For the culinary masterminds behind New York City’s most celebrated eateries, a day off is rarely spent resting. Instead, it often involves a carefully curated pilgrimage across the city’s boroughs to seek out inspiration, source premier ingredients, and indulge in the comforting flavors that fuel their own creative engines. Chef Eric Sze, the driving force and owner behind Brooklyn’s acclaimed Taiwanese restaurant Wenwen, offers a fascinating glimpse into this world in the latest installment of the popular digital series Chef’s Day Off. Rather than taking a break from food entirely, Sze’s ideal day away from the kitchen is an immersive gastronomic tour that spans artisanal European-style bakeries, specialty butcher shops, inventive New York pizzerias, and nostalgic Flushing noodle houses.
Sze’s culinary journey begins in the morning hours with a deliberate break from Asian cuisine, starting his day at Bakeri, a beloved local spot known for its rustic ambiance and exceptional baked goods. Here, his go-to order bypasses traditional heavy breakfast fare in favor of a sophisticated and texturally complex sandwich. The chef opts for a crunchy, freshly baked baguette layered with a harmonious combination of sweet honey, crisp apple, and creamy brie cheese. This balance of earthy crunch, fruit sweetness, and rich dairy sets an indulgent tone for the rest of the day’s itinerary, highlighting Sze’s appreciation for thoughtful, high-quality ingredients executed with simplicity.
With breakfast concluded, Sze transitions from consumer to professional collaborator by making a vital stop at The Meat Hook, the trusted meat supplier for Wenwen. Visiting the butcher shop is a crucial part of his routine, allowing him to hand-select premium proteins for future dinner services at his restaurant. During his visit for the camera, Sze secures specialty cuts of steak alongside dry-aged short ribs, items that demand precision and reverence from any chef working with them. The stop underscores the tight-knit network of independent purveyors and restaurants that sustain New York City’s vibrant dining ecosystem, showcasing the close relationships between chefs and the artisans who source their ingredients.
Moving from high-end butchery to casual innovation, Sze’s next destination is Chrissy’s Pizza, where chef Chris Hansell has spent years refining the art of the New York-style pie. Unlike the heavy, cheese-laden slices found on every street corner, Hansell’s creation focuses on a doughy, yeasted crust that achieves a perfect balance of structural integrity and crispy exterior perfection. Sze orders a whole, crispy jalapeño and garlic pie, praising the meticulous proportions that ensure neither ingredient overpowers the other. The stop reflects a deep mutual respect among New York chefs who admire peers dedicated to perfecting a single, iconic food item through years of iteration and trial.
For the final leg of his day off, Sze travels to Flushing to visit Maxi’s Noodle 2, seeking a profound connection to the comforting, nostalgic Chinese flavors he has craved since leaving his home in Taiwan. This stop provides a deeply personal window into Sze’s background, illustrating how food serves as a powerful anchor to memory and identity for immigrant chefs working far from home. At the restaurant, owner Maxi Lau-O’Keefe welcomes Sze behind the scenes to teach him the intricate art of making her iconic wontons. Stuffed meticulously with a savory mixture of fresh shrimp and pork before being folded with expert precision, the wontons present a humbling challenge even for a seasoned professional like Sze.
After wrestling with the complex folding technique under Lau-O’Keefe’s watchful eye, Sze settles into a well-earned meal. He enjoys a steaming bowl of soup filled with delicate, thin noodles crafted from duck eggs, paired alongside those very same classic wontons and a robust beef soup. The comforting bowl brings his whirlwind tour of New York’s diverse food culture full circle, anchoring the day in heritage, tradition, and expert craftsmanship. Viewers looking to experience Sze’s neighborhood favorites and witness his humbling dumpling-making lesson firsthand can catch the complete journey on the newest episode of Chef’s Day Off.
