Taking over Cord’s morning show at 102.9 WMGK will be another radio veteran — the versatile Paul Kelly, who’s been a utility infielder at the station since 2019, hosting just about every shift.
Now Kelly will take over WMGK’s morning show, the former home of famed Philly radio host John DeBella, who retired in 2023.
Both Cord and Kelly will begin their new hosting gigs Monday.
“This has been a dream come true — rocking in the same building I visited on my bike as a kid,” Kelly said in a statement. “It’s been amazing working alongside the personalities I grew up listening to — Matt Cord, Tony Harris, John DeBella, Debbi Calton, and Andre Gardner!”
Kelly, a Philadelphia native, has been working on the air since 1989, hosting shows in Atlantic City, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and Poughkeepsie, N.Y. He also runs his own radio consultancy firm and is a founding member of Kelly Music For Life, a nonprofit that turned an old retail store in Havertown into the Kelly Center, a home for concerts, festivals, and shows.
“Paul’s deep Philadelphia roots, his lifelong love of classic rock, and the genuine connection he’s built with our listeners over the years make him the ideal choice for mornings on WMGK,” said program director Chuck Damico. “He understands this city, he understands this music, and he brings an energy and authenticity that resonate with our audience every time he cracks the mic.”
Pierre Robert, seen here broadcasting on WMMR in 2017.
Robert, 70, was found dead in his Gladwyne home on Oct. 29 after failing to show up for his midday show. The cause of Robert’s death was not disclosed and officials don’t plan to release additional information. Caroline Beasley, the CEO of WMMR’s parent company, Beasley Media Group, said foul play was not suspected.
“Everything seemed to be natural,” Preston Elliot said on air following Robert’s death. “It just appears he passed overnight.”
The show will feature bands and musicians near and dear to the former WMMR host’s heart, including the Hooters, Brent Smith and Zach Meyers of Shinedown, Lizzy Hale and Joe Hottinger of Halestorm, and Ed Roland of Collective Soul.
“Nobody replaces Pierre — let’s make that clear,” Cord said in a statement. “I promise to carry his amazing spirit into the studio bearing his name and do my best to make him proud.”
President Donald Trump doubled down on his call for six Democrats — including two members of Congress representing Pennsylvania — to be jailed over a video directed at U.S. troops.
Writing on his Truth Social platform Saturday night, Trump once again claimed without evidence the six Democrats were traitors for telling troops to “refuse illegal orders.”
“IT WAS SEDITION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, AND SEDITION IS A MAJOR CRIME,” Trump wrote in all caps. Trump had previously described their actions as being “punishable by DEATH” and shared one post from a supporter who wrote “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!”
“To suggest and encourage that active duty service members defy the chain of command is a very dangerous thing for sitting members of Congress to do,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday. “And they should be held accountable. And that’s what the president wants to see.”
U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, who represents Chester County, was among the six Democrats — all military veterans or members of the intelligence community — featured in a video urging service members to uphold their oath to the U.S. Constitution.
“This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” the Democrats said in the video.
A spokesperson for Houlahan did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.
After Trump’s initial call for the Democrats to be jailed and face the death penalty, the district offices of Houlahan and U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio in Western Pennsylvania were targeted with bomb threats Friday, according to spokespersons for the elected officials.
“Thankfully, the staff there as well as the office in Washington, D.C. are safe. We are grateful for our local law enforcement agencies who reacted quickly and are investigating,” a spokesperson for Houlahan wrote on social media.
The video also features Sens. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Mark Kelly of Arizona, along with Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado and Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire.
“Leadership climate is set from the top, and if the president is saying you should be hanged, then we shouldn’t be surprised when folks on the ground are going to follow suit and say even worse,” Slotkin said on MS NOW Thursday.
During an appearance on CNN Friday, Houlahan said she’s used to facing threats as an elected official, but the four-term member of Congress said this situation is unique.
“I’m just continually stunned by the fact that I’m worried about [my safety] because the commander in chief, the president of the United States, has called for my death,” Houlahan said Friday morning. “That’s something that should just be chilling for everybody.”
The Eagles (8-2) can’t quite clinch the NFC East yet, but will get a lot closer with a win against the Dallas Cowboys (4-5-1) Sunday afternoon in Arlington, Texas.
Philly’s magic number remains four to clinch the NFC East. That will drop to two if the Birds defeat the Cowboys Sunday, meaning the Eagles have a chance to lock up the division on Black Friday against the Chicago Bears.
That should make HBO’s in-season Hard Knocks about the NFC East, which debuts on Dec. 2, really compelling.
NFC East standings
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No team has won the NFC East in back-to-back years since 2004, when Donovan McNabb and the Eagles claimed their fourth-straight division title on the way to Super Bowl XXXIX.
On the other side of the coin are the New York Giants, who could become the first team officially eliminated from the playoffs. A Giants loss paired with a win by either the Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, or Seattle Seahawks would officially snuff out the Giants’ playoff hopes.
If that were to happen, it would be the earliest playoff exit for the Giants since 1976 and the soonest a team has been eliminated since the New York Jets in 2020, according to NFL playoffs analyst Joe Ferreira. The Giants would also become the 11th team since 1990 to be eliminated from playoff contention before their bye week.
While the Cowboys can’t be eliminated yet, they need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Entering Week 12, they are three back in the hunt for the NFC’s final wild card spot, and their odds of sneaking into the playoffs drop to just 4% with a loss to the Birds on Sunday, according to the New York Times playoff simulator.
Eagles (8-2) at Cowboys (4-5-1)
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
When: 4:25 p.m., Sunday
TV: Fox (Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi)
Radio: 94.1 WIP (Merrill Reese, Mike Quick, Devan Kaney)
Streaming: Fox One
Cris Collinsworth’s milestone has a surprising Philly connection
NBCs Cris Collinsworth will call his 500th NFL game Sunday.
