Stephanie Sokolove

Owner and Executive Chef

Stephanie Sidell Sokolove has been a food service professional for over 25 years and is highly regarded as one of Boston’s premier businesswomen.

Stephanie was trained by the world-renowned French chef and food educator, Madeleine Kamman, who identified her as a protégée early on. After completing her culinary education in 1980, Stephanie founded the catering company Sidell & Sasse with Bob Sasse. For fourteen years the company prospered, catering hundreds of events annually, ranging from an intimate dinner party to a 750 person Back-Tie Gala for the Dana Farber Institute. Her responsibilities included supervising all menu selections, food preparation and presentation, as well as estimating and billing and staff training. In addition, Stephanie consulted in all aspects of event planning from venue and entertainment selection, to flowers and tabletop design.

In conjunction with running Sidell & Sasse, Stephanie served as the Executive Chef of the U.S. Trust Corporate Dining Room for 14 years. She and her staff produced daily lunches for U.S. Trust customers and executives. They also prepared food for professional and social events held by the bank ranging from board meetings and breakfast seminars to large-scale customers events.

In 1994, Stephanie Sokolove followed her dream and founded Stephanie’s on Newbury. To date, the 300-seat American Bistro has received innumerable accolades from The Boston Globe, Boston Herald, USA Today and The New York Times. Often touted “The Queen of Patio Dining,” Stephanie’s on Newbury was voted Citysearch’s Editorial and Audience Winner for the “Best Patio Dining” in Boston, three years in a row.

Stephanie has built her business on a style of cooking that she calls “Sophisticated Comfort,” a style that is fresh, interesting, and yet familiar. “Sophisticated Comfort Food” is the next generation of comfort food in that it blends traditional favorites with today’s food preferences. Dishes are imaginatively created with current, fresher ingredients and bolder flavors then artistically presented. At the restaurant, Stephanie spins familiar classics into elegant dishes that comfort and surprise without being fussy or intimidating.

Stephanie’s innate foresight in customer demand and knowledge of superior food and management has made her the successful businesswoman she is today. Under her leadership, Stephanie’s on Newbury has become an institution in Boston and one of the city’s highest independently grossing eateries. As the Owner and Executive Officer, her responsibilities include supervising the monthly profit and loss statement, negotiating pricing, planning public relations and events for the restaurant, interacting with the customers, talking to vendors, leading the management team and overseeing the kitchen and menu.

Stephanie Sokolove was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts. In 1976, she graduated from Wheaton College with a BA History. Her mother is Barbara Sidell and her father is Jack Sidell, the renowned Boston Restaurant Financier. She is married to Attorney James Sokolove and has 3 daughters, Courtney, Lindsey and Madeleine. Stephanie is the star of her new cooking show, Sophisticated Comfort Food Made Simple, which is currently airing across the country. She has also recently finished the extensive remodeling of Stephanie's on Newbury.