Chef Shuffles

Jerome Waag to Replace David Tanis as Chez Panisse Co-Chef

Jerome Waag, once a busboy at the restaurant in the early 80s.
Jerome Waag, once a busboy at the restaurant in the early 80s. Photo: Ashley Helvey

Ladies and gentlemen, Alice has made her decision. As was announced earlier this year, longtime Chez Panisse co-chef David Tanis, who along with Jean-Pierre Moullé splits the year in the downstairs kitchen, will be departing the restaurant for good as of the the end of this month in order to pursue his writing career. In his place, as Ms. Tablehopper hinted yesterday and as the Scoop confirms this morning, will be Jerome Waag, a sous chef at the restaurant and one of the founders (along with another employee, Sam White) of OPENrestaurant.

Waag has been part of the Chez Panisse family for three decades, starting at the restaurant as a busboy in the early 1980s and moving into the kitchen in 1991. He’ll take the full-time helm in May 2012, when Tanis’s next scheduled stint would usually begin.

Starting in November, Jean-Pierre Moullé, who’s been at Chez Panisse since the mid-1970s serving as sous chef under Jeremiah Tower, will return for his usual winter tenure, through April.

From busboy to the top: Chez Panisse confirms that Jerome Waag is the new co-chef [Scoop]
Big, Exciting Rumor: Jerome Waag Named Chez Panisse Restaurant Chef [Tablehopper]

Jerome Waag to Replace David Tanis as Chez Panisse Co-Chef