Tonight’s Sunday Night Football matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams is a milestone for veteran color analyst Cris Collinsworth, who will be calling his 500th NFL game.
Collinsworth, who spent eight seasons as a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, debuted way back in 1990 on NBC alongside the late Jim Donovan. During his 36-year broadcasting career, Collinsworth has called games alongside many all-time greats, including Troy Aikman, Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Philadelphia native Dick Stockton.
What may surprise Eagles fans is Collinsworth has called 32 games at Lincoln Financial Field, the most of any stadium in his long broadcasting career. And he’s called Eagles-Cowboys 17 times, including this season’s NFL kickoff game alongside Mike Tirico.
While the Eagles have no more Sunday Night Football games on their schedule, and a flex is highly unlikely, Collinsworth and NBC could end up with a Birds game in the playoffs — the Super Bowl, which the network is broadcasting.
Other games airing in Philly Sunday
Steelers at Bears: 1 p.m., CBS (Ian Eagle, J.J. Watt)
Giants at Lions: 1 p.m., Fox (Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Megan Olivi)
The Eagles remain in first place in the NFC entering Week 12, thanks to their win against the Los Angeles Rams back in Week 3.
The Birds hold tiebreakers against four of the top teams in the NFC — the Rams, Buccaneers, Packers, and Detroit Lions. They can add a fifth next week if they defeat the Bears on Black Friday.
While the Eagles could clinch the NFC East as soon as next week, their magic number to land the top playoff seen (and a first round bye) is seven.
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Sixers announcer Alaa Abdelnaby had high hopes this Sixers team would erase the memory of disappointment from last season. So far, he’s gotten his wish.
Coming off a thrilling overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, the Sixers seem rejuvenated this season behind young talents Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe. Though things have slowed following their red-hot 4-0 start, newfound interest in the Sixers is showing up in the team’s TV ratings.
Through nine games, Sixers games on NBC Sports Philadelphia and NBC Sports Philadelphia+ are up 73% compared with the same point last season, according to Nielsen numbers obtained by The Inquirer. That works out to an average of about 138,000 viewers tuning into each game.
As a result, Philadelphia has the fourth-strongest growth in NBA TV ratings this season, trailing behind only Portland, Chicago, and Denver.
Not surprisingly, the most-watched Sixers game this season was last week’s win against the Boston Celtics, which, along with Denver Nuggets vs. Sacramento Kings on the West Coast, averaged 2.9 million viewers across NBC and Peacock.
A large reason behind the surge of interest is Maxey’s MVP-caliber performance. In his sixth season in the league, Maxey is averaging 33.4 points, up big from the 26.3 per game he put up last season.
Edgecombe, the Sixers’ energetic rookie, has dropped back down to Earth a bit after his 34-point debut against the Celtics. Still, Edgecombe is averaging 15.6 points and six rebounds and has been a workhorse for the Sixers, averaging 37.4 minutes per game, the second-most in the NBA behind Maxey.
NBC Sports Philadelphia’s pre- and postgame coverage, featuring Amy Fadool, Marc Jackson, and Jim Lynam, has also benefited from the increased interest in the Sixers. Viewership for Sixers Pregame Live is up 150% compared to last season’s average, while Sixers Postgame Live is up more than 60%.
Podcasts are also enjoying a bump. The Rights to Ricky Sanchez, the popular Sixers podcast co-hosted by 94.1 WIP’s Spike Eskin and Mike Levin, tends to have a loyal audience that doesn’t surge or sink too much. But Eskin said the podcast has seen a “pretty good jump,” especially during the Sixers’ hot start.
“The Ricky listeners are die-hards so they’re always there,” Eskin said, “but the hot start certainly gave the pod a lift as the people who checked out of the team last year seemed excited to get back in.”
Sixers NBA standings
Eastern Conference
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Western Conference
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Sixers news
Sixers center Joel Embiid hasn’t been on the court much so far this season.
President Donald Trump may no longer be a fan of Shane Gillis after listening to the comedian’s most-recent podcast.
Gillis, a Mechanicsburg, Pa., native, joked about the possibility 79-year-old Trump is beginning to show signs of mental decline on the most-recent episode of Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast, which he co-hosts with fellow comedian Matt McCuster.
While Gillis expressed some sympathy for Lucey, he also joked about whether she deserved to be corrected by Trump and how awkward the plane flight must have been following the exchange.
“Think if you were next to her and hated her,” Gillis said.
Watch (caution: strong language):
Lucey, who has not spoken publicly about the matter, spent 12 years as a reporter at the Philadelphia Daily News covering everything from police corruption to local news. She left in 2012 and spent time reporting for the Associated Press and the Wall Street Journal before joining Bloomberg in March.
“Our White House journalists perform a vital public service, asking questions without fear or favor,” a Bloomberg News spokesperson told the Guardian. “We remain focused on reporting issues of public interest fairly and accurately.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trump’s insult of Lucey, telling reporters Thursday the president “calls out fake news when he sees it and gets frustrated with reporters who spread false information.”
There’s no indication Lucey was spreading false information while asking Trump about the Epstein files.
After being fired by Saturday Night Live in 2019, Gillis has risen to fame in part thanks to his unflattering yet sympathetic portrayal of Trump. Gillis has amassed a huge audience of MAGA fans, including the president himself.
Gillis, an Eagles fan, met with Trump at the Super Bowl in New Orleans alongside country music star Zach Bryan.
