I first followed Chef Dan to the fleishig kitchen, just one of the industrial-sized kitchens behind the counter. With Shabbos coming, he especially has no time to waste. I watch as he carefully, yet confidently, sprinkles seasonings grabbed off adjacent shelving--filled with every type of spice--on his famous grilled chicken. His sesame chicken is just about ready to come out of the oven; it will quickly replace his Chinese specialty.

Behind me, tubs of water in which barley and an assortment of beans of different shapes and colors are soaking in preparation for one of Seasons’ hottest sellers, literally—cholent. Close by, are raw, whole, plump, paprika-smeared chickens, lined up like soldiers, waiting in line for their turn in the rotisserie. It is obvious that Chef Dan loves to cook, although you couldn’t tell by looking at him that he taste-tests his delectable dishes all day.

Next, we check out the pareve kitchen, where trays of raw carrot kugels and just breaded cauliflower await their turn for the ovens, so Chef Dan can instruct his culinary staff. Dips and dressings, like the silky looking Green Yoga Dressing, are simultaneously being made while labels are being affixed on their bottles. We pause to discuss the expanding gluten-free menu that is in store, literally, for Seasons, now that Chef Dan is on the scene, and the fact that its line of salads and dressings are expanding.

Curious to know what Chef Dan’s last name is, I ask him. ‘Neuman’, he says. Those of you old enough or in town long enough may remember his parents, Shmuel and Rochel Neuman, proprietors of “Fruits, Candies, and Friends”. He attended culinary school in Israel and was employed by various restaurants in New York, as well as for RAM Caterers. I also learn that father of three girls, and his wife, Shira (originally from Frederick, Maryland), lived in Brooklyn after their marriage and relocated to Baltimore when he was hired to be Serengeti’s chef. He worked in other local restaurants, too, before starting to work as Seasons’ lead chef, in mid-October.  

Despite Chef Dan’s long days, he is full of energy. Typically, he tells me, he wakes up about 4 a.m. and figures out recipes before beginning his day at the store, between 6 and 7 a.m. He is there until about 9 p.m., which leaves him little time to spend with family, except for Shabbos.

Seasons’ former STAR-K mashgiach, Eli Moskowitz, who began managing the fleishig take-out and deli department after Chef Dan’s arrival, notes, “Later tonight, and on Thursday and Friday, things will get even busier and you will see things fly off these shelves. We already have prepped, for tomorrow, everything that needs to be made to keep up with the demand. A lot of our items will have the same names they had before Chef Dan, but they are all new recipes; everything’s different.”

Adds Chef Dan, “It’s different, but we need to have those staple items—but, they’re done my way, with my own spin! We are just trying to please everybody. We ask people what they want to see here; everybody has their opinion. Making the food look good is important, also, but I like to put my time into the flavor!”

The flavors Chef Dan has perfected can be tasted in the large variety of dishes both behind the take-out/deli counter and opposite it, in the hot buffet, as well as in the surrounding refrigerated shelves that hold everything from chicken soup to Basil Corn Chowder. The hot buffet is served every day of the week, with a different theme, each day.

“We used to have the same hot buffet every day, but Chef Dan wants to do new things all the time,” explains Eli. “He is very creative, and it shows. One of our most popular items is his newly introduced maple-bacon flavored rugalach—a unique combination of sweet and salty.”

I happened to tour on “Italian Day”, when garlic bread, grilled tomatoes with pesto sauce, spaghetti and meatballs, meat lasagna topped with pareve cheese, and mushroom ravioli in meat sauce were featured. American classic dishes, like franks in blanks and sliders are served on Sunday; Chinese dishes are served on Monday; and Mexican dishes on Tuesday. Kugel, cholent, and kishke are served on Thursday and Friday. Neighboring the hot buffet is a salad and olive bar. The take-out department also prepares the “Grab and Go” containers, filled with schnitzel fingers, sandwiches, and all types of salads and wraps, conveniently located close to the check-out counters.

Making our way back to the take-out/deli counter, at the tour’s end, I check out the large variety of prepared foods in the showcase: Stuffed cabbage, meatballs, grilled vegetables, shawarma (dark, baby chicken cutlets), sweet chili chicken, sesame teriyaki, steak fingers (breaded ribeye), and the grilled chicken I had watched Chef Dan prepare. Numerous types of schnitzel, all yoshon, are on display, too: Plain, Corn Flake, Captain Crunch, Rice Crispies, Pretzel, and Sesame Panko. Chef Dan recently introduced his gluten-free line of dishes, including gluten-free bread crumb and pretzel schnitzels, and his gluten-free fried chicken. Also, in the case, were London broil, prime rib, smoked brisket, barbecue pot pies, corn dogs, deli roll, cranberry corned beef, and roasted garlic mashed potatoes.

On Thursdays and Fridays, a lot of the higher end dishes make their way to the case, too—like steaks and prime rib. “They are cooked just enough for you to finish cooking it before Shabbos, without getting it dried out,” notes Chef Dan.

‘What else is new at the Seasons take-out and deli department?’ I ask.

Concludes Eli, “Timers now go off every two hours to ensure that food displayed atop the deli case does not reach the maximum four-hour, out-of-refrigeration time limit allowed by the Department of Health. Also, Chef Dan is working with a whole new crew...In a week, our shelves will be double the inventory of what we have now. Our catering menu is up and running—we get calls all the time, especially with Thanksgiving coming.”