Meet Two Local Chefs Who Earned Nods From the Prestigious Michelin Guide: Part 2
Written by Jan Norris
Photos by Elizabeth Palace
Building an Indian dining empire
At Stage in Palm Beach Gardens on PGA Boulevard, and Ela Curry Kitchen and Cocktails in the Donald Ross Village Plaza, chef/owner Pushkar Marathe invites diners to try his “home” cooking from India with modern twists.
Stage chef/owner Pushkar Marathe specializes in “home” cooking from India with modern twists. He also runs Ela, a casual street food concept.
Stage, pronounced STAAHJ, is the more formal of the two restaurants, with Ela being the street food and more casual concept.
Though Stage won the “recommended restaurant” label in the Michelin Guide, Marathe feels that Ela may also have won if the parameters for consideration were different.
“We really are sincerely trying to give the best we can,” he said.
He’s happy for the recognition, he said, though awards are not why he cooks. He would like a star, but said the recognition helps.
“I’m very content, though and happy for our county and excited for all our team.”
Marathe forged a path through myriad cuisines while training. He started in culinary schools learning French classical cuisine.
“In culinary school, that’s what you’re taught. When I worked in Switzerland, my executive chef was French. One of my sous chefs was Italian. I learned French and Italian cooking there.”
He learned from everyone in all kitchens with different backgrounds, he said.
He cooked his way around Dubai and Quatar, where much of the workforce is “all ex-pats — people from all around Asia. Filipinos, Chinese, Korean, European.”
He came to the U.S. in 2007 on a training visa, and worked with notables such as Jeremy Ford and Nivan
Patel – now award winning chefs on their own.
In South Florida, stints in Fort Lauderdale with acclaimed chefs Max Dean and Paula deSilva forwarded his lessons in tropical flavors and seafood from the Caribbean.
A job in California introduced him to his wife, Nicole, and they eventually returned to South Florida to be with her family, and raise a family of their own.
“I always wanted to have my own restaurants,” he said. “But originally I wanted a chef-driven restaurant, and never wanted to focus on Indian cultural cuisine. I always wanted to focus on global foods.”
Marathe opened Stage in 2020 – the year the pandemic shut down restaurants. The restaurant also was hit by one of the tornadoes that swept through Palm Beach County in October 2024.
“We can say we survived Covid and a tornado,” he said, laughing.
He opened Ela Curry Kitchen in 2022, named for cardamom – his favorite spice. Diners rave over the street food angle he’s presenting.
Now, he said, “I’m a chef and a businessman. My job is mentoring and motivating the next generation of cooks.”
Chef Marathe (right) with a guest at Kai Kai Farm inspecting fresh herbs and vegetables for his restaurants Stage and Ela.
The Michellin Guide review is a good marketing tool, he said. As for reaching for a coveted star, he said, “I will work for it, but I always tell people we’re our own competition.”
He said he strives for the best every day, and was surprised he wasn’t named for Ela Curry Kitchen.
“Everything we do here is from scratch...In all honesty, I thought it would be recognized.
The menus reflect the flavor-filled street foods of India at Ela, with dishes such as a dosa — a crepe made from fermented lentils and rice, stuffed with a sambar, or curried stew. The popular butter chicken is there, along with paneers, curries, and chutneys to accompany hand-helds. All are made in-house.
The exotic cocktail lists are available at the bar’s unique “reverse happy hour” Sunday to Thursday, 5-9 p.m. Marathe recently opened a second Stage in Boca Raton, and he’s currently opening a second Ela location at CityPlace in West
Palm Beach. Next door to it will be the provisions and prepared foods market, Mango Mercado.
“We have other plans,” he said, but he’s not ready to share those yet. “It will be a new concept for us.” As he builds his business, he remains true to his origins.
“Here is the beauty of it all: When I started out cooking, I really started cooking to see the joy in people’s faces. I live for it.”
As others, Marathe is changing the menu for summer, and putting on specials, such as a fresh lychee salad, and a mango lassi with mango salad. He’ll close his restaurants for lunch service until next fall; it’s open daily for dinner, 5-9 p.m.
Stage pronounced STAAHJ, 2000 PGA Blvd., Palm
Beach Gardens. Ela Curry Kitchen,
4650 Donald Ross Road, Palm
Beach Gardens. Both open daily for dinner (summer hours) 5-9 p.m.
Notable newcomers
Though chefs who are running their own restaurants don’t get out much, they do know others serving notable food.
Pushkar Marathe likes NiMo (157 N. U.S. 1, Tequesta; nimoeats.com), a Mediterranean with a coastal flair. Chef Niven Patel, of Ghee in Miami — a Michelin starred restaurant — and business partner Mohammed Alkassar designed the Tequesta restaurant’s menu to represent their native cuisines. A happy hour menu is a way to sample many of the dishes.Don’t miss the crispy eggplant.
Dinner only, Tuesday-Sunday.
David Chapman at the Salty Zebra in Tequesta is a newcomer to the area since December 2024. He comes from Michelin starred restaurants in Chicago most recently. Marathe described it as a modern bistro-style menu, utilizing Chapman’s classical French, Italian and vegetarian training. He uses local farms and seafood providers for his menu that changes with specials.
The aged duck, steak frites, and mushroom pate get raves, as do the cocktails. Dinner only, Tuesday-Saturday.