At the Super Bowl, Trump meets comedian Shane Gillis and country star Zach Bryan. Both are big Eagles fans. pic.twitter.com/tHlKH03zpq
“Well, he’s a very good … I mean, on our side, right?” Trump later said in an interview with the Spector editor Ben Domenech, with the president adding he was a fan of Gillis and likes “everybody that’s on my side.”
Gillis recalled the meeting during an episode of his podcast, describing the room as “intense” thanks to the heavy presence of Secret Service agents.
“I finally had the moment — quick handshake,” Gillis said, though adding that Trump “has no idea who I am.”
Joe Rogan and Theo Von not-so-quietly cooling their support of Trump
Joe Rogan at President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January.
Gillis is just the latest comedian within the so-called “manosphere” to begin to peel back their support of Trump.
Joe Rogan, host of the popular The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, mocked Trump over his handling of the Epstein files.
“I heard ‘there’s no files,’ I heard ‘it’s a hoax,’ ” Rogan said on the most-recent episode of his podcast. “And then all of a sudden, he’s going to release the files. Well, I thought there was not files.”
Rogan famously endorsed and interviewed Trump ahead of the 2024 election, with the episode reportedly drawing over 40 million listeners. He also attended Trump’s inauguration but recently has been criticizing the president over everything from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and mass deportations to his continued lies about the 2020 election.
“I feel like if you say that, you’ve got to have some, like, really good evidence that you could give out,” Rogan said on his podcast earlier this month about the 2020 election. “Either you don’t have any evidence that they stole the election, or you have evidence and you’re not telling me. Why would you not tell me? Why would you not tell me?”
Theo Von at Trump’s inauguration.
Theo Von, host of the This Past Weekend podcast, also interviewed Trump and attended his inauguration, but called out his administration after the Department of Homeland Security took a joke out-of-context and used it in a pro-deportation social media video that was later deleted.
“My father immigrated here from Nicaragua. One of my prized possessions is I have his immigration papers from when he came here. I have them in a frame,” Von said on his podcast last month.
“We will sing, dance, and celebrate in the way Pierre would have wanted us to,” said Chuck Damico, WMMR’s program director.
The concert will take place at the Fillmore on Dec. 17. Tickets will cost $50 and go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster on the Fillmore’s website. A portion of the proceeds will go to MANNA, the Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance.
The show will feature bands and musicians near and dear to the former WMMR host’s heart, including The Hooters, Brent Smith and Zach Meyers of Shinedown, Lizzy Hale and Joe Hottinger of Halestorm, and Ed Roland of Collective Soul.
A poster for a concert honoring former WMMR host Pierre Robert, who died unexpectedly last month.
Robert, 70, was found dead in his Gladwyne home on Oct. 29 after failing to show up for his midday show. The cause of Robert’s death was not disclosed and officials don’t plan to release additional information. Caroline Beasley, the CEO of WMMR’s parent company, Beasley Media Group, said foul play was not suspected.
“Everything seemed to be natural,” Preston Elliot said on air following Robert’s death. “It just appears he passed overnight.”
Robert was a musical institution in Philadelphia, where he spent 44 years on the air sharing his deep love of classic rock and expressing a humanity that touched musicians and listeners across the county.
“He was truly irreplaceable and his passing will leave a big hole especially in the local music community,” Hooters singer and cofounder Rob Hyman said. “Pierre was that ‘good citizen’ who will be missed by all.”
Pierre Robert’s annual Thanksgiving Day show will continue this year, hosted by his former producers.
With Thanksgiving approaching, WMMR plans to keep Robert’s annual Turkey Day show alive with a midday show anchored by Ryan Shuttleworth and featuring a collection of the rock host’s former producers — Kevin Gunn, Michael Anthony Thompson, Nick McIlwain, Jason Fehon, and Chris “Pancake” Ashcraft.
And yes, that means a heaping spoonful of Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree,” the folk singer’s 18-minute opus. Expect to hear three versions of the song, including the even-longer 25th anniversary edition, which will be played at noon.
President Donald Trump is drawing widespread criticism after lashing out at a female reporter who was pressing for information about files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
As Trump was speaking to reporters Friday on Air Force One, Bloomberg White House correspondent and former Philadelphia Daily News reporter Catherine Lucey attempted to ask him about the release of the so-called Epstein files, which the Trump administration has refused to make public.
“If there is nothing incriminating in the files —” Lucey said before being cut off.
“Quiet, quiet, piggy,” an angry Trump shot back while pointing at Lucey.
Neither Lucey nor Bloomberg has responded to The Inquirer’s requests for comment.
“Our White House journalists perform a vital public service, asking questions without fear or favor,” Bloomberg said in a statement to the Guardian. “We remain focused on reporting issues of public interest fairly and accurately.”
Lucey, who has not spoken publicly about the matter, was first identified by the Guardian and can be seen in photographs of the interaction with Trump on Air Force One.
Trump’s remarks drew criticism from across the media world. CNN anchor Jake Tapper called the president’s remarks “disgusting and completely unacceptable.” Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson called the president’s comments “degrading.”
“The president continues to behave in ways that not a single parent I know would tolerate from their elementary-school-aged kids,” wrote the Atlantic’s McKay Coppins.
A White House official defended the remark in a statement to MS NOW’s Vaughn Hillyard, claiming without evidence Lucey “behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional way towards her colleagues on the plane.” The official did not elaborate.
Though the exchange took place days ago, video footage began circulating Tuesday ahead of a House vote on the Epstein files. It has since gone viral among the masses, drawing ire from critics and being reposted by outlets like Pop Crave.
Trump has a history of making sexist comments toward female journalists. He has called women in the press corps “nasty,” “crazy,” and “losers” over the years. He also has used derogatory language about women, comparing them to pigs, dogs, and other animals.
