The “magic” of the Magic Pan restaurant
**UPDATE** I have added several additional posts. These include some recipes, as well as links to cookbooks and a crepe machine! Start here to find the recipes
I suppose most, if not all of you dear readers are not old enough to remember the Magic Pan restaurant. While reading the textbook “Service Management” by Fitzsimmons, I was taken back to the restaurant of my youth, and reminded once again of those wafer-thin crepes, and the delightful fillings that so often filled our Sunday afternoons.
The text book, in discussing quality control in delivering a service, mentions the “foolproof machine” that the Magic Pan designed to cook their crepes. (For that same upside down pan, perfect crepe experience, try the VillaWare V5225 Crepe Maker
The “chef” would first place a pan, upside down, on the carousel, allowing it to make a few slow revolutions, and thus get up to temperature. After that, they would remove a pan, wiping the bottom of the pan on a towel that had been embedded with some form of “lubricant” (either butter or vegetable oil). They would then dip the underside of the pan (yes, the outside!) in the batter. Once coated, they would place the pan (again face down) on the carousel, where it would cook the crepe evenly. As a kid, I would love standing there and just watching, watching, watching…
This approach did a few things that guaranteed consistency of delivery:
- The batter on the bottom of the pan meant that they always had the “right” amount of batter for each crepe
- The constant rate of the carousel meant they were always cooked correctly, never over or under cooked.
- By having many slots around the carousel, they were able to “manufacture” a large number of crepes with only one chef.
All pretty doggoned innovative!
So, of course, thinking about the Magic Pan again after so many years set me off on a Google search for the demise of the ‘Pan, and perhaps to find some recipes. Well I found that, and more!
Let’s start with the “and more.” It turns out that the Magic Pan is back! Now the Magic Pan of my memories was a rather nice, upscale, yet casual, dining room with great food. The new Magic Pan is actually a “food court” provider of the same recipes. According to “Cathy2” at LTHForum the Magic Pan has as the culinary roots to heart of the original, but appears to be an all new restaurant. As she writes:
I talked to the manager who advised they had the original chef-trainer from the old Magic Pan fly in from San Franciso to reproduce and train their people for several original Magic Pan dishes: Original Spinach Souffle Crepe; Original Chicken Divan Crepe; Original Crepe Suzette; Original Strawberries and Sour Cream Crepe; Original Chantilly Crepe and Original Cherry Royale Crepe. I remember vaguely the old Magic Pan closed abruptly I believe due to bankruptcy. The manager didn’t remember the circumstances, though he knew all 240+ Magic Pan restaurants closed in one day across the country.
Now, I find that to be quite interesting. All closed–in one day! Wow.
I am somewhat disappointed to learn that they are not using the same innovative cooking machine that I loved watching as a kid. According to Cathy2:
Magic Pan 2005 is no longer a sit down restaurant, it is a fast food crepe stall. There is no large ring of gas with upside down smooth bottom frying pans with dipped crepe batter cooking as it rotates over the circuit. Instead there are three large flat iron plates to cook the crepe batter. The cook selects from buckwheat, cornmeal or wheat flour crepe batter and pours a measured quantity on the pan. Using a t-stick paddle he smoothes and spreads the batter to the outer edges. Once cooked, the crepe is filled and presented to the customer.
I hope to someday learn more about the reasons for the demise of the Magic Pan, and perhaps even how widespread the “ROMP” (return of Magic Pan) may be.  Until then, I will be trying out some of the recipes I found online, and seeking to take a trip down that culinary memory lane.
UPDATE: 30 Dec 2009. In the meantime, I will tell you that I have found a great machine (the VillaWare V5225 Crepe Maker
I was a long-time customer of the Magic Pan at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. It was a huge disappointment when it closed.
Where are the crepe fast food stalls located?
Thank you, and please do keep us informed.
The Magic Pan was started by Leslie and Paulette Fono, Hungarian refugees, in Aspen, Colorado (Leslie was a world class skier). Quaker Oats purchased and expanded the concept (adding Proud Popover and Engine House Pizza Co.) We growth and profit projections could not be met the entire chain was sold to a large distributor of Royal Crown Cola, who later closed it all down. The selling to Royal Crown was after my leaving the company and is not first hand knowledge but I believe it be correct.
