Helm Team Opening Second Restaurant

Photo by Emily Teel

When Michael Griffiths and Kevin D’Egidio opened Helm in Kensington last March, they were relative unknowns despite solid resumes. Grifftihs had been at Lacroix, Rittenhouse Tavern and opened Ela with Jason Cichonski. Directly prior to Helm his was a sous chef at Fork. D’Egidio had a similarly solid resume with work at Tangerine and Lacroix plus being Chris Kearse’s opening sous chef at Will. He headed out on his own after a stint as the head chef at Stateside. Now they’ve debuted at number ten on Philadelphia magazine’s 50 Best Restaurants list for 2016 and are already planning their second restaurant.

Griffiths, D’Egidio and general manager Justin Manne (Manne joined Helm shortly after its opening after being GM at High Street on Market) are opening South Helm at 100 Morris Street in Pennsport. The former 1st Ward Sandwiches will be smaller than the original Helm and have its own but similarly spirited local farm-to-table menu. Griffiths tells us that D’egidio, Manne and he will be work between the two places.

If all goes well, Helm South will be opening in mid-to-late April.

South Helm [Foobooz]