Before her time in D.C., Lucey was a respected reporter in Philadelphia, spending 12 years at the Philadelphia Daily News covering everything from police corruption to local news — but her sweet spot was politics. Her portfolio included coverage of then-Mayor Michael Nutter’s administration and the city’s changing power dynamics.
Lucey left in 2012 to work for the Associated Press, focusing on Iowa state politics and presidential races for four years. From there, she headed to the Wall Street Journal, where she covered the Trump and Biden administrations. She joined Bloomberg in March, according to a news release.
ABC News reporter Mary Bruce asks a question in the Oval Office Tuesday.
Trump also drew criticism Tuesday afternoon after lashing out at ABC News reporter Mary Bruce, who also asked about the Epstein files during an Oval Office meeting between the president and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“Why wait for Congress to release the Epstein files?” Bruce asked. “Why not just do it now?”
“It’s not the question that I mind, it’s your attitude,” Trump shot back. “You’re a terrible person and a terrible reporter.”
Until recently, Trump had strongly opposed efforts to release the Epstein files. Last week, he called the House’s efforts to press the Department of Justice to make the files available a “Democrat hoax.”
Trump’s social connections to Epstein have been known for decades. Reports show Trump was mentioned in Epstein’s emails more than 1,000 times, making him the most-cited person in the documents released last week by the House Oversight Committee.
But Trump has been reversing his stance on releasing the files, saying on Air Force One, “we have nothing to hide.”
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in a 427-1 vote, demanding the Justice Department release the unclassified documents on Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking.
The Republican-controlled Senate moved quickly Tuesday evening, agreeing to pass the Epstein bill by unanimous consent once it arrived from the House.
The bill would then head to Trump’s desk, who said in recent days he would sign it into law.
Three people, including two young children, are dead after an early-morning fire ripped through a North Philadelphia rowhouse Tuesday morning.
“Very, very difficult morning,” said Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson said during a news conference.
Firefighters responded to reports of a fire in the 3400 block of Hope Street around 1 a.m. Deputy Chief Frank Hannan said the fire was in the back of the first floor of the home, which did not have working smoke alarms.
Firefighters pulled three people out of the building, Hannan said — a 5-year-old boy, a 6-year-old girl, and a 45-year-old woman.
“The two children were transferred to St. Christopher’s Hospital, one adult was transported to Temple Hospital,” Hannon said. “All three occupants have been declared deceased by the hospital.”
The police department identified the victims as Nidre Annette Ayala, 45; Kataleya Garcia, 6; and Sebastian Rodriguez-DeJesus, 5. The children were siblings.
Thompson said that the woman killed was not the mother of the two children.
“From what I understand, the mother of the children is at the hospital,” Thompson said.
A North Philadelphia home that was the site of an early-morning house fire that claimed the lives of three people, including two young children on Nov. 18, 2025.
Neighbors on Hope Street remember the two children playing in the neighborhood, laughing and enjoying games in front of their home. One neighbor said that as the children often played, a man would regularly work on his car beside them.
Queani Crespo, 22, saw the flames from her home next door, which was still enveloped in the smell of ash and smoke from hours earlier.
“This fire has been crazy. It’s just been too much,” Crespo said. “From seeing those kids running around, playing on this block, and just being happy, to seeing what happened to them. It is the worst feeling.”
In front of the home sat two large decorated pumpkins from the Halloween season, adorned with children’s drawings, smiley faces, and polka dots.
A North Philadelphia home that was the site of an early-morning house fire that claimed the lives of three people, including two young children on Nov. 18, 2025. Two pumpkins adorned with children’s drawings and smiley faces still sit outside the home on the day of the fire.
The home itself looked hollowed-out, with every glass window in the front shattered; burn marks were left like shadows on the corners of the frames. Out front, a three-foot-tall pile of blackened debris sat as the smell of smoke stained the Tuesday afternoon air.
Crespo and other neighbors said there were no loud explosions that precipitated the fire. They said the smoke billowing from the two-story home was nauseating.
“I couldn’t feel the heat, but the smoke was crazy,” Crespo said Tuesday afternoon. “The little house right next door to the fire is mine. It still smells like fire and smoke. It’s really bad.”
A North Philadelphia home that was the site of an early-morning house fire that claimed the lives of three people, including two young children on Nov. 18, 2025.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation. There was no initial indication of arson, police said. Thompson urged anyone without working smoke alarms to contact the city, which provides them free of charge.
“If you do not have smoke alarms, please call 311, and we will come out and install them for you,” Thompson said.
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Philly earns three Michelin stars
The Philadelphia chefs acknowledged at the Michelin Guide announcements at the Kimmel Center Tuesday.
For the first time ever, Philadelphia has a Michelin star. Three, in fact.
Chefs Amanda Shulman and Alex Kemp won a prestigious Michelin star for Her Place Supper Club. She started in the biz by cooking for friends at her Penn campus apartment. The second star went to Chad and Hanna Williams’ Friday Saturday Sunday. And the third restaurant to earn a star was Nicholas Bazik’s Provenance.
Michelin added 21 Philadelphia restaurants to their “Michelin Recommended” category: Ambra, Forsythia, High Street, Hiroki, Honeysuckle, Illata, Kalaya, Laser Wolf, Laurel, Little Water, Mish Mish, My Loup, Pietramala, River Twice, Roxanne, Southwark, Suraya, Vedge, Vernick Food & Drink, Vetri Cucina, and Zahav. The broader Recommended (or “Selected”) category includes restaurants deemed noteworthy and reliably good.
Ian Graye at Pietramala won a Michelin Green star. This distinction is given to restaurants that demonstrate commitment to sustainability.
