Thomas Ciszak is Executive Chef/Partner at Chakra Restaurant in Paramus. His newly launched menus there received a rave 3-1/2 star review from The Record's Elisa Ung, who noted, "The space is as dramatic as ever, but the real star is what's on your plate" (December 3, 2010, http://www.northjersey.com/food_dining/111247849_Non-snob_appeal.html).

In August 2010, Chef Ciszak announced the merger of his company, TC Culinary Solutions, with Chakra Restaurant partners Jason and Peter Longo and Philip Chiaramonte to form The TLC Restaurant Group. This new company will own, operate, and manage a variety of restaurant concepts in the New Jersey region from gastropubs to fine dining, beginning with the newly energized and reconfigured Chakra Restaurant.

Born in Germany and trained at the Culinary Institute of Reckinghausen, Mr. Ciszak gained great popularity first at the Manor in West Orange, NJ; then went on to Manhattan's Tavern on the Green. Next, he moved to The Fireman Hospitality Group as Executive Chef at Shelly's New York. In 2005, he launched Copeland at the Westin Governor Morris in Morristown to universally outstanding reviews.

Building on his culinary talent and business acumen, Mr. Ciszak launched TC Culinary Solutions in 2006, consulting nationally for a number of high-end hotels and restaurants. His new company continues to oversee culinary activity at Copeland, where he is Consulting Chef.

Chef Ciszak's wife, Evelyn, is sommelier and General Manager at Chakra.