John Chitko
Owner and Head Chef of Yaffa
Born to Travel
Wisconsin-born John Chitko, owner and head chef of Milwaukee’s Yaffa, discovered his passion for food while traveling around the world. This Franklin, WI native started his journey by joining the army. He served for three years in the US Army 3rd Ranger Battalion. During his time in the army, he had many opportunities to travel.
He went to Australia, New Zealand and Costa Rica. Korea was his home for one year. Travel was a passion and provided opportunities to meet and make many new friends. Many of these new friends were cooks who made a living cooking and traveling the world, which held great interest for Chitko.
Chitko returned to the United States, and he got a job in road construction for six years. This job was appealing because it didn’t require year-round work. He could continue traveling to new places, meeting new chefs and eating different food from all over the domestic US and the world when he was out of work every winter.
Life Changing Event
In his travels to Costa Rica, Chitko met two men who would change the direction of his life. These men, Oded Gabay and his cousin, Guy Gabay became great friends. The men, originally from Israel resided in New York City and encouraged Chitko to pursue employment in New York. Chitko had money from the GI Bill, and he decided to follow his passion for cooking and his friend’s endorsement of New York. He checked out many schools, and he enrolled at the Art Institute of New York City in Manhattan for one year.
While at school, Chitko interned with many restaurants. He worked at the James Beard House numerous times with celebrity chefs. He took a summer job with Zack Pellechio, Chef of Chicken Bone Café. He is a well known chef now in New York and has been featured in many cooking magazines. It provided a real opportunity to learn flavor profiles and cook the actual dishes. Pericco was also well-traveled and taught Chitko many things. As teacher and mentor, Pericco taught Chitko to be laid back and inspired by everyone around you. He also trusted Chitko with cooking ideas, and Chitko wanted to be a head chef like him someday who was open to always learning from others.
Chitko also had an opportunity to work and intern at Mercer Kitchen in SoHo owned by Jean George. This restaurant caters to many celebrities in the area.
Mediterranean Connection
Chitko first experienced Mediterranean food at a Moroccan Israeli restaurant with his good friends Oded and Guy Gabay. Chitko was inspired by the true celebration of food. Everyone shared off each other’s plates. There was an atmosphere of relaxation and connection versus focus on which fork to use when and etiquette.
It was an intense moment with food. Celebrating food was the medium to bring friends and family together in this community. The flavors and the different cooking techniques and spice blends were something different and unique. Chitko fell in love, and he recognized this was what he wanted to cook and specialize in.
Inspired by the experience, Chitko bought every cookbook he could fine in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Spanish foods. All these cultures and their foods were tied together. The Arab Moors occupied present day Spain for near 800 years, and there is a huge Arab influence in Spanish cooking. Fusion cooking, in essence, started many years ago before it even had a name.
Yaffa
Chitko completed school in New York City in 2004, and he opened his Mediterranean inspired restaurant Yaffa in December 2005. Yaffa is Hebrew for beautiful. He spent time with many Israeli friends in New York, who were surrounded by beautiful Israeli women. The friends taught him how to say the sentence, “You’re very beautiful.”
The name and experiences with friends stuck with Chitko. He named his restaurant Yaffa to honor his Israeli friends for showing him this type of food, inspiring him to come to New York and following his dreams. Chitko is owner and head chef of this beautiful restaurant located downtown on the Milwaukee Riverfront.