Below the star level is the Bib Gourmand, highlighting restaurants offering high-quality food at good value, usually in a more casual format. Philadelphia also got strong representation in that category. Angelo’s, Dalessandro’s, Del Rossi’s, Fiorella, El Chingon, Dizengoff, 4th Street Deli, Pizzeria Beddia, Royal Sushi & Izakaya, and Sally all were awarded Bib Gourmands.
Cheesesteaks dominated Philly’s surprising list of Bib Gourmands
A cheesesteak at Del Rossi’s.
Of all the Michelin choices, the most surprising category was the Bib Gourmands.
There are three cheesesteak specialists on the list — Angelo’s, Dalessandro’s, and Del Rossi’s — but only El Chingon as representative for the city’s huge Mexican scene.
Fiorella also seems like an odd choice for a Bib — sure, it’s “high quality food at a moderate price” but it’s in a difference price bracket than say, Dizengoff.
Of the three restaurants that actually received a star, only Friday Saturday Sunday received a majority of their vote, with 63.3% of readers saying they’ll win one.
Her Place Supper Club (34.9%) and Provenance (37.8%) fared much better in the real awards than readers gave them credit for.
A majority of Inquirer readers also gave stars to Royal Sushi & Izakaya (65.9%), Kalaya (59.3%), and Zahav (51.4%) – all three received recommendations but no stars.
It’s hard to overstate the broader influence of Her Place Supper Club, with its frequently changing tasting menus, TED Talk-like course narrations, and Instagram-stoked reservation scrambles that helped launch Amanda Shulman’s star. But the James Beard-nominated chef has never lost sight of the goal of making her original 24-seat gem into one of Philly’s most exquisitely polished dining experiences, with a thoughtfully concise drink program, an ever-whimsical vibe, and hyper-seasonal menus with French, Italian, and nostalgic Jewish influences, crafted together with chef de cuisine Ana Caballero and sous chef Santina Renzi. Whether it’s a refreshing red drum crudo over chilled cucumber-honeydew gazpacho, smoky lamb merguez with eggplant and chanterelles, or delicate caramelle dumplings stuffed with sweet corn over creamy blue cheese sauce, the dishes here are a pitch-perfect collaboration of an all-female kitchen locked in sync. Cultivating that team has been essential as Shulman’s gone on to open My Loup with husband Alex Kemp and readies another project on Fitler Square. Her Place’s continued success very much reflects that Shulman has allowed it to become their place, too.
The octopus and beans from the bar menu at Friday Saturday Sunday.
The buzz might seem impossible to live up to for Friday Saturday Sunday after being named most outstanding restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation in 2023. But with one astounding bite after another on the recent tasting menu — starting with a shatteringly crisp, thimble-sized cup of nori pastry filled with a tartare duo of veal and tuna, all crowned with caviar — Chad and Hanna Williams are clearly not resting on any laurels. Their townhouse oasis off Rittenhouse Square, already the most exciting fine dining experience in Philly, has only gotten better. The airy beignet stuffed with braised oxtail and smoked yam purée was so ethereal, I wished it was more than just a singular “snack.” Pastry chef Amanda Rafalski’s strawberry tarte may also be the most beautiful strawberry confection I’ve ever eaten. It was so vivid, we needed to pause on the way out for a celebratory drink at the ground-floor Lovers Bar, whose leopard-print stools are designated for walk-ins only. It’s a worthwhile stop on any visit to spin Paul MacDonald’s brilliant cocktail carousel for a lucky mystery drink, sip through several obscure amari, and conclude (once again) that the hype for Friday Saturday Sunday is absolutely legit.
Steelhead Trout “En Croûte” with beurre cancalaise served at Provenance.
When you’re paying $225 to sit down for a 2½ hour dinner (figure between $700 or $800 for two all-in with tip and tax, depending on what you drink), there isn’t much room for error. And there are still too many menu missteps at Provenance, where only about half of the 47 compositions I tasted over two meals were a complete success.The focal point of Provenance is an 11-seat counter wrapped around a gleaming steel kitchen that is also a stage — where chefs and servers are the protagonists. And the drama is high at Provenance, the most ambitious French fine-dining project to open in Philly since Jean-Georges in 2019.Such a grand tasting should, ideally, paint a picture with a compelling narrative and a distinct point of view. For Bazik, who has spent 15 years in local kitchens, including Fork, Bistrot La Minette, Good King Tavern, and Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, that portrait is clearly of his passion for updating French classics with influences from the Korean pantry, introduced to him by his wife, Eunbin Whang.Details, however, too frequently marred the bigger picture. With such intricate compositions, where there are bull’s-eyes of sauces within sauces within sauces, the slip of a knife, the rapid cooling of a protein meant to be served hot, or the miscalculated intensity of any one element, can tip the balance.
Notable Michelin snubs include Kalaya, Royal Sushi & Izakaya
Chef-owner Jesse Ito at work at Royal Sushi & Izakaya.
Giving Kalaya and Vetri Cucina a recommended but not a star was a notable snub. But perhaps the spiciest choice of the night was awarding a Bib Gourmand to Jesse Ito’s Royal Sushi & Omakase, long considered a star contender.
One wonders if the inspectors had trouble getting into the vaunted omakase.
Another notable snub: Phila and Rachel Lorn, owners of Mawn and Sao, were nowhere to be seen. Nor was Northeast restaurant impresario Stephen Starr.
Provenance, open less than a year, awarded a Michelin star
Chef Nicholas Bazik, of Provenance with wife Eunbin Whang, is awarded a star at Tuesday’s Michelin ceremony.
Provenance, chef Nicholas Bazik’s hushed atelier across from Headhouse Square, was awarded a star — a stunning development for a restaurant open less than a year.
