At Cheezy Vegan, Chef Reeky is reinventing Philly favorites with plants and a side of Philly grit
Cheezy Vegan is what Tarik Ryant, aka Chef Reeky, calls a Food Lab.
The Point Breeze restaurant serves hearty plant-based comfort food, including the McReeky, made with American cheese, crispy tofu, sausage and a spicy English muffin.
Other menu items include the Morning Breeze breakfast sandwich, an Italian hoagie and a buttermilk "chicken" sandwich.
Tarik grew up in South Philadelphia surrounded by family members who loved to cook. He says his grandmother was "a chemist in the kitchen" and his uncle was a pit master.
But his path to becoming Chef Reeky was not straight. After getting into trouble in the 1990s, he spent several years at SCI Somerset, where he entered a prison apprenticeship program for cooking.
After his release, Tarik says he focused on educating himself, earning degrees from Temple's Fox School of Business and Walnut Hill College's Restaurant School.
He also attended Community College of Philadelphia, earned a degree in healthcare management and later returned to Temple to study real estate.
His hard work paid off with a pardon by the governor.
Tarik opened restaurants in Southwest Philadelphia and Delaware County, but two years ago, he faced what he calls the biggest challenge of his life.
He says he was shot four times, the victim of a random act of violence.
Afterward, he started a mentorship program for young people called Cloud Safe Kitchen, designed to put people in front of opportunities before they make a critical error.
With Cheezy Vegan, Tarik is returning to his roots.
His specialties include a vegan Philly cheesesteak, which he says can stand up against anybody's cheesesteak.
The restaurant is filled with references to South Philadelphia and his childhood, from mural artwork featuring Eagles Super Bowl scores and SEPTA tokens, to menu items like the Veggie Jawn omelet.
Chef Reeky also created a line of fresh juices named for Philadelphia neighborhood. The cafe serves house-roasted coffee, makes milkshakes and carries locally made vegan desserts.
Tarik says his goal is simple: he wants customers to feel like they ate clean and got their money's worth.
Cheezy Vegan | Facebook | Instagram
1216 S. 17th Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19146
610-543-2300 | chefreeky@cheezyvegan.com
