Inside Chef Eric Sze’s Ultimate NYC Day Off: From Artisanal Baguettes to Traditional Wontons

When the relentless pace of restaurant ownership finally slows down for a brief weekly respite, culinary professionals often seek out the comfort of food prepared by others. For Chef Eric Sze, the driving force behind Brooklyn’s acclaimed Taiwanese restaurant Wenwen, a day off in New York City is rarely spent resting at home. Instead, it serves as an opportunity to traverse the five boroughs, exploring the diverse neighborhood bakeries, innovative pizzerias, specialized butcher shops, and nostalgic eateries that fuel his own passion for gastronomy.

A recent episode of the popular video series Chef’s Day Off offers a rare, intimate look into Sze’s carefully curated routine, showcasing the places he visits weekly for everything from simple baguette sandwiches to oversized, handcrafted wontons. Rather than taking a complete holiday from food, Sze uses his break to immerse himself in the vibrant culinary texture of New York, celebrating the craftsmanship of fellow chefs, bakers, and purveyors across the city.

Sze’s day typically begins in the morning hours with a deliberate breakfast ritual at Bakeri, a beloved neighborhood bakery known for its artisanal approach to baking and welcoming atmosphere. While the bakery offers a wide array of pastries and morning staples, Sze’s go-to order is a specific, carefully balanced creation: a crunchy baguette layered with sweet honey, crisp apple, and creamy brie. The combination of textures—the shattering crust of the bread, the crisp snap of the fruit, the rich melt of the cheese, and the floral sweetness of the honey—sets an artisanal tone for the rest of his culinary journey. It is a simple yet sophisticated start that highlights Sze’s appreciation for high-quality ingredients harmoniously brought together.

With breakfast concluded, Sze transitions from consumer to collaborator, making his way to The Meat Hook. Beyond being a neighborhood fixture for premium meats, this establishment serves as Wenwen’s trusted meat supplier, forming a vital behind-the-scenes link in the daily operations of Sze’s restaurant. During his visit on his day off, Sze steps away from the wholesale mindset to select specific ingredients for his own domestic or creative kitchen projects, picking up a specialty cut of steak and dry-aged short ribs intended for a thoughtfully prepared dinner later that evening. The stop underscores the deep relationships that exist among New York City chefs and their purveyors, where professional partnerships frequently blur into genuine neighborhood camaraderie and mutual respect for craft.

No New York City food day would be complete without pizza, and Sze’s next destination pays homage to one of the city’s most enduring obsessions executed with a modern, artisanal touch. He heads directly to Chrissy’s Pizza to secure a whole, crispy, New York-style pie. Behind the operation is chef Chris Hansell, who has spent years meticulously perfecting his dough, fermentation process, and pie-making technique. Sze gravitates toward the specialty jalapeño and garlic pie, a bold selection that demands precision to avoid overwhelming the palate. According to Sze, Hansell manages to achieve the ideal proportions of each potent ingredient, setting them all atop a uniquely doughy, yeasted crust that balances structural crispness with a tender, flavorful interior.

For the final leg of his journey, Sze crosses borough lines to Flushing, Queens, heading straight to Maxi’s Noodle 2. This stop offers more than just sustenance; it provides a profound connection to home. For Sze, who grew up in Taiwan before building his culinary career in the United States, the restaurant serves as a haven for the nostalgic Chinese comfort food he has continuously craved since leaving his homeland. The establishment is helmed by owner Maxi Lau-O’Keefe, whose dedication to traditional techniques and regional flavors has made the shop a destination for diners seeking authentic Cantonese-style noodles and wontons.

During his visit, Sze steps behind the scenes to receive a masterclass from Lau-O’Keefe on how to make her iconic wontons. The process involves filling delicate wrappers with a precise mixture of fresh shrimp and pork before executing an expertly folded technique that seals the ingredients securely inside. However, the seemingly effortless execution by the owner quickly humbles Sze, who discovers firsthand just how much skill, muscle memory, and years of practice are required to master the complex folding process.

After experiencing the humbling reality of wonton-making, Sze happily transitions back to the role of a diner, settling into a table to enjoy the fruits of the kitchen’s labor. He orders a comforting, deeply aromatic soup filled with thin, springy noodles made with duck eggs—distinguished by their rich color and superior bite—alongside those classic, expertly folded shrimp and pork wontons, complemented by a hearty bowl of traditional beef soup. The meal serves as a grounding end to his whirlwind tour of the city, bridging the gap between his professional life as a restaurateur and his personal identity as someone deeply attached to the flavors of his upbringing.

Food enthusiasts and fans of New York City’s dynamic dining scene can watch the full chronicle of Eric Sze’s culinary excursion on the most recent episode of Chef’s Day Off, available on YouTube. The episode captures not only the flavors of the food but also the spirit of community, curiosity, and respect that defines the city’s broader restaurant culture, as told through the eyes of one of its most dedicated chefs.