Co-Owner / Chef Scott Drewno: CHIKO
Chef Scott was born in Syracuse, NY raised in nearby Penn Yan, a quaint hamlet of 5,000 in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes. The surrounding area is rural, known for dozens of fine vineyards and family-owned farms. Watching his mother turn fresh seasonal produce from local farm stands into steaming hot pies and peach cobblers first piqued Scott’s interest in cooking, and planted the seed for his eventual culinary ambitions.
Drewno joined the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group in 1988 where he was most influenced by the Chef’s partners David Robins and Lee Hefter. At Chinois, he learned to meld French cooking techniques with vibrant Asian flavors. At Spago, he came to understand the importance of using only the finest ingredients. Drewno furthered his knowledge and solidified his passion for Asian cuisines at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Vong and Stephen Hansen’s Ruby Foo’s.
In 2007 Wolfgang Puck tapped Drewno as the Executive Chef of The Source. The restaurant was honored with numerous accolades, including three- star reviews from both The Washington Post and Washingtonian Magazine. The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington awarded The Source “New Restaurant of the Year” in 2008 and “Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year” in 2011. Drewno twice received the coveted RAMMYS Award for “Chef of the Year” in 2010 and again in 2016. In 2012 and 2013, Drewno was a semifinalist for “Best Chef Mid-Atlantic” James Beard Award.
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Scott mentioned that the most challenging, but rewarding, part of his job is that no two days are ever the same. On a more personal note, Scott is particularly fond of dumplings and, in his free time, loves to eat, drink and travel with his “amazing wife, Allison”.
Regarding Scott’s experience with Jurgielewicz duck he states, “I first met Dr. Joe in the late 90s. He took me on a great adventure through a bunch of NYC Chinatown restaurants. I was immediately impressed with his passion for his ducks, his farm and his family. The quality of the ducks is unsurpassed and I love to cook with them. Getting to know the Jurgielewicz family over the years has been as rewarding as being able to use such incredible quality ducks on a daily basis.”
Scott recently left The Source to start his own restaurant group, The Fried Rice Collective, with partners Andrew Kim and Danny Lee. Their first restaurant, called Chiko, is a fast-casual restaurant serving a mix of modern Chinese and Korean flavors. The restaurant has been ranked in the top 10 Washington DC restaurants by the Washington Post with a three star rating, and was a semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant in the country by the James Beard Award foundation.
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