I work for Magic Pan about 10 years, 5 years of which were in restaurant operations working in Beverly Hills, Denver, Costa Mesa and San Jose, Ca. I left the company as Manager of Financial Planning. Hope this fills some of the gaps. Dan Buchanan
Dear Dan Buchanan and Steve Brady,
I so thrilled to learn anything about the demise of my childhood favorite! How lucky you were, Dan to work there in crepe heaven for 10 years! My absolute dream meal, which I still long for to this day is the split pea soup, orange almond salad; A delightful spinach crepe and a chicken divan crepe, followed by a Chantilly dessert crepe. I’d probably be 400lbs if the Magic Pan was still open, but I’d be a happy 400lbs. I’m actually researching the MP so I can re-create a meal for my sister’s birthday. I’m a novice cook, so I worry about the results, but if anyone has a link to recipes, I’d appreciate it, or even if anyone knows where one of those mall stands are in Los Angeles, I’d just as soon take her there. Better yet, Dan, why don’t you re-open the franchise and make us fanatics wildly happy?!
Thanks & happy eating.
I was a manager at the E. Walton street location in Chicago in the 1980’s. I left about 4 mos. before the company closed.
This is what I can tell you from my experience. All products were made from scratch, everything!
The manager training program was brutal and almost like boot camp. I have since been through a few others and none compared to theirs.
The chefs that trained me at this location were with the company since the store opened and were very loyal. They were from India and were fabulous trainers and taught me so much!
This particular location was a 4 level restaurant . The firstfloor was used for restaurant business and sat approx. 100
the second was used for private parties and was a loft that looked over the garden section. A large big white brick room that exteneded all four floors.
the third floor and fourth floor was storage.
For many years however it was said that all four floors were in operation.
Each floor had it own kitchen with the exception of the fourth floor which was also used as offices.
It was a very fun place to work! It was very busy also.
What went wrong? To operate a restaurant exactly the same way today , would pretty much be impossible. The costs and labor and training it takes to produce that menu is very difficult.
So many foods are practically completely prepared for the chains today so that they do not need to pay a super skilled expensive kitchen staff.
The menu that Magic pan offered required so much prep and skill, to duplicate it on a large scale and deliver a consistant product sytem wide, is very difficult.
And yes the crepe wheel was very fun to operate. Magic pan also ws first to introduce the “Pasta Craze” and in the evening a saute chef would prepare delicious dishes such as, chicken alfredo florentine, fettucine carbonara, steak diane, and other wonder stir frys.
The desserts were to dye for with sensational fillers, and sauces, and an ice cream that was made to spec for only Magic pan , that had just the right butter fat content for melting in a crepe. ONe of my faves were Cherries royal and the peacan praline crepe. Not to mention the Chocolate mousse that was made from these huge 20# gharidelli chocolate bar.
Wow the memories
In my life I have only visited two Magic Pan establishments. The first was in Eton Center, Toronto and the second in West Farms Mall, near Hartford Connecticut. Although I went only to two, I went to both a lot. There are not many places that stand out in my mind and often pop into memory like the Magic Pan. The food, the staff, the atmosphere were sheer delight. It is probably now 20 years later and I can still see and taste the Potage St. Germain and the Coquilles st Jacques. The thoughts and tastes transport me back to a time when life was simpler, but its pleasures so much more intense. What would I give to have bge able to revisit in real life this nostalgic place. I would revel in the love of wholesomeness and goodness and of the joy of being alive.
I loved the Proud Popover in the Stanford Mall in San Fracisco. Is there any information of what happened to it or how to get the recipes from the restaurant? I would love to get them since I haven’t been there for about 30 years. Let me know how to get in touch with anyone who might have this information. Are there any more restaurants in the US?
The Magic Pan was my all time FAVORITE restaurant! I wish they were still is business, I have found nothing that compares and would love to see them open up again. I can’t imagine how these restaurants couldn’t have been successful. If anyone has more info or recipes please post. Thanks.
I used to work for the Magic Pan in Philadelphia on Walnut Street. I absolutely loved their crepes. The Ham and cheese, the St. Jacques, the Chicken Divan, the Spinach, the Beef Bourgon-something, the Crepes Chantilly, the Beignets with brandied apricot or chocolate sauce, the pea soup with sour cream or sherry, or the turtle soup wth the same. I would love to see them re-open with the same recipes and their wonderful crepes made on the the pans in front of the customers. Even if they only opened a few of them in special tourist places, and instead of heating the crepes up in microwave ovens they might have the sauces heated on stoves in pots and dished out as the orders came in. The salads were good…fresh, too.
