Common wisdom holds that ‘too many chefs spoil the broth,’ but the Rosenthal brothers are an obvious exception to that rule, working together daily as dear friends and respectful partners.

Much like his brother Mitchell, Steven Rosenthal loves to cook, but his talents are often more technical: his enthusiasm peaks when he talks about perfecting technique and experimenting with the continuous adjustments that make a good dish great. He attributes his perfectionism to a work ethic learned from his parents and from an early mentor: the chef at the Celebrity Deli, where he began working at age fifteen. After several years as a line cook, Steven decided to expand his skills at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, New York, where he externed at Gitane, a small, classic French restaurant in New Jersey.

After graduating in 1988, he worked at the Pierre Hotel where he worked every station and acquired the discipline of a formal kitchen. A year later, he went to San Francisco to join Mitchell as an opening cook at Postrio. After a brief interlude during which Steven worked as Sous Chef at Geordy’s in San Francisco and contemplated opening a restaurant with Mitchell in New Jersey, they both were invited back to Postrio to take over the helm.

Steven and Mitchell finally did open their restaurant together when, with their partner and friend Doug Washington, they opened Town Hall.