Michelin international director Gwendal Poullennec asked Bazik what his inspiration was. He pointed to his wife, Eunbin Whang.
First-ever Philly Michelin star goes to Her Place Supper Club
Chef and owner Amanda Shulman sweeps between seatings at Her Place Supper Club.
For the first time ever, Philadelphia has a Michelin star.
Amanda Shulman and Alex Kemp won the prestigious Michelin star for Her Place Supper Club. She started in the biz by cooking for friends at her Penn campus apartment.
Shulman started in the biz by cooking for friends at her Penn campus apartment.
The energetic and anxious crowd of chefs and restauranteurs during the Michelin ceremony at the Kimmel Center Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
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Watch live: Michelin awards ceremony in Philly
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Jean-Georges Vongerichten hopes to add to his Michelin star collection
(From left) Kateryna Brooke, Jean Georges Vongerichten, and Marc Vetri during the cocktail hour at the Kimmel Center.
Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten drew a crowd of onlookers.
Vongerichten is one of the most decorated restaurateurs ever, and recalled his first Michelin experience in 1973 when his parents took him to dine at the three-starred Auberge de l’Ill in Alsace.
I asked him how many Michelin stars he had among his restaurants and he said, “I don’t know. My whole head is full of stars. I hope to pick up more tonight.”
Kimmel lobby getting crowded ahead of Michelin ceremony
Chef Marc Vetri (left), and Chad Williams, of Friday Saturday Sunday, during the cocktail hour at the Kimmel Center.
The Kimmel lobby is becoming a crush of people, photographers, and cater-waiters, handing out wine and hors d’oeuvres.
There is a lot of French being spoken in the crowd, befitting Michelin.
“I always get nervous before an awards ceremony,” said chef Marc Vetri, here with his wife and a crew of five people, including his business partner, Jeff Benjamin.
“These events are great,” Vetri said. “I can say, ‘hey, chef,’ and not worry about their name.”
The lobby of the Kimmel Center ahead of the Michelin ceremony Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
Michelin has editions of its Red Guide to cover regions around the world. It started in France.
There are a lot of factors at play, but to get an estimate, let’s look at how other cities fared in 2024’s guides.
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With almost two decades of guides under its belt and a population of almost 8.5 million, it’s no surprise that New York City topped the list of cities with the most starred restaurants in 2024. New York City was the first American city to get a Michelin Guide, in 2006.
In this top ten both Atlanta and Washington, D.C., serve as a better comparison to Philly. Atlanta, with about 513,000 residents, earned five one-star ratings in 2023, the first year that Michelin awarded stars there. Washington’s population was about 700,000 in 2017, the same year the Michelin Guide was introduced there and awarded 15 restaurants with star ratings. Population isn’t always a good indicator though. Houston, with 2.3 million residents, earned six stars in its first year.
Kiki Aranita, a food writer (and former chef and restaurateur) for The Inquirer, predicts four or five Philadelphia restaurants will earn a Michelin star this year. She also thinks we might see a Bib Gourmand or two.
Will Philly get any two- or three-star ratings?
Paula Forbes, a senior writer and restaurant critic at Texas Monthly who has reported on the Michelin Guide in Texas, says that “generally speaking, I think that there is sort of an attitude towards, you have to kind of grow into it. You have to get your first star, then your second star, and then your third star.”
Restaurants often don’t earn a two- or three-star rating the first time they achieve a rating and it often takes several years for a restaurant to move up a rank, if at all. Texas has yet to earn a two- or three-star rating. In its third year, Colorado gained its first two-star rating.
Michelin’s guide to France. The tire company premiered its guides in 1900 as a promotional tool.
City and state tourism boards partner with Michelin — the French-based tire company that has been publishing the influential dining guides for decades — as food tourism plays a growing role in travel planning.
Michelin has expanded rapidly in the United States over the last several years. Besides the American South region — covering Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — there are guides for Texas and Colorado. Atlanta’s 2023 guide has since been rolled into the South. The Florida guide, launched in 2022, now includes Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. Internationally, it recently arrived in Qatar, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau cites an Ernst & Young study, commissioned by Michelin, showing the guide’s influence: 74% of travelers consider Michelin’s presence a decisive factor when choosing a destination; 76% say they would extend a trip to dine at a recommended restaurant; and 80% report being willing to pay more for what they view as a Michelin-level dining experience.
For restaurants that receive distinctions, the impact is immediate as restaurants append “Michelin” to their social-media profiles.
The reservations boost can be dramatic. In Charlotte, the 18-seat Counter sold about 900 reservations in the days after earning a star at the 2025 American South ceremony on Nov. 3, booking out through mid-February, chef-owner Sam Hart told Axios. About half the reservations came from out-of-town guests, including some international travelers.
In many U.S. markets, the guide is explicitly part of tourism strategies: Axios has reported that the states included in the South edition are collectively paying Michelin $5 million over three years. PHLCVB has not disclosed how much it paid for Michelin’s partnership, which was announced in May.
Not only can reservations rise, so can menu prices at the winning restaurants. A widely cited 2018 analysis by Carly Shin of George Washington University found that a one-star rating increases menu prices by about 15%, two stars by 55%, and three stars by roughly 80%.
Michelin says that 82% of chefs report increased revenue after receiving a distinction, 60% add new staff, and 58% say a nod boosts team motivation and morale — though anecdotally, some chefs acknowledge enormous pressure to maintain such a high level.
In connection with Michelin, the PHLCVB Foundation is sponsoring the Philabundance Community Kitchen program, a 16-week culinary vocational training and life-skills program for adults with low or no income, offering hands-on kitchen experience, ServSafe certification, and post-graduation employment support in the food service and restaurant industry. The foundation will connect the recognized chefs and restaurateurs to the PCK program.
