communiqué | spring 2015

SPRING 2015

ART OF THE SEASON

ARTS&CULTURE | OPENINGS

COMMUNIQUÉ | SPRING 2015

MET GALA/EXHIBITThe city’s most beloved gala returns, marking the grand opening of the Costume Institute’s ac-claimed annual fashion exhibit. “China: Through the Looking Glass” honors of the 100th anni-versary of The Met’s Department of Asian Art, setting the tone for the gala’s theme and dress as Jennifer Lawrence co-hosts. This year’s exhibit explores the impact of Chinese influence on the aesthetics of Western fashion in a collaboration between The Met’s Costume Institute and the Department of Asian Art featuring costumes, paintings, porcelains, and other artifacts of var-ious mediums.May 4, 2015 through August 16, 2015

THE WHITNEY50,000 square feet of indoor galleries and am-ple outdoor exhibition space are now home to the new and improved Whitney, showcasing its brand new facility with a revolutionary inaugu-ral installation, the largest display to date in the museum’s permanent collection. The Renzo Pia-no-designed structure boasts terraces facing the High Line and endless interior space displaying its unrivaled collection of modern and contem-porary American art. Visit the long-awaited rein-carnation, now open to the public.Now open.

FRIEZE NEW YORKFrieze New York returns to Randalls Island this May in its fourth annual rendition, bringing over 1000 of the world’s leading contemporary artists together under one bespoke structure. The 2015 fair will initiate Spotlight, a division for solo art-ist presentations of work created in the 20th cen-tury with a distinct focus on work created after 1960. This year’s VIP Room and restaurant at Frieze New York will be hosted by Manhattan’s NeueHouse.May 14 through May 17, 2015

BASQUIAT: UNKNOWN NOTEBOOKSPoetic wordplay, powerful sketches, and street life collide in Basquiat’s chilling collection of notebooks, now on display at the Brooklyn Mu-seum. The revolutionary exhibit, curated by Di-eter Buchhart and Tricia Laughlin Bloom, sheds light on the famed young artist in the throes of his creative process, showcasing political and pop culture influences through 160 pages of un-derground art.Now through August 23, 2015

FRIDA KAHLO: ART-GARDEN-LIFE Frida Kahlo’s affinity for the beauty of nature comes to life in The New York Botanical Gar-den’s Spring/Summer exhibit. Over a dozen Kahlo paintings and works on paper will be on display for a six-month limited engagement, showcasing images of the iconic artist’s lifelong Mexico City home and its colorful mélange of flora, fauna, and wildlife through abstraction in Kahlo’s signature style.May 16 through November 1, 2015

MAIALINO

FOOD&DRINK | NICK ANDERER

DOUBLE DOWNA ROMAN HOLIDAY WITH NICK ANDERER

“The city of Rome is like heaven for me in the sense that I get to satisfy my craving for art and archaeology as well as uncovering all these old recipes that haven’t changed for about 100 years. These dishes never seem to fade. And so taking these old dishes and breathing new life into them is our mantra here at Maialino and at Marta.”

Nick Anderer’s passion and spirit are the driving force behind his restaurants, echoing from the buzz of Marta’s open kitchen to the warm, airy dining room at Maialino in its bucolizc charm. Inspired by Rome and elevated by New York, these two sister spots are quickly becoming household names across the city, bringing the ardent young chef ’s vision to life and taking the dining scene by storm. With a knack for capturing the hearts of the discerning pub-lic, Anderer channels the duality of Roman tradition and New York City’s polarizing dynamic through approachably refined cuisine in a charismatically ca-sual setting.

We went behind the scenes with Chef Nick himself for an inside look at the day to day of restaurateur-ship in New York City, from juggling time between multiple locales to bouncing back and forth between countries while maintaining a work/life balance in the interim.

LA: Tell us about how you came upon food indus-try and what inspired you to do so.NA: I studied art history at Columbia and in my ju-nior year, I went to Rome. I took an art history course that led me through the program. I loved the food and culture out there, so when I came back, I started cook-ing full time. I worked throughout all New York City for a bunch of different chefs such as Larry Forgione at American Place, and Mario Batali at Babbo, which I helped open. I then went back to Italy and worked for a little while in both Milan and Rome, and when I came back again I started working immediately for Danny Meyer at Gramercy Tavern under Tom Colicchio and then under Mike Anthony. When Mike Anthony took over I became his executive sous chef. I then started talking to Danny about opening an Italian concept be-



cause we both had this shared love affair for Rome. He had done the same art history program I had done years prior so we decided to open Maialino 5 years ago. Six months ago we decided to do another Italian conquest doing thin crust Roman-style pizza -- Marta.

