Down the Shore with Vernick Fish

Famed Vernick Fish restaurant, located in the world-renowned Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center, is coming to Jersey bay with their “Down the Shore” pop-up culinary journey. As they’re serving up some piquant seafood bites, this week-long event will be the talk of Margate, NJ as one of its most highly anticipated events for loyal customers, locals, and seasonal travelers looking for a memorable time upper glute workout and delicious cuisine. 

Vernick Fish is a modern American oyster bar from James Beard Award-winning Chef & New Jersey native, Greg Vernick. Vernick Fish has a reputation in the restaurant scene for its avant-garde seafood dishes that incorporate global flavors and innovative designs. With high standards on locally-sourced ingredients, this American favorite remains devoted to drawing out authentic flavors with a meticulously artful approach, achieving new heights with the traditional oyster fare. For this seasonal event, Vernick Fish is collaborating with Cookie Till, Owner of Steve & Cookie’s, an intimate upscale dining establishment that also shares Vernick Fish’s standards for fresh and locally-sourced ingredients. 

The pop-up will be located in the parking lot of Steve & Cookie’s (9700 Amherst Avenue  Margate, NJ  08402) from Monday, August 8 – to Friday, August 12, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Greg’s sister restaurant from Four Seasons Philadelphia, Vernick Coffee Bar, will also be joining the event, offering sweet and savory delights from their menu at the weekly Margate Community & Farmer’s Market from 8:30-11:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 11th. Be sure to stop by and have a taste of their delicious selection!

VUE NJ Magazine had the opportunity to sit in with Vernick Fish Chef de Cuisine, Andrew Parassio (Drew) for more details on this exclusive event. Chef Parassio first joined Vernick Food & Drink back in 2012. After working for six years alongside Chef Vernick, he was recruited into the Vernick Fish family as the restaurant’s first Chef de Cuisine before taking over the reins.

“Our team is looking forward to hosting a five-day culinary activation and collaborative fundraising dinner in partnership with Cookie Till, Owner of Steve & Cookie’s,” said Parassio. “We’ll be serving our famed ceviche, crudos, and seafood-driven bites paired with Steve & Cookie’s refreshing cocktails from their outdoor bar. Guests can enjoy the crisp bay breeze with delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks at the restaurant’s picnic tables.” The casual week-long event will end with a premier dinner under the stars on Saturday, August 13th, at Till’s Farm, Reed’s Organic Farm & Animal Sanctuary, located right in Egg Harbor Township.

Limited seating is available for this event, so be sure to save yourself a spot at the table before slots run out! Click here to reserve a seat.

The evening will begin around 6:00 pm with hors d’oeuvres before shifting to a seasonal salad and farm-to-table entrees like their whole fish & vegetables along with several other dishes and wine prepared with the ingredients from the farm.

For Chef Vernick, Margate hits close to home as the place where he worked his first kitchen job. Having also been long-time patrons of Steve & Cookie’s, Chef Vernick the idea of collaboration was something that always stuck with him. 

“As a team, we’re big fans of the beloved Steve & Cookie’s and their style of hospitality given so much of our food we serve at the restaurant was influenced by our time at the Jersey Shore. Ideas for the collaborative event started in early 2020. We’re really grateful that this summer, we’ll be able to see the partnership come to fruition,” Chef Passassio told VUE Magazine.

A portion of the pop-up and dinner proceeds will be donated to A Meaningful Purpose at Reed’s Organic Farm, founded in 2020 to address the needs of food insecurity, soil regeneration, and community inclusiveness in Atlantic County, New Jersey. 

“We are very excited to be fundraising for A Meaningful Purpose, whose mission continues the legacy of local food production in the region,” says Chef Passassio. “The farm operates organically year-round, hosts a sanctuary for farm animals, and features a farm market offering organic produce and baked goods alongside local vendors. A Meaningful Purpose provides education to other local schools and organizations intending to create a community that engages in nature and celebrates its healing capabilities” (Click here for more information).

Although Vernick Fish has long been part of the Philadelphia restaurant community and collaborated with other organizations and fundraising events, this will be the first collaboration they have co-hosted outside of the city.

With a premier event like “Down the Shore” held in Jersey, we can only hope they continue coming down to the shore! 

Follow their Instagram (instagram.com/vernickfish) for more updates.