Michael Campagna

Executive Chef

Ava

Ava Chef and part owner Michael Campagna is a Philly native with a talent for artesian, Italian-style cuisine.  His qualifications are quite unique for the culinary world, considering he holds a degree in finance from Temple University, and years of experience in the stock exchange. Several years ago, despite the benefits of big business, Michael dreamed of opening a restaurant; brimming with creative talent, he dismissed the world of finance to pursue a degree in the Culinary Arts.

Michael graduated in from Philadelphia’s Art Institute in 2000, and then worked to refine his skills in some of Philly’s most talked about restaurants including Alma de Cuba and Le Castagne. When the idea for Ava came about, Michael, along with his partner and brother Anthony, took a trip to Northern Italy, for a further understanding of technique as well as the family values that go hand-in-hand with the food of the area.

The Campagna brothers have invested more in their restaurant than just the name and the food. Together, with the help of a few close friends, the brothers renovated and reconstructed the space, turning it into their ideal restaurant. Their small team replaced fixtures from kitchen to doorway, and painted every claret-colored streak on the ceiling. They constructed new walls—now the color of mustard—and installed the faux cobblestone floor themselves.  

Being of Italian descent, Michael has a natural talent for recreating the foods of his childhood and restoring them with unusual flavors and a rustic flair. Most of his menu draws from a Northern Italian style, where game and cheese dishes exhibit the influence of France on the area. 

Michael enjoys working with “hearty” ingredients, like speck and rabbit; he pairs them with braised artichokes, polenta, and parsnip purees. The components that he uses are not always easy to come by, so he relies on private purveyors in New York, local growers, and frequent trips to the farmer’s market.  The effort that he exerts in procuring his ingredients is well worth it!  Because Michael cooks with the seasons, the ingredients are always at the peak of freshness.

Every chef has their own favorite dish to prepare, and Michael’s is the Pappardelle with Rabbit Ragu. Michael starts with a whole rabbit, and separates it into pieces before braising. When the meat is so tender that it falls off of the bone, the contents are set aside from the braising liquid. Like every entrée on Campagna’s menu, the pasta is made to order; when a guest decides on that item, the pasta is thrown over heat, with small amounts of tomato sauce and cream. Tossing the pasta with the rabbit meat and a little more braising liquid finishes the dish, making it ready for enjoyment.

Currently, Michael is halfway through his third year with Ava. He is a prolific father, recently welcoming his third child to the family, a boy after two gorgeous girls! Outside of his family, Michael’s greatest concern is the quality of his food, and in offering selections that are unobtainable at the BYOB down the street. Food combinations, such as his Wild Mushroom and Blueberry Risotto, aren’t typical of any chef, and certainly don’t fall within the usual confines of “Italian American” cuisine.

Even with the demands of a small restaurant, Michael and Anthony Campagna find time and helping hands to support the community. Both having been born and raised in Philadelphia, they feel that it’s important to give back to the community. They participate in  charity events that support organizations such as SCANtastic (StopChildAbuseNow), St. Jude’s Children’s hospital, the American Liver Foundation, and Zoobilee, which benefits the animals in the Philadelphia zoo.

With his priorities in order, it looks like Michael Campagna and the family at Ava restaurant have built a strong foundation in Society Hill. In the years to come, I expect Executive Chef Michael Campagna will continue to push the envelope of Italian American cuisine in Philadelphia. There is no doubt that with his guidance, Ava Restaurant will keep friends, neighbors, and food lovers with full stomachs and smiling faces!