For Dirty Habit’s Two Head Chefs, Opposites Attract | Eater DC

"I found the kitchen at Dirty Habit, a recent addition to DC’s Penn Quarter, is led by executive chef Anthony Jones and chef de cuisine Max Chuvalas, who are also a couple whose dynamic they describe with culinary metaphors — Jones as the salt, fat, and heat and Chuvalas as the acid, bitter, and refreshing — and that relationship informs both the restaurant’s culture and its food. After Jones moved up to executive chef when Edgar Escalante left, the pair persuaded ownership that a couple running the kitchen would benefit the team, and over roughly two years and eight seasonal menus they’ve built a positive, high‑expectation culture that staff say operates smoothly; Jones pushes for higher quality because he knows Chuvalas’s capabilities, while Chuvalas brings artistic plate composition and a willingness to blend cuisines. Their menu frequently mixes heritage and global influences — Chuvalas’s Greek and Jewish background and Jones’s DMV roots, Miami’s Latin influences, and Jones’s exploration of West African ingredients after a trip to Cameroon all surface — example dishes include a seasonal crispy squash salad finished with a decadent French onion and gouda cream sauce plus Asian touches like shiso leaf and gunpowder tea, and a summer corn custard that pairs Chuvalas’s corn custard with Maryland blue crab mixed with fermented yuzu and finished with heirloom popcorn and popcorn shoots; their annual winter chalet activation (returning November 15) will feature elevated comfort bites like a s’mores parfait and aged cheddar potato croquettes. I’d describe Dirty Habit as a place where their partnership and combined experiences are clearly expressed on the plate and in the dining atmosphere, whether you come for a meal or a cocktail." - Nicole Schaller