**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 to loved the Magic Pan in the 70’s. I made my parents take me there for my bithday every year. I would alway get one ham and one cheese crepe and eat them together. I belive the one we went to was in Beverly Hills California.
I wish there was one for me to take my son to!
I worked at the Pan from 82 till it closed in Michigan what a great time. I started as hostess and worked my way through the restaurant. Ted Nugent was a frequent dinner in our Ann Arbor store. Reading everyone’s memories was great and hopefully i can get some of the recipes especially the sauce for the cheeze balls. Thanks for taking me down memory lane, those years were some of my best memories.
Hey I worked at the Pan in Tyson’s Corner Mall in northern Va. summer of 83 and 84! What a blast that place was to work the tips were insane and the crew was the best I ever worked with. You all are right the food was extraordinary and the recipes were all in the heads of the cooks. I remember all the ladies who worked in the back were asian and only the men worked the wheel. All that brass was a nightmare to clean! I still work in the food service industry and cook a lot, would love to get some of the recipes.
any hope out there for mp’s recipes???
I worked at the MP a LOT of years ago at Woodfield Mall. That was back in the early 70’s.
just outside of Chicago. I have so many fantastic memories of the place even after all these years. I still hanker for Potage St G. and remember it as a GREAT hangover remedy with an extra splash of sherry! My favorite part of the day was being able to order whatever I wanted to eat……and wearing the dirndle. I did everything from wait on tables to cooking crepes on the wheel. I remember one of the bartenders was named Victor, he was hispanic and prounounced his name ‘Biktor’. Another bartender was Neelish Patel. I was agast that his parents back in India had arranged a marriage for him. Oh I could go on and on. If anyone out there worked there way back when look me up at samib46@aol.com. I remember a manager named John and one named Joe…….and he would bring a big hunk of chocolate to his desk and snack on it. One of the other girls there was named Debbie something and had very pretty long blond hair and another one very long red hair……..wow, Im having flash backs. Would give my right arm for a basket full of beinets and some chocolate sauce AND apricot!!!!!! YUM
I remember a dessert crepe that had pecans and rum in it. Was it Praline Rum Crepe? I cannot remember the name, but it was my favorite. Does anyone have the receipe for it? Please post or send to me!
Forgot to post email: Please send all and every receipe to:
blrullman@gmail.com
You can find lots of recipes from Magic Pan at http://www.hungrybrowser.com It’s run by Uncle Phaedrus, finder of lost recipes. The Magic Pan cookbook is impossible to find. Currently there is one on Amazon for over $2oo. Someone could make a fortune if they ever agreed to reissue it like The Frog Commissary did in early 2000’s. Would also be nice if Loaves & Fishes by Anna Pump would ever come out again. Had to pay $50 for it. Good Luck anyone trying to find these items.
Paulette Fono is still around and living near Stanford U.
Linda, the name was “The Southern Praline Crepe”. It was my favorite too. It basically was a ice cream square inside a crepe with a buttery caramel and pecan sauce with cinnamon sugar whipped cream on top.
OMG. I stumbled on this site looking for Chicken Divan Crepes recipes. I worked for the Magic Pan in Houston at the Galleria, Detroit at Fairlane Mall,
Chicago at Old Orchard in Skokie, and Ridgedale Mall in Minneapolis. 1973 thru 1981. Some of the best memories of my life and definitely a taste bonanza. I was crepe assembler, kitchen manager, and manager. It was a top knotch organization that got with all the corporate changes ultimately got caught up in the change to more health conscious foods. The Walton Street Magic Pan in Chicago was truly unique. If any one has worked in any of those places give me a howler. Magic Pan lives on! I LOVE IT. The Magic Pan Project mentioned above is pretty good represntation of some of the favorite.
rdeecampbell@gmail.com
I was looking through the theatre listings in the Star Ledger and Magic Pan in NYC suddenly came to mind. It was our favorite place to have lunch when we were in the city at Christmas time.
