About us
Welcome to the best place on earth…... We at The Meatball Shop focus on simplicity and deliciousness. The Meatball Shop is a fuss free kinda joint, roll up your sleeves and prepare for a ballistic, choose your own adventure food journey. Dan and I are food guys born and bred in NYC, opening up The Meatball Shop has given us the opportunity to give back to the city we love so much, we’ve created this place for YOU. Enjoy the menu on your own terms, eat simple, eat sustainable, eat good food with no strings attached.
Daniel Holzman
Executive Chef / Co-Owner
Daniel’s cooking career started at age 15 at LeBernardin in NYC. Daniel remained there for 4 years until, at the suggestion of Chef Eric Ripert, he attended the Culinary Institute of America with a full scholarship from the James Beard Foundation. Prior to graduation, Daniel accepted a position at the Paladin in New York City for Chef Jean Louis Paladin, working alongside such culinary notables as Wylie Dufresne and Sam Mason. Six months later Jean Louis asked Daniel if he would be willing to fill a vacancy at his flagship restaurant Napa in the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. Accepting the offer, Daniel began a 10-year culinary journey through some of Los Angeles and San Francisco’s finest restaurants including The Campton Place, The Fifth Floor, Aqua and Jardinière.
In 2004 Daniel began his first management job as chef of the California organic bistro, Axe, in Venice, Los Angeles. After one year at Axe, Daniel became Executive Chef at the Inn of the Seventh Ray, a 250 seat restaurant in the Topanga hills known for its romantic outdoor setting and lavish weddings. Daniel remained at the Inn until 2007 when he moved to San Francisco to open SPQR, a rustic Roman Osteria, as Co-owner and Executive chef. Within 3 months of the opening SPQR received 3½ out of 4 stars from Michael Bauer in The San Francisco Chronicle, a rating usually reserved for far fancier restaurants.
“I’ve saved the best for last. It's actually one of the best dishes I’ve had all year - fresh shelling beans with pork soffrito. It's pure poetry: Huge creamy white beans that taste as if someone individually pureed the contents and stuffed them back into the tender membrane, crowned with an intense, sweet, salty and meaty mixture of pork with a dab of tomato and white wine. The play of textures and flavors would make Catherine de' Medici, credited with introducing Italian food to the French, weep for joy.”
Daniel sold his interest in SPQR in 2008 and he and three partners founded KB treats LLC, an ice cream novelty company. KB’s first product, QB’s (crispy rice and marshmallow treats filled with ice cream), were an immediate success and can be found in markets nation-wide, including Whole Foods, Giant and Stop and Shop. www.qbtreats.com
Michael Chernow
General Manager / Co-Owner
Michael Chernow began his professional restaurant career in 1996 behind the bar of the popular nightclub, Life, on Bleecker Street in NewYork City.
Learning from the ground up, Michael quickly worked his way through the ranks becoming the youngest bartender on staff. After 2 years working in both Life in New York and in its East Hampton sister club, The Tavern, Michael signed on to open Woo Lae Oak on Mercer St. in New York City.
In 2001 Michael made the move to Los Angeles where he worked at Woo Lae Oak’s original location on La Cienega Blvd. Returning to New York, he opened Punch and Judy, a wine bar on Clinton Street. In 2002 Frank Prizanzano offered Michael a position behind the bar of his eponymous flagship restaurant Frank on Second Avenue.
For the past 7 years Michael has been managing the bar at Frank where he has a large, loyal following. In 2007 Michael enrolled in French Culinary Institute, graduated with honors, and was awarded an Associates Degree in both culinary arts and restaurant management in 2008.
