The Chef's Place - CLOSED

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Location & Contact:

349A. George St
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
732-220-0071
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Description:

The Chef's place has closed, Lauren will be opening a new restaurant in Newark.

The Chefs Place is located in downtown New Brunswick, offering a new and fresh take on All American Good Eats. Chef and Owner; Lauren Covas, is a young and vibrant woman who has brought her experiences from working in top restaurants across the country; from Vegas to Boston back home with her, to provide traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus with a twist. Dont let the innovative addition of cheeses, chipotle sauces, and homemade desserts, such as the famous Mothers Cheesecake give the impression of a pricey bill. The Chefs Place prices are made for the everyday couple looking for a romantic dinner date, a family looking for an affordable but satisfying Sunday brunch gathering, and those business men and women in search of relaxing, enjoyable and yet quick break during the work day. The BYOB restaurant also provides catering services and private party planning on or off site.

Hours:

Monday: 9am-4pm
Tuesday: 9am-4pm
Wednesday: 9am-4pm
Thursday: 9am-10pm
Friday: 9am-10pm
Saturday: 9am-10pm
Sunday: Closed

Type of Meals Served:

When Lauren Covas was coming up with a name for her new George Street restaurant, she knew she wanted the word "chef" in it. "I went to school and spent my time and money to get trained," she said. "And I think people like the idea of the chef. It's big on TV people are intrigued that it is not just like a short-order cook. It's an art."
Covas, 26, opened her restaurant The Chef's Place at 349-A George St. about three months ago. She had a grand opening on March 3. Covas got her start in the dining industry as a dishwasher at a restaurant in Sea Bright owned by a family friend."I went there and I said I really like the restaurant business so could I be of help," she said. "I was 14. I got to wash dishes and then got to be on the salad station. I really liked that."
Covas went on to study at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, completing two internships. One was in Las Vegas, and Covas said she liked the atmosphere so much she stayed in the city for about three years before moving to Boston, where she opened a restaurant for an investor.But Covas missed being close to her family. She moved back to New Jersey and took a job as a catering manager at Rutgers University three years ago, but was laid off nearly a year ago during budget cuts.
So with a little money saved up and a loan, she took a risk and opened a restaurant for the second time, this time with her own money. Covas said she realizes it's a risk opening up a new business in a down economy, but she said she couldn't pass up the opportunity when she found a space to lease in New Brunswick's busy downtown. But Covas said she was cognizant of the economy when planning her menu.
"You're not going to spend more than $10 for an individual lunch here, and it's a great portion size," she said. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. From Mondays through Wednesdays it closes at 6 p.m., as most of the business is from people who work in the city but live elsewhere. It's open until 10 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.
The food has much to do with Covas' Portuguese heritage.

My taste in food, my style, is a lot of very clean flavors: olive oil, fresh tomatoes, a lot of fish," she said. "That's the way I was brought up and raised.
"Being Portuguese is the reason why I started cooking in the first place. My mom is a phenomenal cook, and the kitchen's where we hung out to spend time with her."

Today, Covas' mother makes the desserts at The Chef's Place: cheesecake, biscotti, tiramisu and more. Covas said that while her business has done well with the downtown crowd, her ultimate goal is to become a favorite dining spot for the city's residents.
"My goal ultimately would be to be the neighborhood restaurant," Covas said, "the place where you and your wife come and grab a bottle of wine and go for dinner here, because the food's going to be great, the atmosphere, it's comfortable."

Price Range:

$$ up to 20 per meal

Payment Options:

Cash, Credit, Debit

Reservations:

Customer Reviews & Ratings

(5 out of 5 average with 5 reviews)

What a place!! I found this great little restaurant right in the middle of downtown New Brunswick on George St, went in for dinner and can I say I was impressed.. From the service to the atmosphere, my server was so pleasant and personal. I felt so taken care of the chef even came out to my table to ask us how our meal was. I ate the octopus salad w/ feta cheese on top of spinach salad and for my entree I had the Skate Milenese.. The flavors were so bright and were all so complimenting.. To top it all off for dessert I had the "mobster" traditional tirimisu it was so creamy and light.. AMAZING!! If your in the area this is a must try!! Reasonably prices and the best part it is a BYOB!!
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July 31, 2010 by Jon
Yes, the Chef's Place Closed on Friday, 12/3 - they are moving to Newark and reopening there!
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December 06, 2010 by Ginger
Drove by Chef's Place looks closed down
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December 04, 2010 by Mary R.
I had been to the Chef's Place for lunch and always had an excellent experience so I decided to try them out for dinner. It is BYOB so I brought a nice bottle of wine for the meal. I had the octopus appetizer and it was absolutely indescribable. Having never had octopus before I was nervous but I assure you I was far from dissapointed. Then it was on to the flank steak entree. Succulent, tender and perfectly seasoned, the steak left every part of me satisfied. I barely had room for dessert but decided to get the homemade tiramisu and it was out of this world. The experience at the Chef's Place could not have been better. The servers were helpful and very attentive and the food left my mouth watering for more. Anybody who wants a delicious meal needs to try the Chef's Pace!
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August 06, 2010 by Ben K.

If you're looking for a nice cozy place for a date or your family, The Chef's Place is it! It has a very comfortable atmosphere with great food. The portions are quite satisfying and usually enough to enjoy the following day. I loved all the little extras that they did - like the bread basket that consisted of delicious mini muffins and spiced breads. The sweet potato fries are to die for and just an overall treat. The presentation of all the entrees are not only professional but the flavors blended together are fantastic. I strongly recommend that everyone try The Chef's Place. You won't be disappointed!!
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August 02, 2010 by Fern