Stratis Morfogen - Damn Good Dumplings: 60 Innovative Favorites for Every Occasion

praise for damn good dumplings

Stratis shares the secrets that have made him a legend. From the dough to the unique fillings, this book is the final word on dumplings.

Rocco DiSpirito, celebrity chef

Say bye bye to basic dumplings!

Foodgod

The French onion soup dumplings burst with flavor. Damn Good Dumplings is such a fab read.

Wendy Williams, TV talk show host

These dumplings are incomparable. They are to die (or to live) for.

Omari Hardwick, actor

Stratis hits a home run with his innovative idea of converting traditional sandwiches into dumplings. Damn Good Dumplings is a must-read!

Pat LaFrieda, nationwide meat purveyor

We love Damn Good Dumplings and highly recommend it for every home cook.

@Dumplinggang

what others are saying

My last meal on earth will be the bacon cheeseburger dumplings at Brooklyn Chop House!

Gayle King, O Magazine

This is the most innovative idea Ive ever seen bacon, cheeseburger and pastrami dumplings!

Rachael Ray

These exciting new dumplings will break the internet!

Delish

Dumplings should not be this good in a steakhouse, but they are!

Newsweek

The Philly cheesesteak and French onion soup dumplings are fantastic!

Forbes magazine

INNOVATIVE
FAVORITES
for
EVERY
OCCASION

damn good
Dumplings

Stratis Morfogen

founder of Brooklyn Chop House and Brooklyn Dumpling Shop

with Jessa Moore & Nicolle Walker

Photography by Alexandra Shytsman

The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you for your personal use only. You may not make this e-book publicly available in any way. Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this e-book you are reading infringes on the authors copyright, please notify the publisher at: http://us.macmillanusa.com/piracy.

To my late father, John N. Morfogen, and author George P. Morfogen for paving the way for me.

There are two things you should know about me before reading this book.

One: From the time I was four years old, I knew Id go into the food business. Its in my blood going back three generations.

Two: I never, ever thought Id end up a specialist, of sorts, in Asian cuisine. That part isnt my blood or birthrightbut its become an essential ingredient in the journey Ive taken from being a four-year-old kid washing dishes at the family chop house to today, watching people eat some damn good dumplings.

If youre a foodie, you know every kitchen tells a story. My story starts in the late nineteenth century, with four immigrant brothers who couldnt get a lease. Back in 1896, our familial name was Morfogenis. My grandfather and his three brothers came to America the old-fashioned way, by boat, from a small village in Sparta, Greece, called Anavryti. They left behind their wives and children, like so many other immigrants did, betting that their success in America would open doors to a better life for their children. Instead, the doors to opportunity were slammed in their faces. Anti-immigrant sentiment has always existed in this country, so it shouldnt be a surprise that it took some creative license on the Morfogenis brothers part to be accepted in the community. They shortened their Greek name to Morfogen and in the blink of an eye, the tides turned. As the Morfogens, my grandfather and great-uncles opened doors to their first business venture, Pappas Restaurant, on the corner of 14th Street and 8th Avenue in Manhattan.

It turned out it did pay to risk it all. From 1896 to 1970, Pappas was regarded as one of the it spots in New York City: a see-and-be-seen kind of place for politicians, socialites, celebrities and even presidents.

Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, became my dads teenage stomping ground. Like many kids of that generation, he started working right away, delivering groceries in the neighborhood and washing dishes at Pappas. With fervent ambition and in the land of opportunity, my father, now John Morfogen, was able to save enough moneytwelve thousand dollars, to be exactto start his own restaurant.

Chelsea Chop House was originally a dilapidated building on 23rd Street and 8th Avenue, just a few blocks away from Pappas. With a decade of experience in the restaurant business under his belt, Dad had the gumption to do what was necessary to succeed and Chelsea Chop House was a smashing success.

By the age of six, I was plating lemon and parsley at Chelsea Chop House. When I wasnt doing that, there were toilets that needed to be cleaned and bathroom floors to be mopped. In some ways, I was like other kids. I complained about these tasks. I want to learn the business, Id tell my dad. I often thought I didnt even have to mop the floors at home, so why was I doing it at the restaurant? Dads answer was simple: You have to work your way up to become a boss. So, I did.

Chelsea Chop House was open from 1956 until 1985a 29-year legacy I could not be more proud to claim as my own. My father passed away a few years ago. He was a pillar in his community, a proud businessman, loving father (and grandfather to eleven grandchildren) and a true American success story. I miss him every day, but he is always with me in every business decision and every bite of delicious food we serve. In his honor, I decided to reestablish the name and logo of Chelsea Chop House in my latest venture, Brooklyn Chop House, where our story begins.

By now, I know youre wondering how Chelsea Chop House led to dumplings. Before the mid-1990s, Id never really explored Asian cuisine; and frankly, my only experience with Chinese food had been in a takeout box. But soon enough, my adventure started to really become en Vogueliterally. My wife was an editor at Vogue magazine and she often brought me along to dine at events with important fashion industry big shots to places like Mr. Chow, a glitzy hot spot known for its celebrity patrons.

My wife traveled to Paris often as a part of her job and many times I would meet her for weekend getaways. She had always spoken of a little watering hole in the First Arrondissement, named Dav (pronounced da-v, just like souffl). The owner was a favorite in the fashion industry and he had Polaroid photos on every inch of his restaurant to prove it. I definitely had to meet him. But more importantly, I had to convince him to come to New York and open his namesake restaurant, where all of the big names would flock, with me as his partner.