THE TEAM
Executive Chef
Chef Sylva came to the helm of TASHAN after an illustrious rise to success at Buddakan in New York and Philadelphia after stops with Andrew D'Amico (Sign of the Dove), Marcus Samuelsson (Aquavit), and Jean-George Vongerichten (66 Leonard Street and the Mercer Kitchen).
Chef Sylva is both ambitious but an inherently humble sophisticate who presents a striking appearance with his chiseled jaw and long dreads.
A French-speaking Haitian native with Manhattan fine-dining sensibilities, Senat is a kitchen-trained, not culinary-school-educated chef who learned from some of the absolute best: Andrew D'Amico when he was at the Sign of the Dove; Marcus Samuelsson, who made Senat his sous chef at Aquavit; and Jean-George Vongerichten, who made Senat chef de cuisine at 66 Leonard Street and the Mercer Kitchen.
Sanjay Shende showed promise early as winner of the all India Inter Catering College Student Chef's Competition in 1988, and upon graduation the next year, joined the prestigious Kitchen Management Programmes with premium Indian chain hotels.
Through the program he worked with Oberoi School of Hotel Management and with WelcomGroup Management Institute, both recognised by IHA Paris and jobs highly sought after openings in the Indian catering trade.
Sanjay worked in both of India's only two 'golden fork award' winning restaurants, Dum Pukht and Bukhara, both of which are in the ITC Welcomgroup Maurya Sheraton Hotel in New Delhi, as a sous chef far younger than his peers.
Exposure on prime time national TV in India followed and assignments at all the finest culinary events including Royal affairs made Sanjay something of a celebrity chef.
Most recently Sanjay has been working to popularize Indian cuisine in Ireland, and has been widely acclaimed in the Irish media as a trendsetting Indian chef who brought about a seismic change in the perception of Indian cuisine on the Emerald Isle.
Sanjay speaks 6 languages and studied hotel administration at India's top catering college, and recently completed an honours degree in Human Resource Management from Ireland's renowned Kemmy Business School, of University of Limerick.
Juan knows the premium restaurant business from over 15 years working in some of the finest dining rooms and gourmet stores in New York including Jean George, Citrella, V Steak House, as a service director and manager, moving up from the floor as a waiter and captain. JC also served as dining room captain of DB Bistro Moderne at the JW Marriott Marquis in Miami, and as general manager of Koco at the El San Juan Hotel in Puerto Rico.
His objective at TASHAN is to meet -- and surpass -- the high standard of excellence in service set by the Center City Philadelphia restaurant community.
David is a Culinary Institute of America honors grad with a Masters Degree in Hospitality Management from Miami's Florida International University, didn't let school get in the way of an education as he manned the busy bar at Mitchy's and provided dining patrons with wine selection advice. He gained his knowledge of the trade working at a Total Wine and More in North Miami, after stints on kitchen staffs and as Executive Chef from Palm Beach to Pennsylvania. For TASHAN patrons David welcomes the challenge of matching great wines to the original and authentic global Indian cuisine on the menu.
