Michael Schulson is the Chef and owner of Sampan, an intimate modern Asian restaurant in Center City, Philadelphia and Izakaya, a modern Japanese pub in Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa.

Chef Schulson is also the face, name and creator of a popular line of boutique frozen appetizers.

Michael Schulson is the owner of day-to-night destination Double Knot; the expansive Independence Beer Garden; Sampan and the adjacent Graffiti Bar; and serves as chef-partner at Izakaya at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City.

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Michael has recently opened new-American spot Harp & Crown in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square.

He teams with his wife, Nina, in their efforts to expand the Schulson collective.

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Before setting out on his own, Michael helmed legendary kitchens in New York City (Buddakan) and Philadelphia (Pod) and traveled to Japan.

He eventually earned the ability to speak conversational Japanese following his stints in prestigious Tokyo kitchens, among them Spago and the Four Seasons Hotel.

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Chef Schulson makes frequent print and television appearances.

He has starred on three television series: TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off, Style Network’s Pantry Raid and Discovery Channel’s Go Ahead, Make My Dinner.

He has also appeared as a guest on The Today Show, The Martha Stewart Show, Live!

With Regis and Kelly, The

View, Rachel Ray and The Tyra Banks Show. He

has been featured in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal to the cover of Food Arts. ^[1]

Michael Schulson attended and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, working his way up the culinary chain of command in such acclaimed restaurants as New York’s Peacock Alley at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel and David Burke’s Park Avenue Café, and Philadelphia’s Le Bec-Fin and Susanna Foo.

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Michael Schulson married Nina Tinari in 2016.

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Most recently, Schulson’s Harp & Crown was recently named one of the "most beautiful restaurants of 2016" by Eater National.

Double Knot has also received numerous accolades including "three bells" from The Philadelphia Inquirer, three stars and the title of "2016 Best New Restaurant" from Philadelphia Magazine and was named one of the "15 biggest restaurant openings of 2016" by Zagat.

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