When the kitchen doors swing shut and the service rush finally comes to an end, what does a celebrated New York City chef choose to eat? For Eric Sze, the creative force behind Brooklyn’s acclaimed Taiwanese restaurant Wenwen, a day off is rarely spent resting at home. Instead, it offers a rare opportunity to traverse the five boroughs, pay respects to trusted suppliers, indulge in childhood nostalgia, and sample the diverse culinary craftsmanship of his peers. In a recent installment of the popular digital series Chef’s Day Off, Sze takes viewers behind the scenes of his weekly routine, offering an intimate look at the bakeries, pizzerias, butcher shops, and noodle houses that fuel his life and inspire his palate.
Sze’s journey begins in the morning hours, long before the frantic preparation for evening service begins at his own establishment. His first stop is Bakeri, a neighborhood staple where he launches his day with a very specific, carefully chosen breakfast sandwich. Eschewing heavier morning fare, Sze’s go-to order features a harmonious blend of honey, crisp apple, and creamy brie cheese, all layered generously inside a delightfully crunchy baguette. The combination of textures—the crackle of the freshly baked bread against the smooth cheese and the crisp, sweet fruit—sets an artisanal tone for the rest of his culinary excursion. It is a simple yet sophisticated start to the day that highlights a chef’s appreciation for quality ingredients and expert baking.
With breakfast concluded, Sze transitions from consumer to collaborator, making his way to The Meat Hook. This renowned local butcher shop is more than just a casual stop for the chef; it is the vital culinary lifeline that supplies Wenwen with its proteins. Sze visits the shop to handpick specialty cuts of steak and dry-aged short ribs destined to become centerpiece dishes for his own dinner table later that evening. Developing a close, symbiotic relationship with local suppliers is a cornerstone of modern restaurant ownership, and Sze’s visit underscores the deep ties that bind New York City’s independent restaurant community together. By selecting top-tier, dry-aged meats, he brings professional standards of quality home, treating himself to the same exceptional ingredients he demands for his restaurant patrons.
No New York food tour would be complete without a slice—or an entire pie—of the city’s iconic pizza, and Sze knows precisely where to find some of the finest dough in town. His next destination is Chrissy’s Pizza, helmed by chef Chris Hansell, who has spent years meticulously refining his craft. Rather than grabbing a quick, on-the-go triangle, Sze orders a whole, crispy, New York-style pie that showcases Hansell’s dedication to the art of fermentation and baking. Among the offerings, Sze favors a jalapeño and garlic pie, a bold creation praised for achieving the elusive, flawless proportion of each individual ingredient. Resting atop a doughy, perfectly yeasted crust, the pie balances the fiery kick of the peppers with the pungent depth of the garlic, creating a masterclass in flavor balance that satisfies a chef’s craving for comfort food executed at the highest level.
For his final and perhaps most personal stop of the day, Sze travels out to Flushing, Queens, heading straight to Maxi’s Noodle 2. This journey into one of the city’s vibrant culinary hubs is driven by a deep sense of nostalgia, offering the comforting, authentic Chinese flavors that Sze has continuously craved since leaving his home in Taiwan. Upon arrival, he is welcomed by owner Maxi Lau-O’Keefe, who takes the chef under her wing for an impromptu masterclass. Lau-O’Keefe guides Sze through the intricate, time-honored technique behind her iconic wontons. Stuffed with a precise mixture of fresh shrimp and seasoned pork, the wontons must be expertly folded to ensure they hold their structure and integrity during the cooking process.
Even for a seasoned professional chef who spends his days managing complex kitchen operations, the traditional wrapping technique proves to be a humbling experience. Sze’s attempt to match Lau-O’Keefe’s fluid, decades-honed dexterity highlights the specialized skill required in regional culinary traditions, serving as a reminder that mastery takes many forms across different cuisines. Humbled by the complex folding process, Sze gladly relinquishes the workstation to settle into a well-deserved meal. He sits down to a steaming, deeply comforting bowl of soup featuring thin, delicate noodles crafted from duck eggs, bobbing alongside those same classic, masterfully folded wontons, paired complementarily with a rich and savory beef soup.
For food enthusiasts and aspiring cooks looking to experience the city through the discerning eyes of a professional, the latest episode of Chef’s Day Off provides a front-row seat to Sze’s gastronomic routine. By moving seamlessly from an artisanal French-inspired baguette sandwich in Brooklyn to a meticulously aged steak from a local butcher, through a yeast-forward New York slice, and ultimately into the heart of Flushing for nostalgic, duck-egg noodles and hand-folded wontons, Sze maps out a diverse portrait of New York City’s unmatched food culture. It is a landscape defined not just by luxury and innovation, but by community, heritage, and the enduring quest for a truly exceptional meal.