Sze\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2014the shattering crust of the bread, the crisp snap of the fruit, the rich melt of the cheese, and the floral sweetness of the honey\u2014sets an artisanal tone for the rest of his culinary journey. It is a simple yet sophisticated start that highlights Sze\u2019s appreciation for high-quality ingredients harmoniously brought together.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s trusted meat supplier, forming a vital behind-the-scenes link in the daily operations of Sze\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n No New York City food day would be complete without pizza, and Sze\u2019s next destination pays homage to one of the city\u2019s most enduring obsessions executed with a modern, artisanal touch. He heads directly to Chrissy\u2019s 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 jalape\u00f1o 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. <\/p>\n For the final leg of his journey, Sze crosses borough lines to Flushing, Queens, heading straight to Maxi\u2019s 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\u2019Keefe, whose dedication to traditional techniques and regional flavors has made the shop a destination for diners seeking authentic Cantonese-style noodles and wontons.<\/p>\n During his visit, Sze steps behind the scenes to receive a masterclass from Lau-O\u2019Keefe 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. <\/p>\n 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\u2014distinguished by their rich color and superior bite\u2014alongside 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.<\/p>\n Food enthusiasts and fans of New York City\u2019s dynamic dining scene can watch the full chronicle of Eric Sze\u2019s culinary excursion on the most recent episode of Chef\u2019s Day Off<\/em>, 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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\u2019s acclaimed Taiwanese restaurant Wenwen, a day off in New York City is rarely spent resting at home. Instead, it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":1220,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[734],"tags":[1872,1873,1227,736,1871,735,641,737,738,1148,143,1874],"class_list":["post-1221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-tourism-culinary-travel","tag-artisanal","tag-baguettes","tag-chef","tag-culinary-tourism","tag-eric","tag-food-travel","tag-inside","tag-local-food","tag-street-food","tag-traditional","tag-ultimate","tag-wontons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thetripbook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thetripbook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thetripbook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetripbook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetripbook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1221"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thetripbook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1221\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetripbook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thetripbook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetripbook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetripbook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Where](\"https:\/\/platform.eater.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/10\/EAT_CDO_009_THUMB_YT3A.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C3.4613147178592%2C100%2C93.077370564282&w=1200\")
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