Chef's Bio
COPELAND’S TEAM
Executive Chef Thomas Ciszak
Copeland Executive Chef Thomas Ciszak is widely respected for his work at Shelly's in New York City and The Manor in West Orange, N.J., where he earned numerous accolades and awards. Under his direction, Copeland offers New American cuisine with playful twists and an outstanding raw bar.
Born in Germany, Chef Ciszak trained at the Culinary Institute of Reckinghausen and the Technical College for Food Services in Datteln, Germany, where he studied nutrition and food chemistry. Chef Ciszak worked at the age of 14, in his hometown at the Rottesserie Stromberg and the one Michelin Star Goldschmieding Restaurant. He completed an extensive training program at Jammertal, mastering all departments of fine dining hotel and restaurant before working in two of Germany's top restaurants: The Residence, a Michelin two-star restaurant, and Benedikt, rated one of the best Euro-Asian restaurants in Europe.
With an appetite for adventure, curiosity and a will to learn from the best, Ciszak arrived in New York City in 1995, planning to stay a year absorbing as much as he could from the city's vibrant culinary scene. But when he was offered the Chef position at The Manor in West Orange, he decided to stay. In his four years at that storied institution, he was charged with updating and revitalizing the menu and restaurant, which he did very successfully - during his tenure the property earned the coveted AAA Four Diamonds and the DiRoNA Award, and was named "Best of the Best in New Jersey" by New Jersey Monthly three years in a row.
Ready to spread his wings and continue his American education, Ciszak became executive chef of the banquet department for New York's famed Tavern on the Green, where he quickly became known for his outstanding celebrity weddings and superb social events.
In 2000, he became the executive chef of restaurateur Shelly Fireman's new venture-Shelly's New York. The restaurant quickly gained popularity for the American brasserie menu, especially its outstanding seafood, which garnered the "Best Raw Bar" award from New York Magazine.
Having spent almost six years at the large, high-volume Shelly's and Tavern on the Green, where he worked closely with prominent restaurateurs Warner LeRoy and Shelly Fireman, Ciszak was ready to showcase his own, personal style of cooking. The opportunity came with the opening of Copeland, where Chef Ciszak had input into many aspects of the restaurant beyond the menu, from china to staff uniforms.
With a unique style that melds his European approach and American experience, Chef Thomas Ciszak is making Copeland and The Westin Governor Morris the newest stars of the New Jersey metropolitan area culinary scene. Copeland has received rave reviews since its January 2005 opening, including three and a half stars (out of four) from The Newark Star-Ledger.
Chef Ciszak is also the executive chef of The Westin Governor Morris, responsible for overseeing food and menu preparation for the many weddings, fundraiser galas, corporate events, banquets and other celebrations held at the popular, newly renovated hotel.
Pastry Chef Michael Zebrowski
Copeland Pastry Chef Michael Zebrowski is a highly respected and accomplished patissier having worked in some of the finest restaurants and hotels from New York City to France. Chef Zebrowski first teamed up with Copeland Executive Chef Thomas Ciszak in 1997 at The Manor in West Orange, N.J. Since then they have became culinary kindred sprits sharing the same cooking philosophies allowing fresh, seasonal ingredients to be the inspiration behind their celebrated New American cuisine.
A New Jersey native, Chef Zebrowski formally received his pastry arts education at New York City's French Culinary Institute. From there he worked with Chef Ciszak at The Manor putting into practice all of the formal training he had received at one of New Jersey's most famous landmark restaurants. With the excitement of New York City calling, Chef Zebrowski went on to work with two of New York 's top chefs: David Bouley and Daniel Boulud, respectively. When the time was right, Chef Zebrowski took over the helm as Pastry Chef at Montrachet, one of New York 's most acclaimed French restaurants. Furthermore, he was the grand prize winner in both the 2003 Sorrento Master of Mascarpone contest and the 2002 Sunkist Cooking with Citrus competition yielding him trips to Rome and Napa Valley.
Finding the need to broaden his culinary horizons, Chef Zebrowski went on to work at The Pierre Hotel where he learned the fine art of producing and serving high end desserts for large extravagant banquet events, often serving heads of state, dignitaries and celebrities. In time Chef Zebrowski felt the need to work in Europe to experience all of his European training first hand. He landed an internship at the 3 Michelin Star restaurant Le Jardin des Sens in Montpellier, France. Being in France allowed him an opportunity to quite literally eat his way all over Europe, which proved to be an invaluable educational experience.
Upon returning to the U.S., Chef Zebrowski reunited with Chef Ciszak for the grand reopening of The Westin Governor Morris hotel. In addition to his duties with Copeland, Chef Zebrowski will be responsible for overseeing all dessert creations, menu planning, and overall management for the pastry department for the popular, beautifully renovated hotel.
Visit the Copeland: New American Cuisine & Martini Bar Calendar