Hello,all! What great information! Another MP fan, this one from norther VA, Tysons Corner Mall! I have to also mention how much my sister and I loved their coffee—it was Yuban Columbian/whole bean. If anyone out there can send me known recipes, I would sure appreciate it! Sandra
I stumbled today on this web site…..What a rush! Lunches at the Magic Pan in Old Orchard was one of my warmest memories of my mom. She died several years ago from Alzheimers….horrible, horrible…… I would love to reproduce some of the dishes for my daughter. If someone with actual recipes from the restaurant would be kind enough to share them with me, I would be FOREVER grateful! I think sitting across a table from my daughter eating MP food would be a real trip down memory lane. Thank you in advance. (PS: My email address represents my being a lawyer and pastry chef. I went to pastry school as a mental get-a-way while mom was hit with Alzheimers….I figured it was cheaper than seeing a shrink.)
My email address is: tortesandtorts@yahoo.com
I had many great lunches at the MP in Costa Mesa in the 1980’s. Chicken divan was great. My all-time favorite is Lemon cream–the memory still make my mouth water. Does any one know what was inside (?sour cream/whipped cream vs. mascarpone/whipped cream) and the lemon sauce was perfect.
I worked at a Magic Pan in The Topanga Mall in Canoga Park, California back in the early 80’s. I remember it was brutal training and I was not a good waitress at all. They finally moved me to making the crepes on the carousel. IT WAS SO COOL! I loved making the crepes and people would stand and watch in amazement. I remember the Pea soup, it was served with a sour cream and a cute little cup of Sherry. It really was an awesome place. Although at the time I remember it as being a tough place to work. The waiters were reqired to sell a certain percentage of desserts. Needless to say I was not a great salesperson hence the reason I was moved to making the crepes, lucky for me 🙂 I wish they were still around 🙁
One of the first comments brought back the
memories from way back. The salads with orange and the crepes loaded with really good fillings were just right, not too much, enough. The pea soup with the was a favorite. Hope
they can re-establish these restaurants again.
It is mysterious that they should disappear so
quickly, when they were so busy.
Yes I can remember the Southcoast plazza location in southern califironia. It was a treat to go with my Mother back then. She just loved to go shopping in the two story Mall and I allways antispated seeing the Merry Go round there.. It was always good eatig at the Magic Pan restarant. I have the good fotune to still own a replica steal wood handled pan sold from the M.P. . It is indeed used inverted. It came with a riser ring to elevate the pan off the gas flame. I still have to directions and the origenal box it came in. I wonder if enough of these could be gatherd/collected and make a Crepe Wheel?
Does anyone have any pictures of the outside of a MP or of the actual wheel? It’s been years and I’d love to take a trip down memory lane!
I was the Day HCA at The Magic Pan in Richmond, Va. (kitchen Supervisor). 1976-1980. What great food and how much fun we had! Wish I had written down the recipies. I do remember several things, but need to write them down, NOW, as time marches on. The mustard sauce is actually mustard, sugar and mayo. I had wondered what
happened to The Pan, as it closed ,a few years after I left, to start a family. Time to make a few meals for them using the crepes that remain in my head. I am so happy to hear there are so many Pan Fans!!! I look forward to more news.
In the late ’60s and early ’70s, my wife and I ate at the Magic Pan, located at the top of Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco. (we never did go to their original San Francisco restaurant) Before long, the Fono’s were bought out by Quaker Oats, which made it into a chain. Not long afterwards, Mr. Fono (who skied out of Hungary after the Soviets crushed the revolt there; a neighbor of mine in Oakland, Laszlo — skied out with him) started a new restaurant, Paprikas Fono, located a floor or two below his now-rival Magic Pan. My daughter and I later patronized this for several years until it was closed down. My daughter and I were wild about their puffed-up fried bread langosh, which one smeared with a clove of garlic. Yum!!! I had a favorite pork chop dish which had Gypsy in the title, and my daughter loved the goulash. We both think very fondly of that place!
