The James Franklin era at Penn State ended Oct. 12 after a 22-21 loss to Northwestern, ending his 11-plus seasons in Happy Valley. Thirty-eight days later, he walked into Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum with “Enter Sandman” blaring on the speakers, the song that plays when the Hokies enter each home game at Lane Stadium.
On Wednesday, two days after making the move official, Virginia Tech introduced Franklin as its new football coach.
“Been in this profession for over 30 years, and I’ve learned a ton of lessons,” Franklin said at the news conference. “… Got my first big break in the ACC, been a head coach in the SEC, been a head coach in the Big Ten, and now obviously fortunate to have this unbelievable opportunity in the ACC at Virginia Tech.
“All these experiences, all these lessons that I’ve learned, we’re going to pour them into Virginia Tech.”
Before he spoke at the podium, Franklin received glowing reviews from Virginia Tech’s board of visitors member, John Rocovich, president Tim Sands, and athletic director Whit Babcock. Babcock called Franklin “a proven program builder, a winner, an elite recruiter, a strong developer of men, and a relentless competitor.” Rocovich said “Blacksburg, Va., and Virginia Tech will be the best place he ever lived.”
Franklin, 53, has a 128-60 record in 15 years as a head coach at Vanderbilt and Penn State.
Franklin mostly discussed his vision for the program. He did not talk much about Penn State, where he went 104-45, but he did use a moment in his opening statement to show appreciation for his former school.
“I want to thank Penn State. I had 12 years there,” Franklin said. “It’s very unusual in college football, to get 12 years at a place, most importantly, the relationships, the staff, the players. The players here at Virginia Tech are going to find out I’m a players’ coach. That’s what it’s all about for me. That’s what it always will be.”
Franklin also thanked several people at Virginia Tech, including former longtime coach Frank Beamer, whom he called for his blessing the night before he took the job. But Franklin got choked up talking about Brent Pry, the Hokies’ former head coach, alongside whom Franklin worked for 11 seasons at Vanderbilt and Penn State.
Pry was Penn State’s defensive coordinator from 2014 to 2021. Franklin wanted to make sure his former colleague and his family “got the respect they deserve.”
Penn State coach James Franklin (right) with defensive coordinator Brent Pry in 2021.
“Brent’s dad was my offensive coordinator in college. I’ve known Brent for over 30 years,” Franklin said, holding back tears. “I’ve got a ton of respect for Brent and his family. I know he poured his heart and soul into this place. I know this place is better today because of Brent and the commitment that he made.”
For the first time in a long time, Franklin said he had time to reflect and “take a deep breath” in the month in between jobs.
“Me and my family, to take a take a minute to recharge our battery was very important,” he said.
Virginia Tech was aggressive in its pursuit of him, Franklin said. “The very first time we met — I don’t want to speak for them, but I feel like they were ready for me to say yes that night,” he said. As the talks played out, the former Penn State coach said he used the notes app on his phone, compiling “next staff” and “things that I learned through the process.”
“Some of those things are for public consumption. Some of those things are private for me and my family but areas that I know we need to grow and get better,” Franklin said. “People that have been following my career and the things that we did at Penn State, what I’m talking about is what you see right now, the leadership, the commitment, and the alignment. And the nice thing for me is I’m walking in here, and that alignment already exists.”
Franklin already has hit the recruiting trail, he said, and has spoken with more than 40 Virginia Tech pledges and most of the top players in Virginia. He even sent offers to former and current Penn State pledges, including Timber Creek’s Roseby Lubintus, an offensive tackle.
Franklin’s recruiting philosophy largely will remain the same and rely on high school recruiting with the transfer portal supplementing the roster. Now he has the task of leading a program that hasn’t won the ACC since 2010 and has played for the national championship just once in school history (1999).
“You could not have found a coach that’s going to pour his heart and soul into this place more than me and my family,” Franklin said. “I give you my word on that.”
The ceremony also honored restaurants from New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Boston, which also made its Michelin debut as the gastronomic guide has expanded rapidly around the United States in recent years. Anonymous Michelin inspectors were dispatched to Philly months ago to scout, dining in secret and often visiting the same places repeatedly to ensure consistency.
And while Michelin tends to be synonymous with stars (and, yeah, tires), there are other ways to earn recognition. Thirty-one other Philly restaurants — including three cheesesteak shops — earned Michelin honors below the star level. These included 10 Bib Gourmands and 21 recommendations.
What’s the difference between a Michelin star, a Bib, and a recommendation? And who won top honors? We explain.
What is a Michelin star?
A Michelin star is the most prestigious honor a restaurant can earn from the Michelin Guide and typically recognizes fine dining restaurants.
Restaurants do not apply to be inspected, nor can they be nominated. Anonymous inspectors visit restaurants repeatedly throughout the year — often on different days and at different times — and rate them on the following criteria, according to the guide’s website:
Quality of ingredients
Harmony of flavors
Mastery of culinary techniques
Consistency across menu and time
How a chef’s personality is reflected in the food
Thomas Keller high-fives the the Michelin Man during the announcements Tuesday at the Kimmel Center.
Restaurants can earn up to three Michelin stars. One star is a restaurant that is “worth a stop,” according to the guide, for top-quality ingredients. Two stars is a “worth a detour,” while a three-star restaurant is “worth a journey” for cooking that feels like art. Three-star ratings are rare. Only New York City’s Sushi Sho hit the star maximum on Tuesday.
Stars are awarded annually, and restaurants can gain or lose Michelin stars over time, kind of like experience points in a video game. They can also be a big boost for business: Chefs told Eater that one Michelin Star is worth a 20% jump in sales, while other chefs have reported three stars can increase them up to 100%.
Which Philly restaurants earned Michelin stars?
