Left: “Top Chef” contestant Mike Isabella has opened the doors of his newest eatery in Edison. Above: Chicken parmesan sandwiches are one of the selections available at G Grab and Go. PHOTOS BY GREG POWERS EDISON — This spring, Bravo network fans may recognize a familiar face behind a new restaurant on Talmadge Road.
Mike Isabella, who appeared as a contestant twice on the cooking show “Top Chef,” is opening G Grab and Go, a 20-seat eatery that will initially focus on breakfast and lunch. The restaurant, which opened on May 22, is part of a trio of specialty eateries he is opening over the next couple of months, but it’s the only one in New Jersey.
“Top Chef,” a reality cooking competition program, just finished its 10th season. Isabella initially competed in the show’s sixth season and later was the runner-up in the “All Stars” version of the show in 2011. He also returned as a judge for a few episodes.
His background includes spending three years as the executive chef at Zaytinya, a Mediterranean restaurant in Washington, D.C.
Isabella, a Little Ferry native, said “Top Chef” was a boon to his career.
“The show has helped a lot in a lot of ways,” he said, adding that it opened doors when it came to getting his own establishments off the ground, as well as publishing his new book, “Mike Isabella’s Crazy Good Italian: Big Flavors, Small Plates,” which came out in September. He added that he also was “inspired from other chefs on the show.”
At G Grab & Go, patrons have breakfast options, such as egg sandwiches and wraps, while the lunchtime menu features Italian hoagies, chicken parmesan and grilled cheese — but with a gourmet twist.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” he said.
However, that “everything” is influenced by his own touch.
“It’s my food; it’s my vision,” Isabella said. “You can go to a lot of the delis around the area; you know what you’re going to get there.”
Not so at G Grab & Go, which had Mayor Antonia Ricigliano at its ribbon cutting May 22.
“It’s a little bit more ‘artisanal.’ Everything will have its own garnishes,” Isabella said.
Isabella now lives in Washington, D.C., where he owns an Italian eatery called Graffiato. That venture opened its doors in June 2011 and inspired much of the menu at G Grab and Go.
The busy chef also is simultaneously opening two new D.C. eateries: a sandwich shop, called G, and Greek restaurant Kapnos.
To manage everything, Isabella is partnering with his sister Diana and brother-inlaw Rob Wetchkus on the Edison restaurant. His sister and brother-in-law will handle more of the day-to-day operations, while Isabella is ensuring that all the restaurants launch successfully. However, he said that when things calm down a little, he does plan to be on-site on a fairly regular basis.
Isabella said his sister lives near G Grab and Go and helped ensure that he chose a good location for the restaurant, and she’s also helping him learn about the local market.
Find out more about G Grab and Go at www.g-grabandgo.com and at www.facebook.com/ggrabandgo.