MGA Contributor — Cigars & Gastronomy
ShonShalit
Executive Chef & Cigar Writer
A palate shaped in professional kitchens, where flavour, balance, and precision are tested daily and never left to interpretation.
Sensory Evaluation
Executive chef trained to evaluate flavour with precision under pressure. Applies real ingredient recall to cigars, grounded in daily kitchen experience.
Flavour & Palate Development
Daily exposure to spices, aromatics, and raw ingredients builds a broader sensory vocabulary. Identifies nuance through direct experience rather than repetition.
Pairing & Composition
Approaches cigars as part of a composed experience. Focus on balance, structure, and pairings that enhance rather than compete.
Cigar Structure & Performance
Studies how a cigar performs from first light to final third. Focus on construction, burn, draw, and the evolution of flavour.
Tobacco Origins
Explores varietals such as Corojo, Sumatra, Cameroon, and Broadleaf through cultivation, history, and cultural context.
Collection & Palate Strategy
Advocates for exploration-driven collecting. Focus on wrappers, factories, and personal preference over reputation or trend.
"A cigar should be understood the way a dish is — not by what it's called, but by how it's built and how it evolves."
— Shon Shalit, MGA Q&A
Shon Shalit came to cigars through curiosity, beginning at eighteen on a rooftop in Miami. What started as casual exploration eventually became a more focused pursuit after returning to the craft in his mid-twenties.
He is an executive chef at Sunday in Brooklyn in New York, recognized by the Michelin Guide. His work demands precision, balance, and constant sensory recall. Ingredients such as clove, cocoa, citrus, and spice are part of his daily environment, shaping the way he experiences cigars.
His approach developed in response to a space often defined by vague language and inconsistent standards. His focus remains on how a cigar performs, how it evolves, and how it connects to environment and moment.
He is equally drawn to the history of tobacco, studying varietals and their cultural origins. His work continues to explore these layers with clarity and restraint.
He favors smoking outdoors, where the experience feels closer to its natural roots. His preference leans toward Corona formats, paired with balanced combinations such as espresso tonic with citrus.