Provenance, Her Place Supper Club, and Friday Saturday Sunday all earned one Michelin star at Tuesday night’s ceremony.
Chefs Chad and Hanna Williams took over Friday Saturday Sunday in 2016, transforming the old Rittenhouse Square restaurant into a James-Beard Award winning tasting experience that mixes Caribbean, Asian, and soul food references. “The long, narrow, lively, and warmly run restaurant is up a steep flight of stairs — and those stairs will seem even steeper when it’s time to leave,” Michelin said of the restaurant, which plans to expand. “Expect an atmosphere as spirited and enjoyable as the food.”
Friday Saturday Sunday, run by chef Chad Williams and his wife, Hanna, earns a star at the Kimmel Center on Tuesday.
Chef Nich Bazik’s Provenance is the youngest Philly restaurant to receive top honors, open for a year in August. Bazik oversees an elaborate, seasonal 20- to 25-dish tasting menu that combines French and Korean flavors often inspired by his wife, Bazik said at Tuesday’s ceremony. Provenance is a “high-wire, high-stakes performance defined by precision,” Michelin wrote.
Provenance sous chefs Zac Cohen (left) and Nicholas Piwinski present a collection of canapés to guest at the Headhouse Square restaurant on Oct. 17, 2024.
What is a Bib Gourmand?
The Bib Gourmand celebrates restaurants “that serve exceptional food at great value,” according to the Michelin Guide’s website. It was first announced in 1997 as a more budget-friendly companion to the stars.
Previous honorees range from Katz’s — the iconic no-frills Jewish deli on Manhattan’s Lower East Side — and a counter-service-only sandwich stand in Atlanta, to small taquerias, dim sum restaurants, and the occasional hole-in-the-wall.
Like Michelin-starred restaurants, Bib Gourmand awardees can use the designation in their marketing. In some cases, the honor has saved restaurants from closing.
A trio of cheesesteaks from Angelo’s Pizzeria, which earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand on Tuesday.
Which Philly restaurants earned a Bib Gourmand?
Ten Philly restaurants took home a Bib Gourmand on Tuesday night. Naturally, three of them were cheesesteak shops. Here’s the full list:
Angelo’s Pizzeria
Dalessandro’s Steaks
Del Rossi’s
Dizengoff
El Chingón
Famous 4th Street Deli
Fiorella
Pizzeria Beddia
Sally
Royal Sushi & Izakaya
Cemita clasica, remolacha, and al pastor tacos at El Chingón, which earned a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand on Tuesday.
What is a Michelin-recommended restaurant?
Michelin-recommended restaurants are simply “establishments serving good food,” according to the guide’s website. They are judged on the same five signature criteria as starred restaurants.
“A restaurant in the Recommended selection is the sign of a chef using quality ingredients that are well cooked; simply a good meal,” said Michael Ellis, the former international director of Michelin Guide books, in the post. “It means that the inspectors have found the food to be above average, but not quite at star or Bib level.”
In other words, shoot for the stars and hopefully fall among the recs.
The Philadelphia chefs acknowledged at the Michelin Guide announcements Tuesday at the Kimmel Center.
Like restaurants with a Bib Gourmand, those that earned recommendations can also use the notation as a marketing tool. Admittedly, the designation used to be a bigger deal before 2020, when Michelin digitized the guide. Before, recommendations were listed in bound red travel guides that the tire company first used as a sneaky promotion to nudge people to take more road trips (and thus, buy more tires).
Recommended restaurants are not precluded from earning stars later on. In fact, insiders think of it as a watchlist for establishments that might get a star in the future.
The hot tamales from Honeysuckle at 631 N. Broad St., which is now a Michelin Guide recommended restaurant.
Which restaurants did Michelin recommend in Philly?
Michelin recommended 21 restaurants in Philly. They are:
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
Zahav
Honeynut squash with husk cherry, habanero, and pumpkin seed tahini at Pietramala. The vegan Philadelphia restaurant earned a Michelin Green Star for sustainability, as a well as a recommendation.
Were there any other awards to take home?
Yes. Aside from earning a recommendation, chef Ian Graye’s vegan Northern Liberties BYOB Pietramala also earned a Green Star for demonstrating a commitment to sustainability.
There is no specific formula for awarding a Green Star, according to the Michelin Guide website, though criteria such as environmental footprint, the use of seasonal produce, resource management, and how food waste is treated are considered.
Ian Graye, of Pietramala earned a Green Star award at the Michelin Guide announcement event at the Kimmel Center.
“Chef Ian Graye seeks out foragers and small local suppliers for plants, herbs and fruits and also does his own fermenting and preserving,“ read the blurb included in the Michelin Guide for Pietramala. “His menu offers a selection of around 10 dishes designed for sharing — around three per person should more than suffice when ordering — and his cooking comes with a slight Italian accent.”
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Paul George didn’t waste any time in his return to NBA action on Monday night, taking just 36 seconds to block a James Harden shot and turn a quick give-and-go with Tyrese Maxey into a catch-and-shoot three-pointer for his first made basket since March 4. It was a much-missed glimpse into the do-it-all player that PG had been billed as when he first came to the 76ers as a major free-agency coup in the summer of 2024 — a sight that was all too rare with George limited to 41 games in a disappointing Philly debut.
Of course, the rest of George’s night wasn’t quite as smooth: He scored six additional points and went 1-for-8 from the field (0-for-3 from deep) after drilling that early jumper, while the Sixers were outscored by 12 in his remaining minutes — though he did grab seven rebounds and dish three assists in his 21 minutes of court time. All told, it was roughly what you could have expected out of a 35-year-old who hadn’t suited up in 259 days.
