Michael Schukar, a Florida-raised chef who was last executive sous chef at Tao in Las Vegas, has joined Pod in University City as executive chef.
So why would Pod chef Hiroyuki "Zama" Tanaka cede the kitchen?
Because Tanaka and owner Stephen Starr are planning to open an izakaya -- basically, a fun, casual Japanese bar -- near Rittenhouse Square.
Starr won't spill the name or exact location (lease not signed) but says it's about eight months away.
Tanaka's story is neat. He grew up in Japan and, wanting to learn English, enrolled in classes at Temple University's campus in Tokyo. To advance his studies, he transferred to Temple's main campus in North Philadelphia. He's been with Pod since the beginning, and became executive chef when Michael Schulson left to open Buddakan in New York.