Will Carroll (now, unfortunately, living far from S.F., in rural east Texas)
Hi… Reading these comment has been very so fun. I worked at The Pan at. Cumberland& Northlake Malls in Atlanta in the early 80’s. Presently I work as a chef and today’s dessert was the Chantilly Crepe. I got involved in a conversation with a lady that used to frequent the store in Toronto and it sparked me to do a web search. I’m definitely going to check out the yahoo &. Facebook pages! I also need to know if Dan knows who Julie Budd is? 😉
I, too, was a fan of the Magic Pan, both at the Topanga Mall and South Coast Plaza. My favorite combination was the shrimp crepe with a wonderful wine and cream sauce and, of course, the Spinach Souffle. I received a crepe pan as a gift and went to search for recipes, of which I could only find the St. Jacques. I could go on and on, also. Thanks for the recipe link, by the way. I would love to see one return to So. Cal – even if they aren’t using the same equipment.
It was a great dissapointment that my favorite crepe restaurant had closed, it was a number one restaurant that I’ve ever known, my family love it, now we missed them so much, I was along time customer in Costa Mesa, and Beverly Hills, my favortite one is spinach crepe, and dessert crepes are superlicious………..now I can not find anything like it.
Please Please come back!
Would love some of you cooks or anybody send recipes.
thanks
mary
madawh@suddenlink.net
Ok , so I thought I was the only person that remembered the Magic Pan with such fondness.
I was shocked when they closed. I frequented the Manhasset, NY and New York City location. I have searched for crepes like theirs ever since to no avail. The crispy han and cheese, spinach, St.Jacques, pea soup and incredible bread with cheese spread. I was so upset when they disappeared and have never had such an experience again. For those that worked there, any chance a group can re-create process and recipes and open some restaurants in the East Coast. What an opportunity!!! Great place and great memories.
My husband proposed to me at the Magic Pan in Denver on Valentine’s Day 1980.
I spent my early adult life seeing the country courtesy of the Magic Pan. Starting as a busboy in 1975 at college in Philadelphia at the Walnut Street MP, I moved to Los Angeles after quitting school and waited tables at the Arcadia MP-Santa Anita Fashion Park, moved to San Diego to open a brand new MP in University Towne Center LaJolla. Bartended my way back to Los Angeles – Torrance Del Amo Mall where I entered the MP management training. Managed MP in Fort Worth Texas, Hulen Mall, back to San Diego to manage a Proud Popover, then up to Palo Alto to manage at the Stanford Shopping Center. First morning I reported, the locked door was opened by the day shift bartender, a shapely brunette, and I thought this wasn’t going to be so bad….29 years later that bartender and I have been married 25 years. We both did one last stint at the San Jose MP – leaving in 1982 – but with great memories…..
I still crave the Magic Pans Chicken Tarragon! I used to go there as a kid, with my Mother..we had three locations in Toronto and they were always busy. The quality of food was fantastic. It is a shame they were bought out by a huge corporation and then closed down. My Mother and I would always have lunch during our Saturday shopping excursions…If anyone has the Chicken Tarragon recipe..send it along!
I use to cook at the magic pan in the 1980’s
The food was pretty good, not complicated, very to the book… it was more like assembling and mixing products.
The Pea Soup was one can pea soup and one can cream of chicken soup topped with a dab of sour cream before serving or a small container of sherry…
The mustard sauce was yellow mustard with confectionery sugar, I am not kidding. Add enough sugar to make it look like a creamy light yellow. That’s it.
Cheese fritters was just a basic fritter batter with grated cheddar cheese and spoonfuls dropped into
hot oil.
Chicken Divine Sauce was a basic white sauce, floor & butter roux, add chicken broth until thick, add sour cream, add cubes of diced cook chicken a ladle full in a crepe, broccoli sticking out from the ends and topped with grated cheddar and broiled.