Because of this — along with the fact that Joel Embiid was out — it’s tough to draw too many sweeping conclusions from George’s season debut. But between what we saw on Monday and the general profile of similar players at this age, we do have some clues about what PG might have left in the tank this season, when he’s available — which is always a question mark — and how it could help the Sixers improve at both ends while lightening the load on Maxey.
For one thing, it’s already clear George is going to get plenty of touches even while coexisting alongside Maxey’s ongoing development into a huge scorer. His usage rate on Monday was 28%, which was higher than both his figure last season (23.5%) and what it was during his final season with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2023-24 (26.6%). Along the way, he launched some threes, got to the line plenty, and made a few plays as a ballhandler and passer as well. Despite easing himself back into live play, George is still a future Hall of Famer who commands plenty of attention from opponents.
And the Sixers do need a guy like that. Aside from Maxey, who had a sky-high 39.1% usage rate on Monday and carries a 30.8 share — 15th-highest in the NBA — this season overall, the Sixers haven’t had anyone else who can consistently initiate and/or finish possessions when Embiid is sidelined. Not including Maxey, Embiid, and George, the only other Sixers player (in at least 20 total minutes) with a usage above the league average of 20% is Quentin Grimes at 21.5%. Usage rate estimates the percentage of a team’s possessions a player “uses” while on the court, showing how much the offense is centered on them.
Sixers forward Paul George scored nine points in 21 minutes during his season debut.
To be sure, others have been efficient within their roles. Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond and Trendon Watford are all comfortably above the league’s average true shooting percentage, while Justin Edwards and Dominick Barlow have made great use of their chances when their number gets called.
But the Sixers offense has been notably top-heavy in its distribution of plays toward just a small number of players so far this season. And we can see this if we look at each Sixer player’s share of total team plays (FG and FT attempts, assists and turnovers), tracking how concentrated those plays are among a given number of players.
For instance, Maxey has personally been responsible for 26.1% of his team’s total plays this year, the highest rate in the league. Maxey and VJ Edgecombe have combined for 40.9% of plays, which is the highest share for any teammate tandem in the league. Maxey, Edgecombe, Grimes, and Oubre have collectively shared 66.8% of Philly’s plays, the highest rate for any quartet of players in the league … and so forth:
This isn’t inherently a bad thing, and one needs only to look back upon the 2022-23 Sixers to find a team with the fourth-best offense in the league despite a disproportionately large share of possessions going to Embiid, Harden, Maxey and Tobias Harris. But Maxey in particular is being asked to carry a massive load so far this season, as one of just 10 players across the league with a usage rate and an assist rate north of 30%.
So anything George can do to alleviate that burden — and not merely be an expensive role player for the 2025-26 Sixers — would do wonders for an offense that ranks 11th in the league efficiency-wise but may not be able to sustain that level while asking Maxey to play 40.4 minutes per game at his current level of usage.
Can George do that, though, given his age and injury profile?
Based on his percentile grades relative to the league last season, PG had already slipped from a 95th-percentile to a 49th-percentile player overall, with notable drops in his true shooting (77th to 19th) and turnover percentiles (67th to 17th). If we look for the most similar players by skills at a similar age, George’s top comps went from Manu Ginóbili, Clyde Drexler, Kawhi Leonard, Michael Jordan, and Eddie Jones in 2023-24 to Stephen Jackson, Bobby Jackson and old versions of Dwyane Wade, Scottie Pippen, and Vince Carter in 2024-25.
That doesn’t exactly inspire tremendous confidence in what he can do this season, even when healthy, although Pippen (as a Trail Blazer) in 2002 and Carter (as a Maverick) in 2012 were more effective than we probably remember them being. The average themes across George’s top-20 comps from last year as they got a year older were that they scored less (down 9 percentile points in usage and 7 points in per-possession scoring), though perhaps a bit more efficiently, had fewer assists (down 6 points) and were less of a factor in rebounding (down 4 points), steals (down 6 points) and defense overall (down 8 points).
Those changes would leave George further diminished as an aging star wing, if still a useful one for his above-average scoring, passing, and defense. And based on what we saw in his season debut Monday, that’s probably about what George’s potential is for the season at large. He may not be the MVP candidate of his prime nor even the All-Star he was for L.A. in 2024, but he can still provide the Sixers with plenty of things they need if he can stay on the court.
While the Eagles (8-2) topped the Lions, 16-9, on Sunday and continue to lead the division, not all has been to Philadelphia’s standard.
Unsurprisingly, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce had some constructive criticism for what he called a “frustrating” Birds offense. He shared his thoughts on the game in the latest episode of his New Heights podcast, alongside his brother and Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce.
Defense continues to impress
In Jason Kelce’s view, the most notable success of Sunday’s win was limiting a potent Lions offense to just nine points. Travis Kelce also recognized the Philadelphia defense’s ability to stop Detroit on fourth down on all five of its attempts.
“The [Eagles] defense is playing unbelievable right now,” Jason said. “Probably the best they’ve played since Vic Fangio’s been here. … And it’s at every single level of the defense. The defensive line is playing out of their minds. Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter were playing volleyball out there, batting down passes left and right.”
One of those deflected passes turned into an interception for cornerback Cooper DeJean, who picked off Lions quarterback Jared Goff in the first quarter, leading to an Eagles field goal.
“Batting down those passes early, that clearly got [the Lions] out of their rhythm,” Kelce added.
After finishing with 2,005 yards last season, Saquon Barkley is on pace to finish with 1,125 this season.
Kelce’s ‘biggest concern’ with the Eagles
The longtime Eagles center was less satisfied with his former team when it came to the offensive side of the ball.
He recognized the midgame blow of not having Lane Johnson on the field. The offensive tackle went down in the first quarter with a foot injury and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks.
