The Executive Diner

What’s the Deal With Executive Diner’s Contentious Menu? | Eater DC

"A high-profile new arrival in Alexandria has been mired in controversy, with one of the founders and a former opening chef each claiming to have authored its roster of omelettes, sandwiches, and nightly specials. Executive Diner's co-founder Jerry Pnevmatikatos says he and general manager Adriano Tarantola collaborated on the menu and that he fired opening chef Dadisi Olutosin after the first day because Olutosin “didn’t want anything to do with diner food,” while Olutosin insists the menu is a reflection of his creativity and hard work after months spent testing recipes and developing dishes for the companion cafe and diner. The current menu runs the gamut—from hummus with naan and pork tacos with pico de gallo to trendy farro bowls, build-your-own burgers, lobster mac and cheese, chorizo-filled breakfast burritos, and chicken Parmesan—with much of the menu offered from open to close and seven entrees (including a catch-of-the-day, a mixed grill with steak and shrimp, and a roasted chicken) rotating in each day at 4:30 p.m. Pnevmatikatos says he plans to carry on with the existing kitchen crew and may not hire another chef, while Olutosin is already raising money to open a separate 65-seat restaurant focused on “food people can relate to.”" - Warren Rojas