It Takes Two
At Strange Delight, working with your best friend has its perks.
Photos: Will Blunt
The feel-good vibes at Fort Greene’s Strange Delight could be attributed to the comforting, New Orleans inspired menu, or even to the colorful, bright interior. But, perhaps the warm, inviting atmosphere stems from the very core of the restaurant: co-chefs de cuisine, Princess Fludd and Patricia Rosa.
“We’ve been best friends for eight years,” says Rosa. The duo first met working in the kitchen at Facebook’s corporate headquarters and have been “thick as thieves since.” Fludd and Rosa have spent over a decade cooking, but they were considering taking a permanent step away from the industry until Rosa got a job as an oyster shucker at Strange Delight in May 2024. “I came in and I loved it,” she says. Soon after, Fludd joined the team as well. Chef-Owner Ham El-Waylly “was looking for a prep cook,” says Rosa. “I was like, ‘I know somebody.’ He asked if she was good and I said she’s better than me. He said he would hire her on the spot.”
Since the opening, Fludd and Rosa (who are also roommates) have taken on the role of co-CDCs, and their friendship comes in handy when collaborating on the seafood-focused menu. “We don't butt heads at all,” says Rosa. “I have my strengths and she has her strengths.” The first dish they collaborated on was their fried oyster mushroom sandwich with a giardiniera spread. The sandwich, originally a special, was added to the menu permanently and “plays into the oyster theme” of the restaurant while offering a vegetarian option, says Rosa.
“We talk about [dishes] at home. We talk about dishes on the way to work. We have the same flavor profiles. If she doesn't think it tastes good, she knows I won’t like it,” says Fludd.
Fried Oyster Mushroom Loaf Sandwich, Giardiniera Spread, Lettuce, Tomato, Hot Sauce, Mayonnaise, Milk Bread
Catfish Nuggets, Creole-Spiced French Fries, Remoulade, Béarnaise
The duo’s collaboration extends beyond the four walls of Strange Delight. Fludd and Rosa participate in the non-profit Wellness in the Schools. “They focus on feeding public school students healthier meals, more farm fresh-foods and less frozen food. We teach cafeteria workers how to properly prepare fresh fruits and vegetables. We teach them knife skills and how to properly season foods.” Sometimes, they even run into a familiar face. “I was teaching my old lunch lady!” says Rosa.
Fludd and Rosa also work directly with students, teaching them how to cook and educating them about nutrition and healthy eating habits. “One in five kids is predisposed to diabetes. We wanna cut that back drastically,” says Rosa.
The chefs are at the public schools on Staten Island five days a week starting at seven in the morning, changing up schools every month. “We’re there until noon and then head to Strange Delight and get ready to open for dinner,” says Fludd.
Despite the grueling hours, working with the kids makes it all worth it. “Some of the kids don’t get to eat at home, or have never had a tomato before. We get to teach them that there are other things beyond Burger King,” says Rosa. “I like feeding people. I like when they have a smile on their face and have a good meal,” adds Fludd. Although Wellness in the Schools' pilot program for New York City-based schools is coming to an end after two years, Fludd and Rosa are still eager to give back to their community where they can, and are hoping the program gets renewed with more funding.
Working with your best friend has its perks, and energizes the two chefs to keep pushing themselves inside and outside the kitchen. “If I wasn't working with her, I wouldn't be happy,” says Fludd. “We’re like sisters,” adds Rosa. “[Coming into work], we feel like kids on Christmas.”
