Host
Phillip Gilmour
Photo by Megan Swann
Phillip Joseph Gilmour was born in Wichita Kansas on January 13th 1972. The doctor who delivered him said he had the biggest head he'd ever seen. His love of food started at an early age largely influence by his Auntie Mame-esque grandmother Dr. Marilou Morris. Having traveled the world twice over she cooked everything from Persian to French to Thai to Midwestern comfort food. That exposure to international food and having working class parents and largely having to fend for himself to eat lead to a passion and love of food. This lead to him working in restaurants from the age of 14. Starting at the age of 18 he stated traveling the world for 10 years using seasonal restaurant jobs to fund his travels. Food was the main focus when he travel whether it was Rome or Santo Domingo or Chang Mai.
He moved to New York City in 2000. His first job was bartending at Diner in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Then he helped open the legendary Spanish restaurant Allioli (now closed). While working at the Japanese restaurant Bozu he helped his friends open Roberta's pizzeria in Bushwick Brooklyn. Seeing their success inspired him to open his first restaurant Momo Sushi Shack. Later to be followed by his sandwich cafe Hi Hello, the Yakitori restaurant Moku Moku and more recently Momo Sushi Shack in South Beach at the Mondrian Hotel.