PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. – Teacher turned chef Todd Mitchell opened his first eatery, Chunky and Bop’s, in Riverdale Park’s Le Fantome Food this month. The signature menu item is the 18-inch Philly Big Boy cheesesteak, which also features soft pretzels, flatbread pizza, onion rings, and additional vegetarian options.
“The menu at Chunky & Bop’s is a standard menu of a Philly cheesesteak hoagie shop and reflects the flavors I grew up with. In Philly, we’re blessed with a plethora of culinary influences—from the Italian community to the Asian community—and it all comes together in our fantastic food scene. Looking at our menu, you’ll notice that the ingredients are quite interchangeable,” said owner Todd Mitchell in an interview. “The ingredients we use can easily go into other items. For example, our stromboli is like a pizza wrapped around a cheesesteak (supreme or royal, with onions and green peppers). It’s the best of both worlds.”
Mitchell has dreamed of this restaurant since his days cooking in his Virginia State University dorm room for his hallmates, where he had difficulty finding the ingredients to make an authentic Philly cheesesteak. Following a 30-year tenure in education where he taught a variety of subjects and coached baseball, he hosted the grand opening on June 1. He credits his culinary gifts to his grandmother and his father.
“I’m the go-to guy when it comes to food. Thirty years is a long time for anyone to do anything. The hard part is that I had to come to terms and choose between these two passions. I’m officially retiring next month in June,” said Mitchell. “There was a lot of self-reflection. Cooking has been a passion of mine all my life. I thought, at the age of 55, if I don’t do it now, when will I do it? I would’ve been mad at myself if I never gave it a shot. At this time in my life, I still have the energy and creativity to get the business off the ground.”
Last month, Council Chair Jolene Ivey (D- District 5) attended the opening of the Jafe Cycling Bike Shop in Bowie while County Councilmembers Wala Blegay (D- District 6) and Sydney Harrison (D- District 9) welcomed Chaney Enterprises to District Heights. Chaney is a new plant that will use sustainable practices to produce concrete while employing over 100 Prince Georgians.
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