Her Place Supper Club, in Philadelphia, is an intimate dining experience brought to life by the talented young chef Amanda Shulman. Known for her innovative and passionate approach to cooking, Shulman has created a unique space where guests can feel as if they are dining in the comfort of a close friend’s home. Her Place Supper Club expresses Shulman’s culinary journey and blends the warmth of home-cooked meals with the creativity and precision of fine dining. Shulman’s vision and passion have made Her Place a standout destination for food lovers seeking something truly special.

The heart of Her Place Supper Club

The atmosphere at Her Place Supper Club is unlike any other dining experience in Philadelphia. The entire space expresses Shulman’s personality with more of a home-like atmosphere than high-end restaurant vibe. The dining room is modest in size, keeping things close and intimate between diners. The seating arrangement feels more like a dinner party than a typical restaurant, and the space is designed to encourage conversation and interaction, among guests and with the chef herself.

The décor is simple and elegant, with warm lighting, carefully chosen artwork, and plenty of quirky details and touches reflecting Shulman’s personality and humor. The open kitchen concept allows diners to watch Shulman and her team at work, further enhancing the sense of togetherness. The overall ambiance is relaxed and unpretentious, it’s a place where quality of food and quality of conversation take precedence over everything else. Diners are encouraged to let down their guard, enjoy the moment, and savor the wonderfully prepared dishes that reflect why Shulman is considered such a rising star of the US culinary scene.

Shulman is the creative force behind Her Place Supper Club. Originally from Toronto, Shulman’s love of cooking began at a young age, influenced by her Jewish family’s passion for food. She originally chose to study Political Science, but her passion for cooking was given an outlet by inviting a small group of friends and friends of friends to her apartment for her own private supper club.

She eventually dropped out to pursue a culinary education at the Culinary Institute of America and gained valuable experience working at Vetri Cucina in Philadelphia and Momofuku Ko in New York City.

Her time in New York City played a crucial role in shaping her approach to food, blending the diverse culinary influences she encountered with her own personal style. Time at Joe Beef in Montreal enhanced her love of beef before she returned to Philly to give her supper club concept a permanent home.

Shulman’s cuisine is both comforting and sophisticated—homely and high-end, using seasonal ingredients to craft menus that change every two weeks depending on what’s available and the chef’s current vibe. Her cooking is deeply personal, often inspired by memories, experiences, and the people she loves. This personal connection to her food makes Her Place Supper Club a special place that has become part of the city’s culinary landscape.

Her Place Supper Club has already garnered significant attention and praise, both for its innovative concept and Shulman’s exceptional culinary talents. Shulman was recognized as a ‘Best New Chef’ by Food & Wine in 2023, underscoring her skill and creativity but also her ability to resonate with diners on an emotional level through her food.

In addition to Shulman’s individual accolades, Her Place Supper Club has received glowing reviews from local and national food critics. It has been featured in The New York Times, where it was lauded for its unique dining experience and Shulman’s ability to make guests feel like they are part of something special. The restaurant has also been praised by Philadelphia magazine, which named it one of the best new restaurants in the city. These awards and accolades are a testament to Shulman’s dedication to her craft and her innovative approach to hospitality, which combines the intimacy of a supper club with the high standards of fine dining.

Her Place Supper Club is a testament to what can be achieved when a chef brings her personal vision to life. It’s a place where culinary creativity, warmth, and hospitality come together to create an experience that lingers in the memory long after the meal is over. Shulman has created something special at Her Place, wearing her heart on her sleeve, and her food is authentic and just sophisticated enough to remind you that you are out for dinner, even though it seems like you’re not.

The Chef

Shulman acquired a love of food around the dinner table at Shabbat in her Jewish family home. Although she went on to study political science and journalism, she spent her free time learning all she could about cooking and running an informal supper club from her apartment, first for friends, but later for a list of exclusive clientele. Pursuing her passion for cooking, she worked as a line cook at Vetri Cucina in Philadelphia and Momofuku Ko in New York City. She also spent time in Bergamo in Italy, where she honed her pasta-making skills before heading to Montréal to be with her then boyfriend Kemp.

The supper club concept followed her and she eventually returned to Philadelphia to open her first bricks and mortar iteration, Her Place. With her success assured in Philly’s restaurant scene, another restaurant, My Loup followed nearby, which she founded with Kemp, who heads the kitchen there.

Shulman is one of the brightest young talents currently cooking in Philadelphia and in the US in general and is destined for great things. She was named on Food & Wine’s list of Best New Chefs 2023.

Restaurant

Her Place is an extension of Shulman’s supper club practise that carried her through her college years as she explored her passion for the culinary arts. After cooking in New York, Las Vegas, and Bergamo, Italy, Shulman returned to to the city where her cooking journey started, Philadelphia and purchased a rundown pizzeria. With help from her friends, a lot of elbow grease, and endless trips to thrift stores, she turned the location into a bohemian treasure that welcomes a small number of guests to an informal setting, where the food is wholesome yet technically assured. Shulman regularly changes the menu at Her Place, according to the season, but also to her whims. With plenty of natural talent, the chef has an insatiable curiosity and unwavering passion for all kinds of food which leads her to find inspiration in many places, from the classic to the casual, from her Jewish roots to her culinary travels.

While Her Place is very much Shulman’s baby, she is co-owner of the restaurant My Loup, which she runs with her fiancé Alex Kemp, offering “a mix of French-inspired market cuisine.”

Recipes and dishes

At Her Place, Shulman serves a menu that changes every two weeks. The restaurant opens Monday to Friday, closing at the weekend, to allow Shulman and her staff a life outside the kitchen. A distinct Italian influence can be seen in her menu with dishes like mortadella-stuffed zucchini flowers, pistachio pesto and pickled zucchini, bone marrow and fava bean bagna cauda, and robiola and chard tortellini in a chicken parm broth.

During her student days, when she ran a supper club from her own apartment, Shulman would go to the market and purchase an entire hog, which she would then break down to provide the basis of a four-course pork meal for her guests.

Shulman’s star is on the rise, with Her Place considerd one of the most exciting restaurants in Philadelphia and her cooking is very much on her own terms.

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