Rittenhouse Square weighs in on which spots deserve Michelin stars
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What to expect at tonight’s Michelin ceremony
Gwendal Poullennec, the Michelin Guide’s international director, will help emcee tonight’s ceremony.
Awards will be presented live with TV host Java Ingram serving as emcee alongside Gwendal Poullennec, the Michelin Guide’s international director. Gregg Caren, president and CEO of the PHLCVB, will open the evening.
Lillia Callum-Penso, a reporter who covered the American South awards for the Greenville News earlier this month, said she was struck by the atmosphere onstage during the ceremony. Many of the chefs already knew one another from festivals or previous jobs. “There was a lot of conviviality among the chefs when they were called on stage,” she said. “It was kind of moving — that to me was a very telling and interesting part of the ceremony.”
Michelin may be a huge part of the foodie lexicon, but it might not be a household word everywhere. Because Michelin North America’s headquarters are in Greenville, “people in Greenville know Michelin as the tire company,” Callum-Penso said.
Many residents, she said, were surprised to learn “there’s a whole lifestyle component to Michelin.”
Philly in the spotlight as chefs gather for prestigious Michelin awards
Gwendal Poullennec, Michelin’s international director, attends a dinner in Michelin’s honor in May at Philadelphia’s Her Place Supper Club.
Philadelphia will be thrust onto the world culinary stage tonight as chefs, restaurateurs, tourism officials, sponsors, and international media gather at the Kimmel Center for the unveiling of the Michelin Guide’s expanded Northeast Cities edition. It covers restaurants in Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C., and, for the first time, Boston and Philadelphia.
The ceremony, marking a milestone for Philadelphia’s profile as a dining destination, is the city’s highest-profile appearance since 2018, when the James Beard Foundation announced that year’s finalists for its annual chef, restaurant, and media awards.
Given that five cities are involved — with two newcomers — it’s likely that more than a hundred restaurants will be honored tonight overall. The results will appear online only; there will be no published book.
Michelin, which operates in secrecy, bases the selections on its anonymous inspectors. Stars denote excellence: one star signals very good cuisine that’s “worth a stop,” two stars indicate excellence “worth a detour,” and three stars represent exceptional dining “worth a special journey.” Below the star level is the Bib Gourmand, highlighting restaurants offering high-quality food at good value, usually in a more casual format. The broader Recommended (or “Selected”) category includes restaurants deemed noteworthy and reliably good. There also is a Green Star, given to restaurants that demonstrate commitments to sustainability. Restaurants, not the chefs, get the award.
In Philadelphia, speculation on who will win — and even who was invited to the ceremony — is all chefs have been talking about for the last several weeks. Michelin does not inform winners beforehand (though early this month, the list of the American South winners was accidentally leaked 12 hours before the ceremony in Greenville, S.C.).
Last week, Michelin did inform the owners of three three-star restaurants — Alinea, the Inn at Little Washington, and Masa — that they would each lose a star at tonight’s awards.
As Philadelphia City Hall was lit up in Michelin red last night, the partying began. OpenTable took over Sao, a hot, new South Philadelphia restaurant, for a cocktail reception for chefs who use the reservation platform. Guests included Ian Graye of Pietramala, Omar Tate of Honeysuckle, and Chad and Hanna Williams of Friday Saturday Sunday.
Late this afternoon, chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten will host a private reception at Jean-Georges Philadelphia at the Four Seasons, with chefs shuttled to the ceremony by private bus. A cocktail hour will precede the awards, and multiple after-parties are scheduled, including a gathering at the Arts Ballroom sponsored by OpenTable and Evian, and a Resy/Amex and Visit Philly takeover at Dancerobot — the new Center City izakaya from Jesse Ito and Justin Bacharach — featuring drinks, food, and karaoke.
Michelin Stars are finally coming to Philly. How well will the city’s restaurants fare?
A Michelin star is a coveted award among restaurants and chefs and is the most prestigious of the awards the Michelin Guide bestows. Only 259 restaurants in the United States earned a star rating in 2024. In addition to the star ratings, the Michelin Guide also awards the Bib Gourmand to recognize restaurants that are serving high-quality meals at a reasonable price and a Green Star to symbolize excellence in sustainability.
Restaurants are not nominated nor do they apply to be evaluated. Stars are awarded annually and can be lost or gained year-on-year. Michelin keeps most details of the process secret, but we know a few vague details.
Anonymous inspectors visit restaurants multiple times to evaluate the restaurant during different dining periods, different days of the week, and different seasons. Restaurants around the world are evaluated by the same inspectors, to ensure that restaurants are judged by the same standards, and those inspectors make decisions to award stars as a collective.
Inspectors evaluate based on the following criteria:
South Philly weighs in on what spots deserve Michelin stars
What will Michelin mean for the Philly restaurant scene?
Provenance chef-owner Nicholas Bazik greets guest in the Headhouse Square restaurant on Oct. 17, 2024.
Dining rooms in Philly are abuzz with talk of Michelin’s impending arrival in Philadelphia —whose stars (or lack thereof) are set to be announced on Tuesday.
On a recent night, while celebrating my wedding anniversary at the elegant Friday Saturday Sunday, diners at tables on either side of mine discussed the potential of the restaurant winning a star. That same week, at the hushed, luxe soapstone counter at Provenance, where spotlights shine precisely upon the parade of twenty-some courses (which costs $300 inclusive of tax and service charge, but not beverages) placed in front of diners, Michelin was brought up by every single guest to chef Nich Bazik as he made his rounds.