R. Sasson
I worked at The Magic Pan (Oakbrook) while going to school (1976-1977) and remember it as one of the very best jobs I’ve ever had in my entire working life.
Does no one remember the truly original Magic Pan? I once lived in San Francisco and remember in 1964 being a faithful client of the little hole-in-the-wall restaurant with its fascinating crepe carousel. There were 22 places, I believe, and I remember because those of us who formed the line around the block counted each smiling client who left to calculate when our turn would come! Years later, in the seventies, our situations had both improved to the point where I was able to enjoy their crepes in their beautiful Beverly Hills location several times while visiting on business, regretting only the loss of the intimacy of that miniscule cafe where everyone had known me… I was happy for their success, but there are always tradeoffs when one sells out to that success.
The ‘boot camp’ management training analogy reminds me of Nordstrom, where I worked as a student in Seattle in ’67-’70. They were tough and expected a high standard of work from us then, but as they grew and expanded to other states, their training philosophy became ever more draconian, in the cause of providing the finest service.
If you are looking for more information about the Magic Pan, including original recipes, there is a Yahoo group called MagicPanProject. It currently has over 1,250 members.
Found your site today whilst googling for a crepes recipe that might successfully mimic one of my favorite Magic Pan crepes, the ham and cheese, which sounds so mundane but which was gorgeous and creamy and, I think, had a little booze in it. The Walton Street restaurant in Chicago was one of my favorite haunts when I lived there. Thanks for this resource.
I worked in the Philadelphia Magic Pan as a bartender/cashier and I remember it with affection. My favorite was the spinach and of course the dessert a la mode!
Staff were amazingly friendly and kind to to me- a rather innocent 21 year old from the UK and I learned a lot about America from that time.
Sorry forgot to mention this was 1973! I know cos I drove a car with a “Watergate bugs me” sticker!
David S. I was also at the Oakbrook Magic Pan in 1976-1977–as a bartender. Their Bloody Mary’s were outstanding! Anyone remember the recipie? (I don’t)
h-haake@northwestern.edu
David S. I was also at Oakbrook in 1976-1977–as a bartender. Great Bloody Mary’s. Anyone remember the recipie? (I don’t)
Hank Haake
h-haake@northwestern.edu
I worked at the Magic Pan during summer vacation after my sophomore year at Penn, 1972. I made a lot of tips but I was the worst waiter ever. My intentions were good but I just couldn’t seem to get things out fast enough. I couldn’t figure out if people left me large tips because they felt sorry for me or they thought I was cute. Eventually I got fired but many of the staff still remained my friends. They gave me a huge sympathy party and several gay clients wrote letters of protest to the management. David Hoguet, another waiter and student at Penn and his girlfriend Katherine Raymond, took me to a relative’s house in East Hampton for a long consoling weekend . In spite of getting fired, I loved my experience at the Pan and the food. It gave me a greater appreciation for waiting tables. I have been a huge tipper ever since.
Is there ANYONE out there who was EMPLOYED with the MAGIC PAN RESTAURANT in TORONTO, CANADA as I was employed at SHERWAY GARDENS…HHHELLLOOO OUT THERE!!!
I first loved The Magic Pan in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the 70’s. We’ve also enjoyed it here at Crystal Cove, and I wish it would return! It was such a “feel-good” restaurant, and it makes me hungry for “St. Jacques” just to write this. A chain of my friends were sending each other their favorite restaurants, and The Magic Pan kept appearing, even though it’s just a memory. That says something! And I hope some great entrepreneurs out there will get the message.
Are there any other location that serve by Magic Pan Restaurants or is it only in Chicago area. I live in Oklahoma. I notice that you don’t have a website for Magic Pan Restaurant. Why?
~nina
very fond memories of the late ’70’s at the MP in boston, on newbury street, on the corner of berkeley street.
Oh, my mouth is watering as I remember the Magic Pan! My first time was the San Francisco restaurant and then, to my joy, one opened in Glendale CA, literally down the street from me! I am surprised they couldn’t stay open simply because of the money that leapt from my wallet into their cash register! What I wouldn’t give to enjoy an orange almond salad and chicken divan crepe now… Maybe there will be a Magic Pan in heaven!!
