CoolFish in Syosset loses chef
Chef Steven Del Lima chats with customers at the Chow Down Diner in Bethpage. Credit: Jeremy Bales
Noted Long Island chef Steven Del Lima, who was starting chef at such restaurants as Black and Blue Seafood Chophouse in Huntington and Perfecto Mundo in Commack, is no longer working at CoolFish in Syosset. According to Ruby Singh, Del Lima has “moved on to better things” after a two-month stint at CoolFish.
Singh's husband, Harendra Singh, heads the Singh Hospitality Group, which owns CoolFish.
Del Lima could not be reached for comment. A successor has not yet been named.
CoolFish was founded in 2000 by restaurateur Tom Schaudel, who garnered a three-star review from Newsday's Peter M. Gianotti and made the well-hidden office building spot into a dining destination. Last year, Schaudel sold the place to Singh Hospitality Group, which brought in Del Lima to update and revamp the menu. Currently, the menu remains essentially unchanged, featuring such items as Satur Farms chilled asparagus soup ($10), jumbo lump Maryland blue crabcake ($16), crispy whole red snapper ($39) and steak frites ($35).
Del Lima was also the starting chef at Chow Down Diner in Bethpage, another Singh property, which received a two-and-a-half star review shortly after its opening. He is no longer with Chow Down Diner, either.
CoolFish is at 6800 Jericho Tpke., Syosset, 516-921-3250, coolfishrestaurant.com.
Chow Down Diner is at 4011 Hempstead Tpke., Bethpage, 516-597-5310.