LA: What inspired you to approach Danny Meyer with the idea?NA: Once I started working at Gramercy Tavern I was getting serious into pursuing my own career three years into it. I was at Gramercy Tavern for a total of six years. After the first three years I started putting together my own business plan and started talking to Danny, who is an owner of Gramercy Tavern among many other great restaurants, and luckily for me he was all ears about opening up an Italian concept. He convinced me to stick around with the company and sort of pursue my business plan with them.

LA: If you had to pick one experience that really shapes you as the chef you are today, what would it be?

N: Going to eat in Italy and rethinking what fine din-ing in New York City is and realizing that it doesn’t need to be fancy. I am a big fan of rustic, family-style food served in a comfortable setting, making people feel like they’re home when they go out to eat.

LA: Tell us more about the conceptualization and the emphasis on wanting to do your own thing.

I AM A BIG FAN OF RUSTIC, FAMILY-STYLE FOOD SERVED IN A COMFORTABLE SET-TING, MAKING PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY’RE HOME WHEN THEY GO OUT TO EAT.

What sparked the idea? What made you run with it?NA: I think as chefs we’re entrepreneurial spirits who are also very creative people. We like to sort of express ourselves in different ways all the time. After any two/


three year period of doing anything we get an itch to do more, and so as I was cooking, whether at a sea-food restaurant or a more French-inspired kitchen like Gramercy Tavern, I always wanted to be something different or more. So I always knew I wanted to open up my own restaurant even before I started working at Gramercy Tavern for Danny Meyer. Once you get to that point where you can have a team that follows you, you say to yourself, “Why don’t I try doing something more personal?”

LA: Aside from the fact that your educational background was what brought you to Italy, does the art history component ever come into play in what you’re doing now?NA: Absolutely. The kind of art that I was into is also reflected in the food I like to do. It’s very classical -- I like to archive old things. The city of Rome is like heav-en for me in the sense that I get to satisfy my craving for art and archaeology as well as uncovering all these old recipes that haven’t changed for about 100 years. These dishes never seem to fade. And so taking these old dishes

and breathing new life into them is our mantra here at Maialino and at Marta.

LA: Any advice for aspiring chefs or young entre-preneurs who are at the beginning stage of their careers?NA: Other than to stay out of the restaurant business [laughs], if you’re going to stick with it you have to have an obsessive passion for it. You need to be border-line crazy because the amount of criticism and failure that you have to face before you achieve success is pretty daunting for most people. Then there’s just the hours and the physical, emotional and mental strain it puts on you. Restaurants are difficult, so you have to love it.

LA: Do you have any other projects in the works right now?NA: None outside of my brain, but I’m always think-ing about what the next thing is and I want to sort of continue to think about how fine dining in New York City specifically is going to move into the next century. It’s constantly evolving. Things like pizza and pasta are

MARTA

evolving. All these things we take for granted as “regu-lar” food are becoming fine dining staples and it’s just about how we can redefine them.

LA: We’ve heard you talk about bringing Roman culture, Roman food culture, and Roman dining culture to the rush of New York City. How do you define that middle ground and how did you find it?NA: It is not always easy trying to translate one city’s culture or food to another. Particularly because the in-gredients are not the same, but what we try to do ev-eryday is to think like a Roman chef would think and to take ingredients that are New York-based and just say, “If we were in the middle of the Campo de’ Fiori in Rome, how would we conceive these ingredients?” Also just taking that humble approach to cooking and that we’re not seeking luxury ingredients. We’re trying to take humble prime materials and find a way to have the same sort of aggressive pop that Rome does.

LA: Tell us about the collaborative relationship between you and Danny Meyer.NA: He’s been a mentor of mine for nearly 12 years now. I obviously know much more superficially as a cook, but I was into his philosophy. I loved his idea of enlightened hospitality and once I got to know him I realized his philosophy and the culture he sort of preached to his restaurants he actually embodied on a day-to-day basis, so we became very friendly. We’ve tak-en lots of work trips together that have made us closer as friends. We went to Rome together, ate around the city for a week, just discovered all the things that were our quirky likes and dislikes. Over time as our business relationship developed, what I really began to respect about him is that he’s allowed his key people, his chefs that really want to push the envelope, to express their entrepreneurial spirits, to go off and let them do their own things. Marta is a great example of that. That he was willing to put faith in a young chef at that point and after opening Maialino with him to say, “Okay Nick, let’s allow you to conceive and bring this Marta thing to life with a little more autonomy.” So it’s that sort of faith he has in his key people that’s allowed him to continue to grow and have a successful company. He’s

a collaborative player and understands the team aspect of restaurants and embraces it.

