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Matawan Pizza Genius, Aberdeen Chef Both Up For James Beard Awards Matawan Pizza Genius, Aberdeen Chef Both Up For James Beard Awards
Matawan Pizza Genius, Aberdeen Chef Both Up For James Beard Awards New Jersey’s food scene is sizzling with excitement as two chefs have snagged James Beard Award nominations. Dan Richer, the mastermind behind Razza in Jersey City, and David Viana, the culinary genius at Lita in Aberdeen, are both up for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic. There are a total of 10 nominees mainly from DC, Philadelphia, and Delaware. Richer is no stranger to accolades. Born in Matawan, he ditched his college graduation for a plane ticket to Italy, where he fell in love with food and never looked back.  Since then, he’s turned Razza into a pizza powerhouse, earning a thr…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
New Jersey Cocktail Bar Named Among Best In America New Jersey Cocktail Bar Named Among Best In America
New Jersey Cocktail Bar Named Among Best In America A Monmouth County cocktail bar picked up another national recognition after just one year of serving specialty drinks. Esquire named La Otra in Aberdeen Township on its list of 42 Best Bars in America for 2024. The bar is next to its sister restaurant Lita on Route 34, and both businesses are run by chef David Viana and his girlfriend Neilly Robinson. Bar manager Ricardo Rodriguez has a more "free-wheeling" approach to mixology at La Otra, compared to the Iberian classics at Lita. "Like the best bars attached to restaurants, the drinks are on the culinary side, such as the Tzatziki, which …

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by Chris Spiker
Lifestyle
Couple's NJ Restaurant, 2 Area Chefs Nominated For James Beard Awards Couple's NJ Restaurant, 2 Area Chefs Nominated For James Beard Awards
Couple's NJ Restaurant, 2 Area Chefs Nominated For James Beard Awards A Monmouth County restaurant and two Garden State chefs are among the nominees for the prestigious James Beard Awards. The James Beard Foundation announced the semifinalists for the 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards on Wednesday, Jan 24. The awards recognize the nation's best restaurants, chefs, food writers, and others in the hospitality industry. Lita, an Iberian cuisine restaurant in Aberdeen by Chef David Viana and his girlfriend Neilly Robinson, was among the 30 semifinal nominees for the best new restaurant award. According to its website, the Route 34 restaurant spe…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
NJ Couple's Eatery That Tells Family Tale Named Among 50 Best New Restaurants In America NJ Couple's Eatery That Tells Family Tale Named Among 50 Best New Restaurants In America
NJ Couple's Eatery That Tells Family Tale Named Among 50 Best New Restaurants In America A chef's New Jersey restaurant that he says tells the story of his family is getting national accolades. Lita, in Aberdeen, by Chef David Viana and his girlfriend Neilly Robinson, is representing the Garden State on Esquire's list of "50 Best New Restaurants in America." Inside Lita ET Schindler You may recognize Viana and Robinson from Heirloom Kitchen in Old Bridge, and Heirloom at The St Laurent, in Asbury Park. Lita is named after Viana's mother, Rosa Lita, came to Newark from Portugal in the 1970s. Viana's love of food, especially Portuguese classics, come from his m…

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by Cecilia Levine
Lifestyle
Portuguese Chef Draws On Family Recipes At New Jersey Shore Restaurant 'Lita' Portuguese Chef Draws On Family Recipes At New Jersey Shore Restaurant 'Lita'
Portuguese Chef Draws On Family Recipes At New Jersey Shore Restaurant 'Lita' A new restaurant featuring Portuguese fare is coming to the Jersey Shore this winter. At Lita, Chef David Viana says he plans to draw on his family recipes. The modern Iberian restaurant will be located at 1055 Route 34 in Aberdeen Township. Steeped in tradition, influenced by the French and the Mediterranean, and inspired by the spices of the East Indies, the food of Portugal can be beautifully described as simple and satisfying, the restaurant says on its website. Chef David is excited to use his talents and perspective, "to bring new life to a cuisine that has suffered years of neglect…

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by Jon Craig