From hole-in-the-walls to Michelin-starred institutions
I still don't know how it happened. I set 4 alarms for my morning flight on June 13 yet there I was, staring at 5 missed calls and multiple text messages confirming the worst outcome: I was about to miss my flight to Montego Bay unless I was able to get to JFK from Wall Street in 13 minutes. Feeling unusually calm, I was able to rebook the flight for the next day. That night, I set 6 alarms.
Read MoreWhen my friend Vince told me that we should go check out Arcade Bakery, I listened. After all, he is a walking encyclopedia of food knowledge who could easily start his own food concierge service. I’m not talking about the info you can easily find from generic lists on Eater or bullshit places on Yelp that are overrated. Sure he knows all the touristy spots but his wheelhouse consists of quality spots that won’t break the bank and are just flat out delicious. Places where the food is the star while ambiance, service, decor, and Michelin stars take a backseat.
Read MoreAfter thumbing through pics of lamb carpaccio and foie gras in crispy bric dough scattered throughout my IG feed for the past month, I attempted to snag a table at Dirty French, the latest venture from Team Torrisi focused on French cuisine with Moroccan and Southeast influences.
Since they opened around Labor Day, tables earlier than 10pm were nonexistent and it took about two weeks until I received a call that a last minute table opened up around 8pm. So much for the Barry’s Bootcamp session I had planned to attend that evening.
Running a few minutes late, I walked past Katz’s when my eyes were naturally drawn to the bright pink neon signs silently screaming out DIRTY FRENCH.
Read MoreWe ducked into Bacchanal, a new restaurant that opened in late May that quickly became known for serving tantalizing small plates with influences from Italy, France, and Spain. We started things off the right way - with a superbly made cocktail. It was a particularly humid July afternoon, and this Old Fashioned was the antidote.
Read MoreIt was February 6th, 2014 and I was browsing an email newsletter from "I Know The Chef", a service that allows members to book prime time reservations at popular restaurants and receive VIP service. At the bottom of the email, a same day 7:45pm table for 4 at EMP opened up and was available.
My heart skipped a beat. I had recently picked up Danny Meyer’s book, “Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business” which chronicles how he opened EMP as well as the challenges faced and lessons learned while employing the power of hospitality and service in the food industry.
Eating at Eleven Madison Park (ranked 4th in the world with 3 Michelin stars) has been a dream of mine ever since moving to New York in the summer of 2007. From my early exposure to Shake Shack, where I learned what a real quality burger tasted like, to the venerable Gramercy Tavern where I received some of the best service in recent memory, EMP would be the crown jewel that would meld both concepts at the highest level.
Without hesitation, and with 3 empty seats to fill, I had called and confirmed the reservation with IKTC’s Joshua Stern who was a pleasure to deal with. Luckily, over the next 2 hrs, I was able to find 3 of my friends willing to drop $225 for a dinner happening in a few hours.
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