“I don’t know how long [Johnson] is going to be out, but that’s something that has decimated this offense in years past,” Kelce said. “Whenever Lane’s been out, it’s been very detrimental. Positively, Fred Johnson has played well in his snaps that he’s had to go in for Lane. But make no mistake, they’re going to miss Lane.”
However, Kelce stated that the Eagles have wider struggles on offense to address — particularly, not maximizing their potential to run the ball.
“We have to get the ground game going,” Kelce said. “Everyone wants to talk about this year’s offense vs. last year’s offense, and vs. previous offenses with Jalen Hurts. The number one difference is that we can’t run the football. We’re not running it at a consistent, successful rate. …
“We have to be demoralizing in the ground game. And [the Eagles] can be. They should be, and they’re just not. It’s frustrating to watch.”
Last night, Michelin entered the Philadelphia dining scene for the first time. Three restaurants got a one-star rating: Friday Saturday Sunday, Provenance, and Her Place Supper Club. Another 31 got recognition from Michelin, as either a “selected” restaurant or a Bib Gourmand.
So did the vaunted international arbiter of dining get it right in Philadelphia? Well, we have some notes. Restaurant critic Craig LaBan sat down with food reporters Michael Klein and Kiki Aranita, who both attended Tuesday night’s awards, to chat about what Michelin got right and what they missed.
The Philadelphia chefs acknowledged at the Michelin Guide announcements Tuesday at the Kimmel Center.
A night of stars and surprises
Craig LaBan, restaurant critic: I was not surprised by the stingy amount of stars given, or even those who received them, but there were notable snubs, including in the value-oriented Bib Gourmands, where some of their choices were big, blatant misses. Vetri Cucina missing out on a deserved star might have been my biggest “oh boy” moment.
Mike Klein, food reporter: I liked how Michelin seemed to ignore a lot of what we would consider “obvious” picks and seemed to look deeper than other outside groups. (I’m referring to the national magazines, which basically only amplify the local critics’ work.)
Kiki Aranita, food reporter: I’m surprised that so many cheesesteak joints got recognition but almost no Asian places, save for Hiroki, Kalaya, and Royal Sushi & Izakaya. I feel like we’re more of a Vietnamese food town than a cheesesteak town, but you’d never guess it from looking at the Michelin Guide. I’m also surprised to see Hiroki recognized but not Ogawa. Based on my deep survey of omakases for The 76.
Chef Marc Vetri (left) and Chad Williams, of Friday Saturday Sunday, during the cocktail hour, at the Michelin Guide announcements Tuesday at the Kimmel Center.
CL: And the lack of attention to Mexican food! I’m thrilled for Carlos Aparicio at El Chingón, one of my longtime favorites — but that is one of the most exciting genres in Philly right now.
MK: Maybe Michelin felt it needed to jump into the cheesesteak debate.
CL: So cliché. And also, Dalessandro’s? C’mon! Angelo’s and Del Rossi’s belong, but I had a memorably bad cheesesteak at Dalessandro’s this spring that looked like the beef had been fed to a wood chipper before it was slapped it on my bun.
Also, if we’re really talking about delving into Philly’s street-food sandwich cred — why not a special hoagie or roast pork place? John’s Roast Pork comes to mind. This felt like an obligatory street-food addition from inspectors with little background in Philly food.
MK: My biggest surprise was that Jesse Ito’s omakase counter didn’t get a star (the izakaya got a Bib), and I suspect that was because the inspectors could not get in. Though “everyone” seems to put it on their best-of lists, Michelin apparently didn’t pull strings.
Chef Jesse Ito and Mia Colona at the Michelin Guide announcements Tuesday at the Kimmel Center.
CL: I also agree with Kiki on the subject of Asian restaurants, which are among our most exciting dining destinations: Vietnamese, Cambodian, Indonesian, and Chinese, of course. Mawn was a noticeable omission, but I suspect they simply didn’t put in the work to get a table, or wait for one at lunch. Sort of lazy, to be honest.
Let’s talk about the snubs
CL: On the subject of Royal Sushi & Izakaya, it’s clear to me from talking to Jesse, who’s seen a copy of the blurb they’re publishing, that they did not get into the omakase. Again, that seems like they just didn’t do the work required of a respected authority on fine dining. But, well, it’s just the first year. Also, a Bib is exactly the correct rating for the izakaya — and a great kudos for that side of the restaurant.
MK: Snubs: Jean Georges. He wins everywhere. Why not here?
CL: Why not JG? Because it’s not a good restaurant. I had one of my worst scouting meals of the summer there this year. The menu seems both dated and aimless and not well-executed. I had a fish dish with a strawberry-tahini sauce the color of Pepto-Bismol that I still shudder to remember.
MK: Snubs: Nothing for Stephen Starr, who only has one one-star in his entire portfolio (Le Coucou). Wasn’t Barclay Prime even worth a Recommended?
CL: I do think Barclay is the best steakhouse in Philly, and possibly Starr’s best, most consistent restaurant. But how often does Michelin recognize steakhouses? Barclay is less formulaic than most, but it’s less cheffy than your typical Michelin nod.
Joe Beddia (from left), Greg Root, Nick Kennedy (rear), Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, and Roland Kassis with the Michelin Man at the Michelin Guide announcement Tuesday at the Kimmel Center.
KA: Craig, are you at all surprised Kalaya didn’t get a Star?
CL: Yes, I was a little surprised Kalaya didn’t get a star. It’s not really a tasting-menu place. But the flavors are so explosive, the personality in [chef] Nok [Suntaranon]’s cuisine is so vivid and distinct, it seems like a slam dunk, really. But it’s also a very big restaurant. Anything could have detracted from the experience — the service, the noise, whatever. I do think her cooking measures up to the criterion they’ve stated.