I am writing a book about my ski bum years in Aspen, CO starting the summer of 1970, and I remember when the Magic Pan opened on a Saturday, August 22. I just ran across an old article about this venerable restaurant. The founders, Leslie and Paulette Fono escaped from Hungary during the 1956 uprising and found their way to Vail, CO, where they began making their now famous crepes. They opened the first Magic Pan restaurant in 1965 after they moved to San Francisco. The 2nd restaurant was opened in Ghirardelli Square in 1967. San Francisco had to be an extremely interesting place to be during those years.
I was an Asst. Mgr of the Lenox Sq. MP in Atlanta and was the guy that was the last one out the day they closed. It was a bankruptcy issue as the folks that own Lettuce Souprise You used the profits to open the other chain and didn’t pay bills. I miss the old wheel and the folks I worked with. They were a bunch of nuts let me tell you, but we were like a family too. I have a few of the recipies if you want to contact me.
I never had the pleasure of eating at a Magic Pan. I have been exploring the crepe world and would love some of the recipes, thank you for offering to share. Have a great day!!
Never done this, I thought my e-mail address would show, it is shellcarr1@yahoo.com
Roger,
Love to hear more about it and get some recipes.
Thanks.
Judy
I worked at the Pan in Atlanta and New Orleans. Way back on the 70’s I worked at the Lenox Mall store, then Cumberland Mall, then Northlake, the last location to open in Atlanta. What a blast I had! I later moved to New Orleans and worked for a while in the Metarie location. That was really fun! I remember all of the food quite well, and even though I had access to ALL of the recipes, I never took the time to write them down. Too bad—I should have. I’d love to have a copy of the old menu from the late 70’s. I don’t know if I can recall every single dish we served, but I can think of most of them. I do know one secret, though. The mustard sauce served on the side with the Ham and Cheese Palascintas (Hungarian Crepes) was nothing more than plain old yellow mustard mixed in a huge Hobart mixer with granulated white sugar. That’s all that was in it. Boy, the food was great, wasn’t it? I joined the Yahoo group, so maybe I’ll reconnect with some old friends.
I have been thinking about this restaurant for years. I make my split pea soup pureed just like the Magic Pan did. How I miss this place. There were 3 in the Detroit area that I used to go to.
I was employed by The Magic Pan in Dallas from 1978 to 1983. I was the Production chef as well as “crepe assembler” at the Northpark Mall store. Lunch every day was CRAZY….as all the well-heeled ladies of fashion dined there. The cast of DALLAS were frequent visitors.
I have never used so much alcohol in so many recipes! That’s what made EVERYTHING taste so good. Many of the recipes were “semi-homemade”. The spinach souffle crepe was nothing more than Stouffers Spinach Souffle, topped with a sherry-cheese sauce . It was a very demanding job, and I rarely had an appetite after cooking and smelling food all day. I still recall cooking a 5 gallon container of bechemel sauce and wondering why it wouldn’t thicken….that’s when I realized I had used powdered sugar instead of flour! OOOPS!
I occasionally prepare Chicken Divan and Cherries Royal from memory. The royal filling was a 50/50 blend of sour cream and cream cheese……sweetened with powdered sugar, with a splash of almond extract. The topping was canned bing cherries…..sugar……simmered and thickened with arrow root. Then Brandy was added. You can recreate it with a little experimentation.
The sauce for the banana Chantilly crepe was nothing more than apricot preserves with brown sugar and sweet vermouth added.
Hope this helps.
check out the link to this website for magic pan in northbrook il
Hi all you crepe-heads! I was a manager at some Philadelphia area Pans in the late 70’s and early 80’s. I worked in the Jenkintown, Market Street and Bala stores. The food was all made from scratch with a couple of exceptions…out the secrets come…the spinach souffle and the potage St. Germain (pea soup) were Stouffers frozen souffle and a mixture of canned splitpea and green pea soups respectively. But the sauces were all from scratch…and quality was so very important. I learned to cook from a very experienced and dedicated lady named Dora…I carry many of those recipes in my head to this day…ratatouille, country beef, blintzes and apricot souffle…my family gets them to this day. I remember when we underwent the change to offering saute items from “right side up” pans in the evening to try to attract male coustomers. Cooked in the dining room on the crepe wheel! I would love to hear from some of you…those were some fun days!
Hi!
Those people that mentioned they have the recipes…can you send to me please? I will even pay you something! thanks! Just email me at: avme123-tim@yahoo.com
Does anyone remember a “Cheese Puffs” appetizer… had them at the King of Prussia mall location… would love to get the recipe!
