Chef John Taus grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and spent the better part of his adolescence in the kitchen, either watching his father sharpen knives or his mother prepare her famous meatloaf. At age thirteen, Taus could be found behind a skillet, spatula in hand, assisting with family meals, and eventually experimenting with recipes of his own. Cooking was in his blood, and it showed at every turn.

When Taus left home to study Business at Drexel University, he decided to look for work in an environment he understood; the kitchen. His first local gig was at Stephen Starr’s Tangerine, one of the city's finest examples of modern cuisine. After honing his skills under a Philly legend, Chris Painter, Taus' found success in other famous kitchens along the way: Buddakan, Angelina, Morimoto, Bliss, Washington Square, Pod, James, and Zahav.

Taus' first Executive Chef position was at Jon Makar's Snackbar, where he earned a highly-coveted Three Bells from local critic Craig Laban, an almost unheard of achievement for those taking the reins for a first time.

Taus' vision is a breath of fresh air for the Philadelphia culinary scene. From pork belly sliders to duck pastrami, Taus is always tinkering with his menu at The Corner, his current home. His love for the avant-garde is matched only by his respect for classic chefs, cuisine, and technique. Taus' hunger for surprising diners and confounding traditionalists is what keeps people coming back, and he never fails to impress with top-notch execution and technique

The mysterious man behind The Corner and Raw Sushi and Sake Lounge, has a history that is shrouded in secrecy. All we know is that he is influenced by higher powers who go by the names “Stewie” and “Cartman.” Whether they are his silent partners in crime has yet to be established.