What were you happy to see?
KA: I did think they took an expansive view of independent, chef-driven restaurants.
CL: I was surprised and thrilled with all the attention directed to Pietramala, our best vegan restaurant right now — and one of the best in all genres, period. The extra award for his pursuit of sustainability was spot on, because it is next-level.
Ian Graye, of Pietramala earned a Green Star award at the Michelin Guide announcement event at the Kimmel Center Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Philadelphia.
KA: I was absolutely thrilled by that. I also did point out to [chef] Ian [Graye] that his green star was made of plastic.
MK: My hot take is that many of the Recommended restaurants are being poised for stars in the future, assuming they step it up. But hey: Vernick, Vetri, and Zahav? That I don’t get.
KA: Mike, I agree — and that is how Recommended restaurants work. They show us what inspectors have on their radar.
I think Michelin more than any other list or awards entity analyzes what is on the plate, and is it delicious? (Sure, we can argue about what is delicious — but it’s delicious to them at a particular time.) [The World’s] 50 Best does seem to celebrate restaurants with excellent PR, while James Beard [Awards] looks at many different aspects of a restaurant, to the detriment of delicious (at times).
Hanna Williams looks on as husband Chad Williams and Lynette Brown-Sow FaceTime after the Michelin Guide awards Tuesday at the Kimmel Center.
What would you like to see Michelin consider next year?
KA: I would hope that they think about entering Chinatown.
MK: To Kiki’s point: Nothing from Chinatown?
KA: Let’s really drive that home. Nothing from Chinatown but three cheesesteak places?
CL: For the next guide, I’d love them to better explore Philly’s traditional sandwich culture beyond cheesesteaks, our great Chinatown, our fish house legacy (Oyster House could have been a bib).
MK: P.S. Everyone I saw at the awards ceremony came away with something. Maybe not the star they craved, but hey — Michelin is no small potatoes.
Amanda Shulman (right) and Alex Kemp react after winning the prestigious Michelin star for Her Place Supper Club at Tuesday’s Michelin ceremony at the Kimmel Center.
CL: My big takeaway is that this is just the beginning. Michelin has made its initial preferences known, but will surely add to its recommendations every year. Places like D.C., whose dining scene I believe we can compete with, only has more stars because it’s been at it longer. My only hope is that restaurateurs keep cooking from the heart, and that they don’t alter what they do simply in pursuit of a star.
I think the aspects of this city that have made it such a draw for out-of-town chefs in recent years (the affordability, low bar to access, a sophisticated audience) will equally draw chefs who aspire to build a Michelin-style restaurant here. It will cost less to do it than D.C. or NYC! (Even if Nich Bazik might protest that fact). In Philly, everything now is on the table, and I’m kind of more excited than I expected to be to see now where it heads.
When a Marriott representative visited the construction site of the W Philadelphia hotel in Center City in January 2019, months after the project should have been completed, the concrete floors were so uneven that a pen placed on the ground rolled downhill.
The construction of Philadelphia’s largest hotel, home of the W and the Element, both part of the Marriott umbrella, began in 2015 and had a strict 2018 deadline for completion. Delays led to an avalanche of nearly 30 lawsuits with the site’s owner, construction contractor, and design company pointing fingers at each other.
The W, which comprises 295 rooms of the 51-story building, eventually opened in 2021, roughly three years late.
Bringing to a close 25 of the lawsuits, a Philadelphia judge issued a 69-page memo last weeklaying out the saga and finding the construction company responsible for the project going “off the rails.”
Common Pleas Court Judge James Crumlishfound that the construction contractor, Tutor Perini Building Corp., subcontracted the concrete work to a company that botched the job. And despite knowing about the problems, which were detrimental to the entire project, Tutor denied the issues for months.
The judge’s finding comes after trial testimonies that took five months as the parties “turned this litigation into a challenging behemoth that made any effort at resolution impossible,” Crumlish wrote.
A yearslong saga
The saga began when Chestlen Development LP, the owner of the site, picked Tutor as the construction manager. The agreement capped the cost of construction at $239 million and required completion within 1,017 days after April 2015.
An attorney for Tutor did not respond to a request for comment.
From the outset, Tutor suffered “chronic turnover of its personnel,” the judge wrote, resulting in the loss of “institutional knowledge of key decisions.”
Tutored subcontracted the concrete work to Thomas P. Carney Inc. Construction, a Bucks County company.
When a different subcontractor, Ventana DBS LLC, began installing the wall-window systems, they immediately noticed a “big problem,” according to the judge’s memo. In many places the concrete wasn’t level or did not meet the elevation requirements in the design.
Tutor pushed back, denying that there was a problem, while quietly attempting to grind the edges of the concrete slabs to address the issue.
While denying the problem, Tutor hired outside advisers to evaluate the concrete work. But they confirmed the problem too.
Finally, in March 2018, Tutor shared the outside reports that acknowledgedCarney’s shoddyconcrete work with Chestlen’s representative for the project.
As summer 2018 began, it was clear that the project would not be completed on deadline.
In September 2018 Tutor asked Chestlen for an extension, which the owner rejected, saying the request came “months if not years after some of the concrete issues started to become apparent,” according to Crumlish’s memo.
The remediation of the floor began in April 2019 andwas completed in October.
The sidewalk area of W Philadelphia and Element Philadelphia Hotel under construction, looking northwest along the 1400 block of Chestnut Street July 2, 2019.
The building finally obtained a certificate of occupancy in April 2021. But Marriott couldn’t open the W until August because over a hundred window vents were inoperable because Tutor failed to follow the design.
“Tutor knew that the floors did not meet specifications but did not timely disclose its knowledge to Chestlen or consult with it,” Crumlish wrote. The judge further found that Tutor refused to work with contractors to remediate the problems in 2017 and 2018, and proceeded to install interiors over the deficient concrete floors.