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Roger, I would love to have some recipes. Am going to try to leave my email. (Crossed fingers)
tyamethyst@yahoo.com
Hi all you old Pansters. I worked in the Beverly Hills MP and the one in Denver. I just started a Facebook site for people who worked in the Pans. It’s called People Who Used to Work at the Old Magic Pan Creperies.
Also–that Chantilly crepes recipes is in my words. I posted it on some food website years ago. It’s funny that it’s preserved intact.
I met Paulette Fono when she visited the Beverly Hills Pan in 1972. That was my first “real” job (I was a crepe cooker) and I truly loved it. I still make spinach crepes and of course Crepes Chantilly. (Secret of the spinach crepes: Stouffer’s frozen spinach souffle.) I ate that every single day for lunch during the six months I worked in Beverly Hills–always well done (almost burnt) with oceans of cheddar cheese sauce. Come and join the Facebook group!
I was in Boston in the ’70’s in Southern CA now and MP on Newbury was my favorite place. Shopping on Newbury then lunch at MP. A must to stop in on a Sunday for a crepe and the famous Bloody Mary. Tonight I’m having ‘the girls’ for dinner and serving the spinach salad for a start. A little blast from the past!
It’s so nice to see others out there miss something of the past that was so wonderful.
As I sit here with an old menu Spinach Souffle 2 for $3.50 and Chantilly Crepes $1.95 I remember having work in stores and being a “suit” in the Ghiradelli SQ offices and when we moved to 50 Francisco Street. orking with Fred Montgomery, Jim Durkin, Hanna Rose Zimmerman and others.
Yes the Pan was started by Leslie and Paulette on Fillmore Street in SF and in Aspen. Then sold to Quaker Oats, expanded to about 108 stores maximum. Then came Fire Engine Pizza (bought in Portland Oregon) and Proud Popover, which was a lot of the same recipes served in a Popover. Then one day Quaker said lets get out of this business, sold to a Royal Crown Bottler in Oakland who made a killing and then had “issues”.
I might not have all the recipes, but in my job they pretty much all crossed my desk before being sent out.
Remember the secret to the Spinach Souffle was to make slashes in the bottom of the pan and let the excess moisture drain out. The Chicken Elegante was originally Stouffer’s Creamed Chicken and then to economize we bought the Sauce from Stouffer’s and the Chicken meat from the same source they did.
Want more info and history?
Does anyone remember the Chicken Curry crepe ? To die !!! I really miss the MP.
I just did a search because the cheese puffs from The Magic Pan is etched in my memory. I grew up in Costa Mesa and my first job was at Westminster Lace, a retailer directly across the hall from the old restaurant. I desperately want to recreate those cheese puffs (with honey mustard sauce if I remember correctly.) Any guidance on how to do this would be much appreciated.
I remember going to the location in Denver, Co. with my Mom on Christmas Eve day while Christmas shopping, e wonderful memory…The Cheese Fritters appetizer was to die for! Yum, looking for the recipe.
kczgt1@aol.com does anyone know how they made the Cheese Fritters?
Great memories of our favorite restaurants:
Ghiradelli Square, Oakridge SC, Tysons Corner and Costa Mesa. We went for EVERY birthday and other good occasions.
Bring the place back!!! San Francisco, Chicago, LA. Anywhere. We will bring our kids so they can experience it too!
the magic pan in northbrook illinois does not compare to the original
Talk about a stroll down memory lane. As a kid in Costa Mesa, CA, my mom would always take me to the Magic Pan for a snack after shopping at South Coast Plaza. And how could anybody forget those crepes? Such a greatly missed place. I think they closed in 1994 or 1995 – can’t believe it’s been that long.
I see a lot of responders here are former employees. Well, I’m not… but as a former customer I did everything I could to keep you guys in business. I absolutely LOVED this restaurant!!! It was my favorite dinner date stop… but I only broke it out selectively. So if a lady made it to the Magic Pan with back then, I really liked her! We’d have dinner, take a stroll around The Galleria, then hit a Jazz spot to close. If I had married the first girl I took there instead of the idiot I did some years later, I might still be married.
Worked for the Pan from 1977 to 1983, then again part-time in 1989 to 1991. Miss the concept, the food, the people. I worked in Springfield, PA, Paramus, NJ, Hackensack, NJ, Whiteplains, NY. , King of Prussia, PA and for the Popover in Ardmore, PA.