Trans Chef Dane DeMarco Selected for New Garces Chefs in Residency Program at Volver

September 30, 2021

By: Steve McCann

Executive Director of PhillyGayCalendar

Chef Jose Garces celebrates the return of in-person indoor theatre and arts with the relaunch of Volver for the first time since the pandemic shut-down the performance kitchen and restaurant. Volver is now reopened at Kimmel

Garces is proud to announce the reopening of Volver at Kimmel Cultural Campus with a brand-new program that will see seven new Chefs in Residency showcase the art of dining alongside the nationally recognized Iron Chef. The ground-breaking new Chefs in Residency Program will feature the talents of seven rising star, minority chefs with a focus on chefs impacted by the pandemic. Arts patrons will be able to support these rising chefs through a donation program when they receive their check – with a grant matching program with the Garces Foundation.

Volver’s new Chefs in Residency Program features a who’s who of rising talent for the next 12 months – with each chef being able to fundraise through Volver for their current or future projects. Funds raised will help provide seed money and financial support for three of Philly’s next big restaurants through this program.

The inaugural Chefs in Residency invited for the 2021-2022 season will include Chef Kiki Aranita from Poi Dog Philly, Chef Phila Lorn from Terrain Glen Mills, Chef Jezabel Careaga from Jezabel’s, Chef Jennifer Zavala of Juana Tamale, Chef Alex Yoon of Little Fish and Chef Dane DeMarco of Sonny’s Cocktail Bar and Wine Dive. Each Chef in Residency will showcase their top signature dishes on the Volvér menu for six to eight weeks, alongside Chef Garces’ signature French-inspired dishes.

“With the Kimmel Cultural Campus opening up and the return of performing arts like the Orchestra, Broadway, and the Ballet, the reopening of Volver is a great sign of the city coming back to life pre-pandemic. With our return, we are thrilled to launch Volvér's new Chefs in Residency Program, intended to empower our resident chefs while introducing new flavors and culinary styles to visitors of the Kimmel Cultural Campus. Working through the Garces Foundation, we will support the resident chefs through resources and matching grants from our guests to help these chefs to reach their next pivot or culinary milestone, be it a new restaurant, new equipment, or backend operational support.”

Chef Jose Garces

FCM Hospitality Owner

Chef Dane DeMarco (they/them)
Sonny’s Cocktail Bar and Wine Dive
June 1 to July 1, 2022
Funding will help support Hanks Sandwich Co. set to open in 2022 – a long-time new project by Chef Dane DeMarco

Chef Dane DeMarco recently launched the menus for the city’s newest feel-good bar sensation, Sonny’s Cocktail Joint, plus the adjacent Wine Dive on South Street. Chef previously worked with LPNG Restaurant Group (American Sardine, Second District Brewing Company and South Philly Taproom), where they started as a Sous and quickly worked up to Culinary Director. Chef hails from Willingboro, New Jersey in Burlington County, where they spent their childhood in kitchens next to their father, who was a chef. They started answering phones and the more they worked with their father, the more their passion for cooking grew. Chef moved to Philly at 19 and worked under some great chefs. They loved traveling and checking out new restaurants and quickly found they had an unquenchable thirst for new flavors and inventive cuisine.