WASHINGTON 鈥� Ezekiel Emanuel is well-known in Washington for his work in public health and health policy, but this summer the bioethicist is testing out a new role 鈥� that of chef.
For four days, Emanuel will take over the kitchen in Nick Stefanelli’s new eatery, , to host a breakfast series.
鈥淚鈥檝e often said that when I retire, that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 going to do 鈥� create a brunch-diner,鈥� says Emanuel, who currently serves as the vice provost and chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania.
But after the encouragement of some friends, Emanuel decided to test out his dream sooner rather than later. He will debut his culinary chops on July 25 and 26, and then again on Aug. 1 and 2 between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Emanuel grew up in Chicago, where he says there is no shortage of great breakfast spots and diners. His goal is to bring that same 鈥渂reakfast culture鈥� to the District, which he calls his 鈥渁dopted home.鈥�
However, there are a few other reasons behind the health expert鈥檚 breakfast series. For starters, he wants to promote healthy eating.
Emanuel is planning a menu that includes traditional breakfast items such as a Gruyere cheese omelet, a chanterelle mushroom omelet, French toast, blueberry pancakes, challah, mixed berries with yogurt and muesli, and grilled peaches.
鈥淭hese are things I would regularly make for my children for breakfast before school,鈥� he says.
There are a few nontraditional items on the menu, as well, such as a quail egg omelet and duck bacon.
Diners will leave with full stomachs, but they鈥檒l also leave with materials on Emanuel鈥檚 approach to health and wellness and advice on healthy food choices (he swears by yogurt, nuts and fresh fruit).
Emanuel also plans to give away his blueberry pancake recipe and the recipe for a banana cake he used to make his daughters after school.
He says breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and he wants others to know that it doesn鈥檛 take a lot of time and effort to make a wholesome meal at home in the morning.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great way to start your kids off on the right foot nutritionally, but also, if you eat as a family, psychologically,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 know a lot of my colleagues say, 鈥榃ell, you know, I can鈥檛 do it, so I just take the Eggos out of the freezer.鈥欌��
But he likes to challenge that mentality: Emanuel says his blueberry pancake recipe is so quick, he can whip up a batch faster than the time it takes to pull a waffle out of the freezer and heat it up in the toaster.
鈥淚 want them to have the recipe and be able to have that confidence that this isn鈥檛 a big ordeal,鈥� he says.
Emanuel鈥檚 four-day takeover may only be a test-run for his plans after retirement, but he鈥檚 already facing the question: What if it鈥檚 a success?
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the scariest question you could ask,鈥� he says. 鈥淔irst, I might have to push up my retirement from the University of Pennsylvania and I鈥檓 not sure they want to hear that. 鈥� But if it鈥檚 successful, we鈥檙e talking about maybe keeping it going in some way 鈥� I鈥檓 not sure what that way is, maybe we鈥檒l do it once a month and then the last weekend of the month or something like that.鈥�
He adds, laughing: 鈥淚鈥檝e been told that being a chef is such hard work that after four days, I will be thankful I did it, and thankful I won鈥檛 be continuing it.鈥�
Reservations are taken on a first-come, first-serve basis by emailing聽reservations@masseria-dc.com. A portion of the proceeds from the breakfast series will benefit Martha鈥檚 Table, DC Central Kitchen and the Good Food Awards.
