Alex Reznik Will Juggle Bicoastal Life With New Queens Restaurant

Rejoice, Kosher folks: chef Alex Reznik isn’t going anywhere. The well-known name behind Pico’s popular Ditmas Kitchen & Cocktails recently landed in Queens with a new (and also fully Glatt Kosher) eatery in Flushing, New York, of all places. But when reached by phone last night, Reznik made sure to assuage any fears about his East Coast return.

"Los Angeles is my heart," said Reznik, who just returned from a stint at hew new place, Bedford Kitchen, in Queens, "though New York has always been a home for me. That’s where my family is, that’s where I’m from. I love it, but it’s also 10 degrees and snowing."

It’ll likely take more than a weather change to bring Reznik back east. Ditmas Kitchen has settled into the Pico-Robertson area nicely, offering a fully Kosher New American alternative to the other more fast casual options around. But he may still be onto something with his latest spot in Queens, which also caters to a nearby Jewish community.

Look for Reznik to stay bicoastal for the time being. "It's been a year and a few months since we opened Ditmas, and I feel like I've got a really strong team in there now, and they'll be able to handle things just fine."