Just thought of more recipes…
The Spinach crepe was….. Frozen Stouffer’s Spinach Souffle, we would defrost a family size pan of it, use one even scoop of it and place in a crepe, fold it over and microwave it then top it with thick wine type of cheddar cheese sauce.
I was reading some of the post and they made me laugh, the food truly was good,
but about 80% of it was stuff from cans and containers, lots of blending things together,
there were standard instructions on how to put everything together, it was
no gourmet restaurant, but it was very, very clever.
Anyone work in the Braintree Plaza Store? Great memories!
Contact me Heresjohnny62@aol.com
Ham and Cheese Crepes where frozen and sent in…. we deep fried them, that was it
Cheese spread with crusted bread was, grated cheddar and cream cheese and then beer was mixed in! It it was very good.Cepe St Jacques… simple white sauce, sherry and raw seafood add until cooked, scallops, shrimp and sliced raw mushrooms simmered until cooked, the seafood would get all rubbery, but people loved it, Apple Crepe was Stouffers Apple Filling.
The Portage St. Germain, don’t let anyone fool you, trust me I made the for three years, I said it was one can pea soup to one can cream of chicken, I was wrong, its two can’s pea to one can chicken…
One of my favorite restaurants in the 70s – The Magic Pan at the Glendale Galleria. I’d always order the Coquilles St. Jacques and the french onion soup. How sad that they went out of business!!!
I was with Magic Pan at the Hilsdale Mall in San Mateo. My title was “Head Crepe Assembler” very official!. I also worked in the Test Kitchen at the Headquarters Office in S.F from time to time. I also worked on the M.P. Opening Team. What great memories. Anyone that remembers me, drop me a line, I’m back in Chicago now.
I worked for the Pan for 10 years in late 70’s early 80’s. Great company with many top professionals. Training was like boot camp but how we learned!! There were wonderful locations in NY area. 6th ave was the largest pan in the system 5 floors. We were all sick when Quaker Oats sold, never the same.
I was a prep cook in Atlanta-Cumberland in the training restaurant from 74-77 and then transferred to the new Houston Galleria Pan, 225 seats with my wife Pam. I was there 2 more years. The mustard sauce had granulated sugar AND a little lemon juice. I still remember most of the recipes and am throwing a crepe dinner party this Saturday. Beef Bourganoin, Crepes St. Jaqcue ans homemade spinach souffle with Chantilly crepes for dessert. Oh and potage soup fpr apps. Eat your hearts out!
I lived on the “Orange almon salad” from Magic Pan when I worked in retail at the Paramus Park Mall. I drank the leftover salad dressing when I was done with my salad!!!
I first went to the Magic Pan in NYC in the early 70’s. Wow, what a fabulous place. It was the first restaurant that had lots of plants and an outside service come in and service them. No one else had that. I was so impressed. When I moved to Los Angeles in the late 70’s, I went to the Magic Pan in Beverly Hills. I was so excited to know that the restaurant was still available to me. One day I was to meet a friend there, and when we got to the location (in separate cars), it was closed. We were CRUSHED. I was hoping that it was going to open at a different location but now I’m here 32 years and alas, never opened here again. Maybe all our comments and begging will inspire someone to open it again – pool the knowledge about the recipes, find the ‘magic’ pan machine and satisfy our hunger.
On another note, if you are in Sherman Oaks the Westfield Mall has a food court – and there is a crepe offering there. Not the same of course as the MP, but at least second best.
I worked for Magic Pan in a suburb of Cleveland, OH back in the late 70s and early 80s. It was THE best restaurant job I ever held back then. The food was high quality and a lot of it was made from scratch, with several dishes made with Stouffer’s ingredients as well. Nothing wrong with that, a recipe is a recipe. I was a crepe assembler, running the kitchen whenever I worked. It was a great layout, steam table, microwaves and a brine table for the desserts, deep fryers for the beignets and crepe chips. Most of the people who have posted recipes here are wrong though, as I had a good friend who was in charge of the kitchen and she showed me how to make many of the recipes.