The blame game
Throughout the litigation, the parties all blamed one another for various problems and aspects of the delay.
Costs and liens piled up.
Chestlen paid Tutor $239 million for the construction, accrued over $40 million in damages as set in its contract with Tutor, and paid tens of millions to remediate the floors. The property is “clouded with over $155 million in liens,” according to the judge’s memo.
Crumlish concluded that Tutor breached its contract when it failed to oversee the concrete work and the window-wall installation, and generally didn’t fulfill its obligations.
“Every delay in the performance and completion of the project is the responsibility of Tutor and Carney,” the judge said. The judge will decide on the amount of damages following hearings scheduled for January.
Chestlen’s attorney was unavailable to provide comment. Carney did not respond to a request for comment.
The W hotel is located where One Meridian Plaza used to be, before that building suffered a devastating fire in 1991 and was finally demolished in 1999.
Filling the vacant lot, a mere block from City Hall, became a top priority for policymakers during Mayor Michael Nutter’s time in office. The hotel proposal eventually received $75 million in taxpayer support across local, state, and federal funding sources in addition to other legislative assistance.
The project was developed by Brook Lenfest, son of the former Inquirer owner H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest, whose foundation continues to own the newspaper today.
The Union said Wednesday that they have put sporting director Ernst Tanner on “administrative leave” as Major League Soccer reopened its investigation into Tanner’s alleged misconduct.
While Tanner’s lawyer denied the claims, the league said it reopened its investigation after “new allegations and potentially new information.”
Some of those allegations were raised to the league by the MLS Players Association, although the league said Wednesday that the allegations “had not been independently verified.”
On Wednesday, The Inquirer received this statement on behalf of Tanner through his legal team: “I continue to firmly deny these accusations. My priority is the team, the employees, and the Philadelphia Union community, particularly at this important time when the team has the opportunity to continue to excel in the playoffs. I will cooperate fully with the league’s investigation as I work to clear my good name and reputation.”
Tanner has been the Union’s sporting director since 2018. He’s widely regarded as the architect of the team’s rise to one of the top clubs in MLS, all on a tight operating budget. In 2022, he was named the league’s Executive of the Year after putting together the team that reached the MLS Cup final for the first time in the Union’s history.
The league said that in its investigation, it contacted “more than a dozen current and former players and club employees” and “all individuals were offered the option to participate anonymously and assured they could speak without fear of retaliation.”
From there, the league said, “a majority of those contacted participated — several anonymously — while others declined. After reviewing all available information and documentation, the investigation was unable to substantiate the allegations.”
The Guardian, a British newspaper and website, reported that in the league’s initial investigation, it contacted 13 people to potentially interview and that eight of them, “who the Guardian understands to be current and former players and employees of the Philadelphia Union, chose to speak with the league.”
MLS said, as the Guardian reported, that Tanner “has been required to participate in a structured remedial program focused on professional workplace conduct.” The Guardian’s report said this is the second time he has gone through that program.
Ernst Tanner, who joined the Union in 2018 as its sporting director, has been placed on administrative leave after allegations of misconduct.
The Union, in their statement, said the team “takes all allegations of misconduct extremely seriously and is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for everyone associated with our club. Discrimination, harassment, or abusive conduct of any kind has no place here, and all staff are required to complete annual sensitivity training.”
The team also said it “continues to cooperate fully” with the league and that “throughout this process, our top priority remains the well-being of our players, fans, staff, and community.”
The Union have a home playoff game on Sunday, an Eastern Conference semifinal against New York City FC (7:55 p.m., FS1, Fox Deportes, Apple TV). The winner of that game advances to the Eastern Conference final against either FC Cincinnati or Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
The Union have home-field advantage in the playoffs for as long as they’re playing, including if they reach the Dec. 6 MLS Cup final.
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The tiny Caribbean island country Curaçao will go to the 2026 World Cup as the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for the marquee event in men’s soccer.
Curaçao, an autonomous territory of about 156,000 people within the Netherlands kingdom, breaks the record of Iceland, with a population of just over 350,000, which was previously the smallest country to reach the World Cup when it qualified for Russia 2018.
A team relying heavily on players born and raised in the Netherlands rode its luck Tuesday to take a 0-0 draw in Jamaica and finish top of a four-team group. Its other opponents were Trinidad and Tobago and last-place Bermuda.
Jamaica’s side of the result means the Reggae Boyz, captained by Union goalkeeper Andre Blake, must play the final round of intercontinental playoffs in March to try to reach their first men’s World Cup since 1998.
Jamaica’s Shamar Nicholson (center) is consoled after the final whistle.
Curaçao has actively recruited from its diaspora, getting permission from FIFA within world soccer’s rules to change the national-team eligibility of players who once represented the Netherlands at youth or Under-21 level, including five since August.
Defender Joshua Brenet even played a World Cup qualifying game for the Netherlands in 2016.
Tahith Chong, a former Manchester United youth player, is one of the few squad members born in Curaçao, which was called Netherlands Antilles until getting its autonomy 15 years ago.
A storied Dutch coach has led Curaçao on to the elite stage for the first expanded 48-team World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Dick Advocaat, at age 78, is set to lead his third team at a World Cup, and his second in the U.S. He took his native Netherlands to the quarterfinals at the 1994 edition and coached South Korea at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
CURAÇAO HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THEIR FIRST-EVER WORLD CUP ❤️
Curaçao’s adventure is set to put players from unheralded clubs on the biggest stage. The squad that clinched qualification included players from Rotherham in England’s third-tier league, Bandırmaspor in the Turkish second division and Abha in Saudi Arabia.
