Stina Announces Monthly Guest Chef Charity Dinners with David Ansill, Joncarl Lachman and Phila Lorn

Stina BYO Chef Bobby Saritsoglou announces a brand new monthly Stina Guest Chef Series and Charity Dinner with three of Philly's finest chefs raising money in September, October and November for a different cause each month. Chef Phila Lorn will kick things off on Thursday, September 30th, with a dinner collaboration menu that will benefit Cambodian American Girls Empowering. For the second month, Stina will partner with Chef Joncarl Lachman of Noord and Winkel on Tuesday, October 28th. For the final fall event, Stina will partner with Chef David Ansill on Tuesday, November 30th. Each event will feature Stickman Brews, who will curate the evenings beer list to pair with the menus every month. For the September launch menu, guests will enjoy an eight course menu with dishes from Lorn and Saritsoglou for $65 per person, with an optional add on beer tasting with Stickman Brews for $10 per person. Stina BYO is located at 1705 Snyder Avenue, in Newbold and West Passyunk Neighborhood and reservations are now available for the special dinner by visiting www.stinapizzeria.com, Resy or calling 215-337-3455.

"I am thrilled to announce our new monthly Guest Chef Series to raise funds every month for causes in our community," said Saritsoglou. "This is an exciting chance every month to mix things up in the kitchen and collaborate with Chefs I have worked with and admired over the years, as well as an opportunity to help support up-and-coming Chefs and those with new projects in the works."

Saritsoglou added, "I first met Chef Phila Lorn in the kitchen at 1225 Raw Sushi and Lounge. He was a food-runner. From the moment we met I knew this kid had charisma. He was also always asking us questions, curious beyond most front of house staff. We were delighted by his questions and curiosity. Fast-forward to years later, I was at Feastival setting up and I saw Phila wearing a Chef's coat and looking all professional and focused. He said 'I’m a Chef!' and I was so delighted and amazed. Since then we have stayed in contact and even worked together. He is the future of the restaurant industry, and he has already paid his dues under many Chefs and kitchens you may have eaten in - behind the scenes this is your Chef! Young, hungry and authentically true. He has big plans coming up and we are so thrilled to partner with him."

For Stina's special collaboration dinner with Chef Phila Lorn, the two celebrated chef's have designed a special menu that is eight courses for $65 each. Dinner service begins at 4:00pm. The menu includes:

“A Ya Hawn Dinner”

Num Pang (Cambodian Baguette)
Chicken Liver Mousse /Curry Salt

Crispy Taro Spring Rolls

West Coast Oyster
Kampot Black Peppercorn /Lime /Salt

Steak Skewer
Rib eye/ Bibb/ Prohak

Bang Chow Crepe Salad
Stewed Chicken/ Assorted herbs

Fried Smelts
Sticky Fish Sauce/Thai Chili and Basil

Ya Hawn
Khmer Red Curry Hot-Pot
Raw Beef, Seafood and Greens with Somen Noodles

Countryside Banana Dessert

For beer pairings, Stina has once again partnered with Stickman Brews to pour American twists on Belgian inspired beers, IPA’s and all things in between. They will be pairing four beers over the course of the meal, with a new beer every other course. The cost is $10 per pairing, or $5 a la carte. The selections will include:

Pilsner Party - bright American pilsner using all pa grown hops, collab with Pour Man's brewing

Table Beer - a refreshing blonde ale with some complex yeast character finishes dry with subtle citrusy hops

Homemade is Best - a classic hazy ipa with big tropical hop character

Cousin Stoopid - a grand cru, brewed with orange peel and coriander it's perfect end of summer/ beginning of fall beer

ABOUT CHEF PHILA LORN AND CAGE

For Lorn's background, Lorn shared, "I’m a new American. The first one in my family. My parents escaped the bombs of their homeland and landed in the trenches of South Philadelphia in 1985. Armed already with 4 kids and a small one bedroom apartment on 7th and Jackson Street..they decided to have just one more. They asked my mother what she wanted to name her new 11 pound boy and she said…Phila, for Philadelphia. She pronounced the name in broken-english hence my name is pronounced Pee-lah. Kinda sealed my fate with that one. I’ve been up and down the block in Philadelphia’s food scene for 16 years. Cooking with great Chefs who taught me how to find myself. Teaching me what to do, what not to do and most importantly how to cook. Join me, let me cook some food for you."

Lorn's background includes nearly a decade of working with Japanese food alongside Chef ZamaSan of Zama, helping to run the kitchen at Stock with Chef Tyler Akins and learning how to see food as an art alongside Chris Kearse at Will. Currently, Lorn is working as Sous Chef at Terrain Cafe in Glen Mills. Lorn is also one of seven chefs tapped for a new program that will soon be revealed by Chef Jose Garces. Lorn is also working on his first independent project, with details to be shared in December of 2021.

Lorn said, "I realized that my reason for cooking has changed. It no longer was a learning phase as much now. It no longer was the game of 'beasting' the line. All of these great Chefs and others who represent Philadelphia as an established 'food town' have helped me realize that I wanted to cook my own food. I want to showcase my own style and my own culture’s flavors. Almost like when you are listening to a good rap song and one day you realize that you can finish off their lines..I think that’s a good analogy. My goal is to sit in the car with my very indecisive wife and as she asks me what I would like to have for dinner. The goal is to hear the choices be 'I don’t know hon, what do you feel like? Japanese, Italian or Cambodian?' I want Cambodian to have it's moment in the Philly food scene that it very much deserves. Until then, my shift isn’t over.