LA: What’s the biggest takeaway from that? Some-thing that’s really resonated with you? NA: I think it’s about good training and mentorship, and ultimately trust. If you can train properly and then let go of the reins at a certain point, that’s how you suc-ceed in this business. That’s something that I learn ev-eryday with our sous chef team and collaborating with them and if I try to rule with an iron fist everyday, the restaurant’s not going to be what it is supposed to be.


USE THE TALENT THAT YOU HAVE AROUND YOU TO KEEP THINGS CREATIVE. CROSS-POLLINATE IDEAS, GET OUTSIDE THE RESTAU-RANT...THAT’S WHAT WE DO ON A DAILY BASIS


basis with our menu.

LA: What are your top go-to places in New York City outside of Marta and Maialino?NA: Le French Diner is one of my top top places I go to. There are very few places I’ll go to multiple times and I’ve been to Le French Diner maybe about a dozen times since they’ve opened up in the past year.

LA: If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?NA: I’d be a surfer, no doubt.

Use the talent that you have around you to keep things creative. Cross-pollinate ideas, get outside the restau-rant, and bring ideas in. That’s what we do on a daily

There’s something about the presentation of a plate that can make a dish truly shine beyond the gustatory realm. We took a tour of New York’s most stunning dishes at the hottest spots in town, gathering our favorites in a roundup as pleasing to the eye as it is on the palate.

FOOD&DRINK | PLATE ME PRETTY

PLATE MEPRETTY

CABBAGE OF FOIE GRASAT ELEVEN MADISON PARKchilled foie, braised red cabbage, Amagansett sea salt, sauce of shallots, cabbage, Granny Smith apple, butter, red wine, port, red wine vinegar, dijon


IMAGE COURTESY OF CÉLINE BOSSART

POLPETTINE DI CONIGLIOAT MARTArabbit meatballs with black olives and ricotta


IMAGE COURTESY OF ALICE GAO

FOIE GRASAT NOMADshaved foie, beef carpaccio, mushrooms, balsamic



SUGAR SNAP SALADAT ABC KITCHENsugar snap salad with parmesan dressing and herbs


IMAGE COURTESY OF FRANCESCO TONELLI


SQUASH CARPACCIOAT SANTINAspiced honey agrodolce, pumpkin seeds, sage brown but-ter, savory, chives, pink peppercorn, crème fraîche


NATIONALEVENT CALENDARSPRING/SUMMER 2015

MAY 15-17FRIEZE ART FAIRRANDALL’S ISLAND

MAY 15-19MANHATTAN COCKTAIL CLASSICVARIOUS LOCATIONS | NYC

MAY 30-JULY 5 SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: THE TEMPEST DELACORTE THEATRE

MAY 30VEUVE CLICQUOT POLO CLASSICLIBERTY STATE PARK

JUNE 6AUCTION NAPA VALLEYNAPA VALLEY, CA

JUNE 7THE TONY AWARDSRADIO CITY MUSIC HALL | NYC

JUNE 19-21ASPEN FOOD AND WINE CLASSICASPEN, CO

JUNE 28-30FANCY FOOD SHOWNYC

JULY 16-20MIAMI SWIM WEEKMIAMI

JULY 18-AUGUST 22BRIDGEHAMPTON POLOBRIDGEHAMPTON, NY

AUGUST 7-9SAN FRANCISCO’S OUTSIDE LANDS MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVALGOLDEN GATE PARK

AUGUST 31- SEPTEMBER 17US OPEN TENNISARTHUR ASHE STADIUMFLUSHING, NY

ATTACHÉ AGENDA


WITH MUSIC FESTIVAL SEASON AROUND THE CORNER, WE’VE BROKEN DOWN THIS YEAR’S AGENDA, ROUNDING UP THE BEST OF THE FESTS FOR MUSIC LOVERS OF ALL GENRES.

ON DECKSPRING/SUMMER PLAYLIST

ATTACHÉ AGENDA | MUSIC

GOVERNORS BALLJUNE 5-7| RANDALLS ISLANDNew York’s favorite three-day multi-stage music festi-val features an array of genres, from indie to hip-hop, folk, electronica, and more. Drake, The Black Keys, Lana Del Rey, Björk, and dozens more take the stage for a weekend of sunshine and music. Go for the full experience with a private Governors Ball cabana for an unbeatable view of the main stage plus catering and access to VIP areas throughout festival.