Curaçao got the historic result despite not having Advocaat on the bench. He missed the match in Jamaica because he had to return to the Netherlands last weekend for family reasons.
His team saw Jamaica strike the woodwork three times in the second half in Kingston. A potentially decisive penalty kick awarded to the home team in stoppage time was overturned after a video review.
Curaçao will be joined by regional neighbors Panama and Haiti, which also booked their World Cup spots Tuesday.
Absolute scenes as Panama qualify for their second-ever World Cup 🇵🇦
Panama advanced to its second World Cup after defeating El Salvador 3-0 on first-half goals from César Blackman and Erick Davis, plus Jose Luis Rodriguez late in the game.
Panama’s only previous World Cup appearance was in 2018. It overtook Suriname, another Dutch-influenced team, which started play atop the group before losing 3-1 against Guatemala.
Haiti, a troubled Caribbean country, had a surprising campaign and beat Nicaragua, 2-0, to win its group over favorites Honduras and Costa Rica, which was a quarterfinalist at the 2014 World Cup.
Haiti’s only previous trip to the World Cup was in West Germany in 1974.
Les Grenadiers’ squad includes Union midfielder Danley Jean Jacques and former Penn midfielder Duke Lacroix, who has played for eight years in the USL Championship since graduating in 2015.
The Caribbean and Central American results Tuesday also finalized the six teams that will take part in the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico in March.
Two teams will qualify from the playoffs, which includes Jamaica and Suriname, plus Iraq from Asia, Congo from Africa, Bolivia from South America and New Caledonia from Oceania.
Staff writer Jonathan Tannenwald contributed to this article.
TAMPA, Fla. — From the time Mauricio Pochettino took over the U.S. men’s soccer team last year, each moment has had two meanings.
Along with trying to win games, every pass, shot, tackle, save, or failure has been about trying to make the World Cup team. That mentality is burned deep into American soccer’s psyche, as it has been for many decades, and it’s even deeper when the tournament is on home soil.
That is the same number of games (24) the Eagles played in their entire 2024 campaign, from the preseason through the Super Bowl — to say nothing of how many games there are in other sports’ calendars.
U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino.
On top of that, in none of those 22 games has Pochettino had every member of his A squad healthy. Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards, Sergiño Dest, and others have missed significant time along the way.
Then combine those absences with the Nations League flop in March, which forced Pochettino to blow up his plans and bring in a bunch of less-talented challengers to try to outhustle the stars. The result is the roller-coaster path the U.S. team has been on this year, reaching a smooth track only in the last two months.
This has made projecting a World Cup roster quite difficult. It’s a game fans love to play, and the media often enjoys it too. But the absences, the results, and the quick cadence of FIFA windows this fall made it more sensible to wait.
Now, though, the Americans have wrapped up their work for the year. The 24 players on this month’s squad headed back to the club world on Wednesday morning, and that side of the game will reign until late March.
Gio Reyna is one of the players who left a big and positive impression in this month’s games.
So this moment feels right to look at the bigger picture. Here’s my view of the race to make the plane to Atlanta, where the 26-player World Cup team will gather at U.S. Soccer’s new national training center before its pretournament friendlies.
The projection is broken down by the six main positions in Pochettino’s tactics: goalkeeper, outside back, centerback, central midfielder, attacking midfielder, and striker. Each position then has players who look like they’re in, those on the bubble (in alphabetical order), and a few words of analysis.
Matt Freese making a save during one of the U.S. men’s team’s practice sessions in Chester last week.
Analysis: Unless something goes off the rails for Freese, the Wayne native is in line to become the most surprising U.S. starting goalkeeper at a World Cup for generations. He was given a chance in June and has not let it go, playing 13 of the Americans’ 14 games since the start of the summer.
Schulte, at age 24, is a fine starter in Columbus, a capable backup with the U.S., and a leading name for the 2030 cycle.
Turner’s fall is as surprising as Freese’s rise. The locked-in starter from the 2021 Gold Cup through this past March is now not just out of games, but out of rosters. Even a move back to New England to get the playing time he lacked in Europe hasn’t gotten him back in Pochettino’s good graces.
Matt Turner is on the outside looking in with the U.S. squad right now.
Celentano and Klinsmann, son of former U.S. manager Jürgen Klinsmann, have been in a few U.S. camps. Steffen, of Downingtown, unfortunately is on the outside looking in right now, despite his talent. He’ll have to hope for a strong start next year in Colorado that vaults him over the field.
Sergiño Dest (2) in action against Paraguay at Subaru Park on Saturday.
Analysis: With one exception, this position is easy to line up. All five of the “in” names are locks to make the squad unless Robinson can’t recover from a long-term knee issue. From here, the view is if he’s healthy on June 1, that’s all that matters.
Dest and Weah are the other big names, each capable of thriving in the right wingback role and playing the left side if necessary.
Earlier this year, a reader complained to me on social media that the underwhelming Gold Cup squad might only produce the last players picked for a World Cup squad. I responded that if that was to happen, that squad would be a smashing success, no matter its results.
Arfsten and Freeman are the proof of that, having shot to well-earned prominence this year. Though they wouldn’t start if the three others are healthy, they are more than capable backups.
Lund and Tolkin are on the bubble in case Robinson ends up out. Tolkin played well against Uruguay on Wednesday in his first U.S. cap since the Gold Cup; Lund hasn’t been called in since October of last year.
Chris Richards working out during a practice in September.
Analysis: Ream and Richards aren’t just locks, they’re expected starters. The third starting spot is up for grabs, and there’s a lot of competition.
McKenzie isn’t just projected as in here out of hometown loyalty to the Union alumnus from Bear, Del. His play for the national team and Toulouse puts him above a field in which no one else has truly stepped up.
