Why Seafood ? About Chef Elise & Hatch Cover

Photo: Gab Bonghi 

Chef/Owner Elise Black most recently opened the kitchen as Executive Chef at Pearl’s On The Corner, a cocktail bar in Fishtown. Other projects in 2024 included General/Bar Manager at The Lucky Well Incubator for their first season of pop-up chef's residencies, then operating  'Hatch Cover' at The Incubator for their 2nd and final season of residencies.

Hatch Cover was the Black family's original seafood restaurant in Avalon, NJ in the late 1970s. It is the namesake and inspiration behind all things "Hatch Cover" today.  Elise's grandparents, Mort and Bernice, opened the small restaurant in 1978. This was some years after Mort retired as a Captain in the US Navy and became a passion project during what would become the later years of his life. Elise's father was a lifeguard in Sea Isle City and having already met her mom from North Philadelphia, both parents worked summer seasons at Hatch Cover. The only true recipe that remains and is made today is the Hatch Cover Clam Chowder, passed down from Mort, to Dave,  to Elise. Elise's favorite thing about the chowder is that it uses a "secret" ingredient that is made locally in South Jersey.  

Cooking professionally since 2012, Elise began as a private chef on the Main Line before building her meal prep and catering business, Fueled By Elise, for 3+ years. She attended Rowan University for Communication Studies, but has always worked different positions both front and back of house, in restaurants. In 2018 Elise took the plunge into Philadelphia restaurants where she "started over" as a line cook. 

She quickly worked her way up and her resume includes positions at some of Philadelphia's top restaurants. These positions include sous at Fork and Royal Boucherie, cook at Fiorella, and opening the kitchen as Executive Chef at Post Haste. Chef Elise has been a part of 6 restaurant openings since 2018. 

Her food comes from a variety of influences and cuisines, but can generally be described as creative, coastal, local, and uniquely European influenced. 

Cooking with seasonal and local produce and Mid-Atlantic seafood as much as possible, Elise  offer's fun casual bar snacks or more elevated plates depending on the event or pop-up location. Hatch Cover will always be seafood focused first, but with balanced menus always written with a something for everyone mindset. Menus range from Jersey Shore inspired seafood shack to elevated comfort foods to upscale cocktail bar and tasting menus.  

The 2025 intention is to offer a diverse portfolio that leans on prior experiences with no limitations. 

Inquire about becoming a client for private meal prep weekly.