The pea soup CAN be duplicated very closely by combining Campbell’s split pea with their cream of chicken. I usually do 2 split pea to one cr, of chic. I cut up carrots and steam them and add them to the soup as it heats. I top it with a dollop of sour cream when serving.
The cheese fritter batter is very much the recipe that Uncle what’s his face has posted. The chantilly crepe is one of my favs and it is an easy sauce to make.
I would love to see MPs return. It was a quality restaurant and a thriving business when I worked there.
I worked at the Northbrook Court Magic Pan in Northbrook, IL. Any other NB former workers out there? I started busing tables, hostessing, making salads, then to the kitchen, and finally waiting tables when I was old enough to serve alcohol. Those dirndles were a trip! I was quite good at making the crepes on the crepe wheel. I love reading the posts and remembering all of the delicious dishes Magic Pan had. What I wouldn’t give for the fried crepe strips covered in parmesan cheese with a dash of salt! I made tons of those when I worked in the kitchen, and never got sick of eating them! The new Magic Pan stand in Northbrook Court doesn’t compare to the original restaurant. It’s time to bring the real one back!
The concept was a great idea. Of course, we did not have the sophisticated variety and cuisines of 70’s compared to the present. I worked at the Magic Pan for a year while going to college. As I recall, high school kids cooked the food, and the ingredients were Stouffers fillings reheated with a microwave oven wrapped in a crepe. To be fair, I did like their dessert crepes. Remember Shakee’s Pizza, I see it is resurrecting in California.
I visited many Magic Crepes in many cities, I loved them so much and would love recipes from all their superb chefs . I loved the mushroom crepes, chicken divan loved the chocolate dessert crepes along with many more of the fabulous recipes please send recipes….cw70@hotmail.com …thanks so much
My father often talks lovingly of this place. He and my mother used to go here, and he still raves about the crepes. If there is another restaurant in New England that compares, I would love to know, since his birthday is coming at the end of the month.
The Magic Pan was far and away my favorite
restaurant – I had my bachlorette party at the one at Tysons Corner, VA. I am still sad when
I think of it being gone – and can still taste those
marvelous crepes – esp. the chicken divan, and cherry royale crepes! And the Potage St. Germain soup (split pea) – complete with a tiny pitcher of sour cream. And the orange almond salad with mandarin oranges and almond slivers … all so yummy and such a special treat
as you rest with your shopping bags next to you!
If anyone has any of the MP recipes, esp. the chicken divan or cherries royale, or any of them,
please send! I make crepes now and then, and it
would be wonderful to taste my all-time favorites again – thanks! Laurie
i am interested in opening up a crepe restaurant
will the magic pan be reorganizing and offering franchises? thanks
I worked at the Magic Pan at Sherway Gardens in Toronto, Ontario Canada. I have the original Chicken Divan recipe from the Magic Pan cookbook. I can’t wait to try the Potage st, Germain recipe, who would have thought canned soup??
I worked at a Magic Pan in Hackensack, NJ for a long tome. I know TOM in post 50.Magic Pan had fresh made recipes with some Stouffer’s food service added. Love the spinach souffle, that was Stouffer’s. Anyone out there if you worked in Hackensack get in touch. mvlyons5@gmail.com
I started as a host/waiter/bartender at Westfarms Mall. Went into the management program and got bopped around the east coast for the next 8 years or so. Worked at Market St and Walnut St in Philly, Proud Popover in Ardmore PA, Columbia MD, Tysons Corner VA, ended up in Boston at Faneuil Hall and finally ran the Frogg Lane. Finally got out of the restaurant business and am now an accounting manager in Tampa FL. Doing all those budgets and monthly inventories paid off I guess.