Walter Staib

A third generation restaurateur with over four decades of culinary experience, Staib began his career in Europe in 1960. He received formal training in many of Europe’s finest hotels restaurants before coming to the United States.

As founder and President of Concepts By Staib, Ltd. (est. 1989), a globally operating restaurant management and hospitality consulting firm, Walter Staib is currently the driving force behind one of the nation’s most unique dining establishments: Philadelphia’s City Tavern (independent), a faithful recreation of an original 18th century tavern and Concepts By Staib, Ltd.’s flagship operation.

In addition to being a top chef, restaurateur and consultant, Chef Staib has also authored four cookbooks, City Tavern Cookbook (1999), City Tavern Baking & Dessert Cookbook (2003), Black Forest Cuisine (2006, and City Tavern: Recipes from the Birthplace of American Cuisine (2009). Walter Staib has made numerous appearances on local and national cooking shows, such as The Food Network’s ‘Cooking Live with Sara Moulton,’ and CBS’ ‘Chef on a Shoestring,’ & ‘ The Chef’s Kitchen.

In January 2008, Chef Staib’s cooking television cooking show, ‘World Cuisine of the Black Forest’, filmed on location in Germany and the United States, debuted on Comcast’s CN8 and received two Emmy Award nominations in August 2008. He is currently filming ‘A Taste of History’ based on his fourth cookbook which explores America’s culinary beginnings through the lens of the venerable City Tavern. The show is scheduled to air on WHYY- TV 12 on October 31, 2009 at 4:00pm and will later air nationally on public television.

His passion for culinary excellence has earned him numerous awards—among them the prestigious Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole de la République Française. In 1996, was also appointed the First Culinary Ambassador to the City of Philadelphia. In July, 2006, he was named Culinary Ambassador to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. German President Dr. Horst Köhler conferred the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany upon Staib in May, 2007. Among Walter Staib’s most recent awards are the 2009 Entrée of the Year by Philadelphia Magazine, the 2007 National Restaurant Association Keystone Humanitarian Award (Pennsylvania) the 2008 Award of Leadership & Service from the German-American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and the 2006 Seven Stars & Stripes Award for Excellence in Hospitality.