BONNAROOJUNE 11-14| MEMPHIS

Music. Art. Fresh Air. Need we say more? The annual four-day festival is back, bringing a variety of perfor-mances to the stage from indie and classic rock, hip-hop, jazz, Americana, bluegrass, country, folk, gospel, reggae, pop, electronica, and more. Highlights from the 2015 lineup include Billy Joel, Kendrick Lamar, Mumford and Sons, and Hozier.

SUMMERFESTJUNE 24-28 | MILWAUKEE11 days, 11 Stages, and over 1,000 performances earn Summerfest its title as the world’s largest music festival. Held annually in Milwaukee, the gathering brings together leading artists across the 75-acre site, drawing nearly 100,000 fans from around the world for a one-of-a-kind festival experience. This year’s lineup includes The Rolling Stones, Kings of Leon, Ed Sheeran, Sheryl Crow, Santigold, and Pat Benatar, to name a few.


LOLLAPALOOZAJULY 31-AUGUST 2 | CHICAGOThe Lollapalooza experience is a breed of its own. With strategic brand and charitable organization partners as well as dedicated green initiatives across all platforms, the festival remains true to its mission to be “more than just a rock concert.” Join 100,000 fans in the three-day cultural event featuring head-liners from Paul McCartney and Metallica to Sam Smith and The Weeknd, this year’s festival is not to be missed.

OUTSIDE LANDSAUGUST 7-9 | SAN FRANCISCO

With the 8th annual Outside Lands Music and Art Festival right around the corner, there’s never been a better time to head out west. This year’s headlin-ers include Elton John, Mumford & Sons, The Black Keys, Billy Idol, and more in the music event of the year. Look forward to a killer gastronomic lineup -- bulgogi tacos, anyone?

SPOTLIGHT ON MARIA NINO OF MC NINO DESIGNS

PETALGreenpoint’s ever-misty East River coastline is home to the sprawling industrial-chic studio that is Maria Nino’s playground. Natural light spills freely into the space, mirroring Maria’s ethos, her fingers dancing with panache between lisianthus petals and cascading greens.

Maria’s work is arguably the best in the business, catering to clients from the bridal realm to private and corporate events with stunning arrangements and approachably avant-garde presentation. Capturing the essence of both setting and personality is certainly a forte of the MC Nino Designs team, a longtime favorite of Luxury Attaché and our go-to for all things floral.

Whether working with your Attaché to plan an upcoming event or brighten an office or home space, MC Nino Designs is the ultimate. Contact your Attaché to arrange a complimentary consultation.

PUSHER

FLORA&FAUNA | MC NINO DESIGNS

PETAL


PUSHERIMAGE COURTESY OF CÉLINE BOSSART

FOOD&DRINK | ART OF PASTRY

the art of pastry

We headed into the kitchen with pastry chef Jana Kern-Mireles of Galen Zamarra’s microsea-sonal Almanac for a look at what’s happening in the world of pastry, from ingredient experimentation to plating like a pro. Check out what she had to say.

LA: What’s on deck for the upcoming season?JKM: I’m really excited about all the things that are about to come up in the summer. The whole concept with this restaurant is so different from Grillade or real-ly any restaurant where they change the menu seasonal-ly; we’re switching it up three or four times within each

season, and I’m really excited about using things that I wouldn’t normally use in dessert as I’m constantly trying new things.

LA: What are some of the things that you’re work-ing with right now or planning on incorporating in future dishes?JKM: Right now we have licorice root and licorice fern, which are things I’d never even heard of before. We’re using things that are foreign to a lot of kitchens. I’m us-ing sassafras root, even nettles. Nettles in a dessert; who would have thought of that?

LA: Are these your ideas or do they come from Galen? How does the collaboration usually play out?JKM: His, but I make his dreams come true. So that’s kind of exciting. We’re making a nettle financier and we’re going to do that with a cheese course. It’s going to be very spring, but it’s taking savory things and mixing them with dessert.

LA: Walk us through the construction of a plate.JKM: That’s actually the fun part, that’s the part I get excited about is just trying to make very plate look dif-ferent, but beautiful at the same time. Like how I did all the different sauces. I just thought it would be fun to have like four or five different colors on the plate and to do them all in different ways in different textures and building a dish that way. Sometimes I do it more visu-ally rather than thinking about what it’s going to taste like at first. And so it starts as a visual idea for me and then I take that into the next step of actually figuring out how I can make it work.