From here, the bet is Pochettino will take two more, and the race is wide-open.
Blackmon has played some for Pochettino but isn’t at the needed level. Carter-Vickers didn’t play for the U.S. in October, a big warning sign, then suffered an Achilles injury at Celtic. Robinson is a U.S. regular but hasn’t quite done well enough to ensure a plane ticket.
Scally can play multiple positions and is listed here because right centerback is where he projects under Pochettino. After being out of the picture for a while, he played there against Paraguay, got torched on a goal, then didn’t play vs. Uruguay.
Mark McKenzie (left) and Auston Trusty (right) grew up with the Union together, and could go to the World Cup together.
Trusty played the full game vs. Uruguay and did well at both ends of the field. Zimmerman is last in line, but if he lands at a big club in MLS free agency and starts the year strong, he could be an emergency option.
Banks is a big wild card. The 18-year-old Hawaii native stands 6-foot-4, is starting to earn regular playing time at Augsburg, and has held his own in the Bundesliga’s cauldron. Pochettino called him up in September, but hasn’t since. If Banks keeps playing, he might just make it.
Tyler Adams (left) is one of the U.S. team’s biggest stars.
Analysis: Adams is a lock — a star, a veteran, and the team’s most vocal leader. From there, the question will be how deep Pochettino goes at the position.
Tessmann, Roldan, and Morris lead the way, with Tessmann the closest to a lock. That takes the total to four, and the guess here is one more will make it.
Berhalter made quite a statement in Tuesday’s win over Uruguay, with a goal and an assist off a corner kick. That puts him ahead for now of Cardoso, who has tons of talent and is at a huge club but has a history of playing poorly for the U.S. He’s also coming off an injury. If he’s healthy by March, he could get one shot at a ticket in that month’s friendlies.
Sands helps his case with versatility, as he also can play centerback. He got a look in October and wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t called back this month even though there was room for him.
Union alum and Medford native Brenden Aaronson in action for the U.S. on his former home field at Subaru Park.
Analysis: The “in” players are locks as long as they’re healthy, with Zendejas the only one close to a question. Pulisic obviously is a starter, with Tillman or McKennie in line to run next to him.
From there, Pochettino can make subs based on situations. Medford’s Aaronson is an ideal defensive closer, and Zendejas provides width and creativity.
The last pick could come down to Luna, whom Pochettino rightly adores for his toughness; or Reyna, whose talent is forever followed by injury fears. It would be great to see both make it, but there might not be room unless another position is sacrificed. Reyna has the advantage now and will keep it if he plays regularly for his club.
McGlynn is a long shot, but a hot streak with Houston next year could bring his magic left foot back to the picture.
Folarin Balogun (center) might finally be the U.S. team’s long-awaited top striker.
Analysis: It’s truly remarkable that the highest-profile position is one at which the U.S. has the fewest questions. Never before in the program’s 36-year modern era has there been a striker depth chart with this much quality.
If Balogun, Pepi, and Wright are healthy, they’ll be on the plane, and that will be it. If any of them are injured — which Pochettino and every U.S. fan will pray doesn’t happen — Agyemang is first in line to come in.
The field drops so far from there that right now no other strikers truly are in consideration.
Barely 12 hours after Michelin included the fine-dining destination Laurel among its list of Recommended restaurants, chef Nicholas Elmi delivered the news that its final night of service would be Friday.
Laurel’s closing after 12 years had been set in motion over the summer, as Elmi told The Inquirer in June that its lease was ending and that he wanted to open in Rittenhouse.
Wednesday’s announcement on Instagram included word that reservations were available for a seven-course meal prepared by Elmi and chef de cuisine Kevin McWilliams.
Chef/owner Nicholas Elmi, general manager Jane Fryer, and chef Kevin McWilliams outside of Laurel on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023.
Although honored with the Michelin accolade, “I feel like I’ve known what’s been going on over the past year, so I’ve already gone through the whole gamut of emotions,” Elmi said. “Last night was incredibly motivational for me — it made me redouble my efforts and figure out what my next step is. So that’s where I am: keeping my options open, keeping my eyes open, and trying to remain inspired.”
The closing a week before Thanksgiving after a five-month wind-down was intentional. “Everyone’s starting new jobs in December, so it lets them take a week and a half off, get through Thanksgiving, decompress a little before moving on to the next stage of their lives and careers,” he said. “And it gives me the month of December to clear the place out and get myself organized. Winding down a business isn’t just flipping a switch — there’s a lot of paperwork to get through right now.”
Elmi said he was looking forward to family time as well as focusing on his Bala Cynwyd restaurants Lark and the Landing Kitchen, as well as the Pump House events venue, which he own with Fia Berisha.
What’s next for Elmi and Laurel?
The new restaurant will not be the same as Laurel, he said. “As the culinary landscape of Philadelphia has changed, Laurel needs to be updated, whatever form that takes. There are a couple of different concepts we’re playing with right now. I think Michelin is certainly going to improve the aspect of fine dining in Philadelphia, and I want to take some time to figure out what that means to me in the context of how I’ve grown up cooking and doing fine dining over the past 20 years.”
He said he was unsure if the Laurel name will continue.: “There’s a big part of me that understands Laurel is a recognized, branded name. But Laurel was also a little, tiny, beautiful restaurant stuffed into an apartment on a street in South Philadelphia. It was so intimate and so fun, and it represented a really cool moment in my life — being able to cook like that, and cook so freely.
“There’s part of me that wants that to remain a memory, not only for myself but for the people who worked there and for the guests who came through over the past 12 years. So I’m still struggling with the idea. I’d love to carry the name on, but that name carries weight, and there’s an expectation that comes with it. Moving into something different isn’t off the table.”