“I’ve been to a lot of Michelin-starred places and they’ve been mediocre. But I think you’re going to get one,” I overheard one diner telling Bazik.
Anticipation is high. But what would getting Michelin recognition actually mean to Philadelphia restaurants? In at least one case, it might translate to survival. For the rest of the city, the guide’s arrival is both foreboding and exciting.
The Eagles will play their first game in 15 days when they take on the Green Bay Packers tonight on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
Unfortunately, some fans in Philly and across the country won’t be able to tune in.
An ongoing dispute between YouTube TV and Disney has left ESPN, ABC, and a handful of other channels dark on the so-called “skinny bundle” for more than a week, with no end in site.
The two sides continued to negotiate throughout the day Monday but remained far apart on dollars — Disney wants more money than parent-company Google wants to pay.
On Sunday, hopes of a potential deal got dimmer when YouTube TV announced a $20 credit for customers due to the continued outage of Disney’s channels.
YouTube TV has grown into the third-largest cable distributor in the country with about 10 million subscribers, trailing only Comcast and Charter. Not surprisingly, ESPN’s college football and Monday Night Football ratings were down slightly last week, which most experts attribute to the blackout.
Networks ending up blacked out over carriage disputes is rare, and ones lasting this long are even rarer, though they happen. TelevisaUnivision has been dark on YouTube TV since late September, and Disney-owned Fubo hasn’t had TNT or TBS since April 2024 due to a carriage dispute with Warner Bros. Discovery.
It’s the first of two Monday Night Football appearances this season for the Eagles. Hopefully, this dispute is settled before the Birds take on the Los Angeles Chargers on ESPN Dec. 8.
Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream Eagles-Packers.
How to watch Eagles at Packers
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisc.
When: 8:15 p.m., Monday
TV: ABC, ESPN (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters, Laura Rutledge)
Radio: 94.1 WIP (Merrill Reese, Mike Quick, Devan Kaney)
Streaming: ESPN Unlimited
How to stream Eagles at Packers
There are plenty of options to stream Eagles-Packers tonight.
While ESPN will likely remain blacked out on YouTube, there are a host of services that will stream tonight’s Monday Night Football game.
The most obvious is ESPN Unlimited, the network’s new subscription streaming service that includes every game that airs on all 12 ESPN networks. The service runs $29.99 a month.
You can also stream tonight’s game on a host of other skinny bundles, including Hulu + Live TV ($64.99 a month for three months), Sling ($4.99 for one day pass, $60.99 a month), Fubo ($84.99 a month with a free trial), and DirecTV Stream ($94.99 a month with a free trial).
If you’re just planning to watch the game on your phone or tablet, you can stream it on NFL+, the league’s mobile subscription streaming service. NFL+ runs $6.99 a month.
Because the game is simulcasting on ABC, most fans who live in and around Philadelphia and other cities should be able to stream the game for free using a digital antenna.
6abc’s signal in Philadelphia can be finicky. The station suggests an all-band antenna that covers Low-VHF, High VHF and UHF with long elements (rabbit ears for those of you old enough) that should be fully extended.
The Channel Master website has specific information about what channels are available using your address.
Jason Kelce takes a serious turn on tonight’s Monday Night Countdown
Eagles offensive lineman Tyler Steen (left) was interviewed by Jason Kelce for “Monday Night Countdown” ahead of Birds-Packers.
In his second season with ESPN, former Eagles star Jason Kelce has become known for his crowd-pleasing antics and fun-loving outfits, from his “South Philly tuxedo” to a Bills Mafia getup inspired by Fred Flintstone.
For tonight’s game, Kelce took a more serious tone for a featured story about Rodney Davis, the grandfather of Eagles offensive lineman Tyler Steen, whose heroic death during the Vietnam War saved the lives of several members of his platoon.
Davis was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor after jumping on a grenade that landed in a bunker where he and five other soldiers were pinned down by enemy fire in 1967. He was 25, the same age Steen is now.
“He gave his life for his, for his …” said an emotional Samantha Steen, Davis’ daughter and Steen’s mother. “He gave up his life for other Marines.”
Quinta Brunson, Shane Gillis will be guests on the Manningcast
“Abbott Elementary” star Quinta Brunson at a Phillies game in August.
Peyton and Eli Manning will be back on ESPN2 tonight for the Manningcast, and they’ll be welcoming some Philly star power to their Monday Night Football alternative broadcast
Quinta Brunson, the star and creator of Abbott Elementary, and comedian Shane Gillis will appear as guests tonight. It’s unclear when either will join the show.
Also joining the show will be Disney CEO Bob Iger, a lifelong Packers fan whose appearance coincided with the company’s dispute with YouTube TV.
It’ll be the sixth time the Eagles have appeared on the Manningcast, which is quietly in its fifth season at ESPN. Last season, Peyton and Eli turned to Downingtown native Miles Teller during the Eagles’ loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts — who attended the Mannings’ quarterback camp while a sophomore at Alabama — was a guest in 2022, where he revealed he liked to watch game tape of former San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and wore a hoodie with the phrase, “God bless whoever hating on me.”
“Other teams, it’s a copycat league, and if you can copycat it, you will. If you can’t, then you probably complain that it’s not fair,” Manning told The Inquirer. “So I’m on the Eagles’ side of it. I think it’s their niche, and it works, and they make it happen.”
How to “tush push” according to @JasonKelce: Head 👇, a$$ 👆. Got it.
The Eagles were overtaken Sunday by the Seattle Seahawks, who moved into the top spot in the NFC thanks to their blowout win against the Arizona Cardinals.
If the Eagles win tonight, they’ll move back into first place because they’d hold the tiebreaker against the Seahawks with a better conference record.
NFC standings
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NFC East standings
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