For September's Charity, Cambodian American Girls Empowering (CAGE) was founded in 2015 by a group of trained Classical Khmer Dancers from Philadelphia. We seek to build a more sustainable and accessible pathway to the arts and activism.

CAGE's mission is to create a safe space where Khmer Americans feel safe and free to explore and/or learn more about their shared identities, culture, heritage, and history. We seek to foster a group of individuals who use art as activism to foster power in each other, ourselves, and our shared communities.

We are a group of second generation Khmer American feminists seeking to dismantle systems of oppression while also practicing restorative resolutions. We do not tolerate any form discrimination, harassment, racism, sexism, ableism, etc.

OCTOBER CHEF

For the next installment on October 28th, Stina welcomes Chef Joncarl Lachman of Noord and Winkel. After years of following his passions for travel (33 countries) and linguistics (4 languages), Lachman turned to settling down and achieving a life-long goal of restaurant ownership.

A graduate of New York City’s Institute of Culinary Education, Lachman was the winner of the inaugural “San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef” Award in 2002. He has worked under the tutelage of Nora Pouillon (Washington DC “Restaurant Nora”) and in NYC, Anne Rosenzweig (of Arcadia and Lobster Club) who remains a trusted friend and mentor.

In 2005, he opened HB Home Bistro, a 42-seat Michelin Ranked New American Restaurant in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. 2010 saw the opening of his second restaurant Vincent, where he was able to express his love for his Dutch heritage and serve modern takes on the cuisines of Amsterdam.

Returning to his hometown of Philadelphia has always been in the plans. Later this spring (fingers crossed) he will be opening NOORD eetcafe, an homage to classic Northern European bistro fare with an extensive smoked fish program and a big slice of Gezelligheid.

NOVEMBER CHEF

For the November 30th event, Stina welcomes David Ansill. Chef Ansill, a Cheltenham native, was trained at Philadelphia’s The Restaurant School and spent 26 years honing his skills & perfecting dishes while cooking at renowned local favorites such as Serrano, Judy’s Café, Rittenhouse Hotel & Lucy’s Hat Shop. He spent time broadening his culinary skills in Sweden and Miami Beach, including a stint at the prestigious Delano Hotel.

Ansill decided to break out on his own in 2001; First with Pif, an intimate French bistro with a daily changing menu. In 2006, he opened Ansill Food + Wine, a remarkable tapas inspired restaurant with influences from France, Italy and Spain. By 2009, Ansill had landed at Ladder 15, where he continued to bring his innovative style & direction to life. And in July of 2012, Ansill teamed up with old friend Owen Kamihira as the Executive Chef of Bar Ferdinand, a traditional yet creative Spanish wine & tapas bar in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties community.

CHEFS GIVING BACK

The new monthly Guest Chef Series is part of Stina’s year-round mission to give back to the community. Once a month Stina hosts a special night and donates 20% to an area non-profit that is specially selected by Stina owners Chef Saritsoglou and his wife Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou.

Stina wants to support these organizations financially, as well as bring awareness to who they are and the work that they do. This month's charity is Cambodian American Girls Empowering (CAGE), a performing arts nonprofit dedicated to creating and sustaining safe spaces for cultural creation and exploration. The organization seeks to foster a group of individuals who use art as activism, to foster power in each other and in shared communities. Reservations are now open for Thursday, Sept 30th, when 20% of the day's sales go to CAGE.

Stay tuned for the menu and charities for coming Guest Chef Series events for Tuesday, October 28th with Chef Joncarl Lachman and for Tuesday, November 30th with Chef David Ansill. Make your reservations now for September - which are now live on Resy. Reservations for future dinners will open the month prior.

RESTAURANT WITH A SOCIAL MISSION

In addition to creating fresh delicious Mediterranean fare, Stina's mission is to highlight, support and donate to a different organization each month, who are making an impact in people's lives. Each month at least 1% of proceeds are donated to a cause of the month, and now with the new Guest Chef Series, Stina will also donate 20% of a day's sales to a different charity every month. To date they've been able to give away over $10,000 to 14 local organizations.

"We created Stina to express love for food, our culture, our community and each other...celebrate with us," said Chef Saritsoglou. "We are so happy to be able to do what we love, give back and help make our community a better place. We can't express how grateful we are!"

Since opening their doors, Stina has donated to the following organizations: SEAMAAC, Juntos, Women In Transition, Stephen Girard Elementary, Puentes De Salud, Philadelphia Bail Fund, West Passyunk Neighbors Association, Project Home, Books Through Bars, Unity In the Community, Punks With Lunch, Homies Helping Homies, Attic Youth Center, Lil Filmmakers and Empowering Cuts.

HOURS

Stina is currently open the following hours:

Sunday CLOSED
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday 4:00pm - 10:00pm
Wednesday 4:00pm - 10:00pm
Thursday 4:00pm - 10:00pm
Friday 4:00pm - 10:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm - 10:00pm

For more information visit Stina online at www.StinaPizzeria.com, on Instagram @Stina_Pizzeria and on Facebook at Facebook.com/StinaPizzeria.

Chef Saritsoglou can be found at @chef_bobby_saritsoglou. Chef Lorn can be found on social media at @philapans. Chef's current restaurant Terrain can be found at @terraincafe.

To find more information on Cambodian American Girls Empowering (CAGE), visit them online at www.cagempowering.org, on Instagram @cagempowering