A native of Cherry Hill, NJ, Greg spent his childhood in his grandfather’s Philadelphia butcher shop. His mother, Beth, owned a local restaurant near their hometown. How could he not end up in the food business? As a teen, Greg pursued his passion for restaurants and earned a degree in hospitality management from Boston University followed by a culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York.
Greg honed his craft in top kitchens in Boston and New York, working for five years with chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten as a sous chef and chef-trainer in Vongerichten restaurants around the world. In 2016, after working as chef de cuisine in NYC’s Toqueville, he returned to Philadelphia and went all-in on Vernick Food & Drink.
The restaurant was an immediate success and earned 4-Bell by restaurant critic Craig LaBan who called it the “best overall restaurant” in the city. Greg was also named “Chef of the Year” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, noting that he has never stopped refining his craft and has helped redefine the concept of what American dining can be.
In 2017 Greg Vernick was named the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic by the James Beard Foundation. Early in 2023, Vernick Food & Drink was recognized as a semifinalist for Outstanding Hospitality by the Beard Foundation, as well.
Greg’s newest ventures are Vernick Coffee Bar and Vernick Fish, both in partnership with Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center.
Vernick Fish opened its doors with the intention of serving his take on the favorite hallmarks of American oyster bar fare. Inspired by his years growing up visiting the Jersey shore and time spent in Boston, Fish is committed to sourcing an extensive list of the best ingredients. Since opening, it’s been lauded as one of the Best New Restaurants by Philadelphia magazine and others.
In the fall of 2019, Greg and his longtime team at Vernick Food & Drink opened a neighborhood wine shop and an elegant private event room called Vernick Wine just next door.
