston's only culinary incubator.
It's called Wink & Nod, a name dating back to prohibition-era restaurants.
In those days, patrons knocked on the establishment's door—often with a "secret" knock—and got the okay, through a small sliding window, to come in.
The Wink & Nod at 3 Appleton Street in Boston's South End welcomes all and offers something new every six months.
Think of it as pop-up restaurant meets reality show. Chefs compete for a chance to run the restaurant from soup to nuts (pun intended) with the hopes of, one day, owning their own restaurant.
In order to win the opportunity to run the show at Wink & Nod, they present a concept to restaurant group, Boston Nightlife Ventures. After that, they cook for a panel of judges and describe their dishes.
Chelmsford native, Brendan Pelley is now running Pelekasis in the space, He is ordering and planning, running the cocktail program, writing the menu and perfecting the dishes.
Pelley, who was the chef at Zebra's in Medfield, has prepared dishes from around the world. But he says, for the first time in his career, the food he's serving at Pelekasis is, "One-hundred percent me."
The menu is rooted in Pelley's Greek heritage. He fondly remembers Sunday suppers with his late Greek grandfather and says, when he's in the kitchen, he's channeling that memory.
Boston Nighlife Ventures' Chief Culinary Director, Bill Brodsky says, first and foremost, the chef who wins the unique opportunity to run the space must be open to feedback and understand what it takes to run a neighborhood restaurant.
"We're not looking for 40 things on the menu. We're looking for 15 brilliant items. The best of the best," said Brodsky.
Brodsky was immediately taken with Pelley's talent and his ability to balance flavors.
WBZ's Lisa Hughes asked, "Is the big picture goal to find the next great chef of Boston?"
Brodsky didn't hesitate. "Yeah! That's certainly our intention."
The past three chefs to run Wink & Nod now either have their own restaurants or are preparing to open one.
Winning chefs run the Wink & Nod space for six months. Pelekasis will be there through the spring of 2016. After that? Stay tuned…
And if you think you have what it takes, Boston Nightlife Ventures wants to hear from you. Contact information: bbrodsky@boston-nightlife-ventures.com
Good luck!