1. SALERNO SLINGAT SANTINAGIN, BLOOD ORANGE, CHERRY, BA-SIC STOCK

Cocktail master Thomas Waugh is known for not only his inventive bar menus, but also his ability to channel the individual personalities of Major Food Group’s vari-ous NYC hotspots through his craft. The latest from the Carbone/Zalaznick/Torrisi empire sits proudly beneath the High Line, a glass menagerie of perpetual summer inspired by the traditions and coastal feel of southern Italy with an arsenal of colorful dishes and cocktails true to their roots. Though difficult to choose just one, our obsession of the season combines the unofficial cold-to-warm weather fruit of the region with a hint of cherry and the perfect base spirit. Attaché Insider: with floor-to-ceiling windows in one of NYC’s most dynamic neighborhoods, Santina is the perfect spot for simulta-neous cocktail sipping and people watching.

2. THE GILSEYAT THE NOMADLONDON DRY GIN, PALE CREAM SHERRY, COCCHI AMERICANO, KIRSCHWASSER, GREEN CHARTREUSE, ORANGE BITTERS

Nothing says spring like a lightly floral and herbaceous cocktail. This crystal clear beauty comes a bit dressed down, free of garnish and brazenly bare in a tall, fine coupe. The flavor profile decoded: dry gin as a base makes way for the sweetness of the cream sherry, em-braced by notes of cherry and bitter almond character-istic of Kirschwasser. Green chartreuse adds an herbal, vegetal bouquet of anise, violet, spearmint, and basil with a mellow finish, brightened by orange bitters for a multilayered yet balanced sip from start to finish. Attaché Insider: start the night off with one of these, but don’t leave without a signature NoMad tiki drink. With a menu as diverse as the recipes themselves, it’s clear that bar director Chris Lowder knows his way around any palate.

3. TROPIC THUNDERAT CAFE CLOVERAPPLETON RESERVE, PINEAPPLE, LIME, COCONUT WATER CUBE, DRIED CHILI PEPPER

FOOD&DRINK | SPRING COCKTAILS


Let’s face it: Cafe Clover’s entire menu sings in any season. Springtime calls for a number of flavors and notes, and this particular cocktail covers all ends of the spectrum. Falling into what we call the “evolving cock-tail” category, the initial sip gives a completely different flavor profile and mouthfeel than the last as the coconut ice dilutes the drink and the chili pepper’s kick becomes more and more intense the longer it sits. A thrilling ride, if we do say so ourselves. Attaché Insider: keep an eye out for partner and NY nightlife guru David Rabin, whose infectious charm and industry savvy make him the man to know.

4. BON VOYAGECHEFS CLUB BY FOOD & WINESPICED TEQUILA, MEZCAL, BANANA, LEMON, EGG WHITE

With an ever-rotating menu and visiting chef program, Chefs Club maintains balance in the form of Anthony Bohlinger’s standout bar program. Tenured tried-and-true cocktails remain a staple on the bar menu (albeit with a spin), making way for a handful of seasonal cock-tails designed to accentuate featured chefs’ signature dishes yet still shine on their own. Take this egg white cocktail, for example: spiced tequila and mezcal com-bine for a well-rounded base of smoky salinity, rounded out by the soft creaminess of the banana and the texture of the perfectly shaken egg white. Attaché Insider: with one of the most diverse tasting menu programs in the city, it’s worth the full experience. Be sure to book a seat in the Studio.

5. SARSAPARILLAAT ZZ’S CLAM BARSPANISH RUM, DERELICT SPICES, AMONTILLADO SHERRY

Any cocktail that’s served in a vintage pirate flask is good in our book. Thomas Waugh strikes again with this old school concoction, best enjoyed late-night in celebration of access granted by the ever-austere door-man. With more cocktails than seats in the intimate space, choosing just one makes for a tough endeavor -- that’s where we come in. ZZ’s “Sarsaparilla” is unlike any other, boasting complexity on both the nose and mouth with a smooth, slightly effervescent finish and sultry spice throughout. Sherry might just be our new spring-time muse. Attaché Insider: be sure to sit at the bar seat closest to the wall for the best view in the house.

COMMUNIQUÉSPRING 2015

CEO/Founder

JENENE RONICK

Director Marketing/Communications

STACEY GORDON

Design/ProductionLORRAINE WILE

Editorial/PhotographyCÉLINE BOSSART

Special ThanksNICK ANDERER

JANA KERN-MIRELESMARIA NINO

LUXURY ATTACHÉ118 East 25th Street

8th FloorNew York NY 10010

www.luxuryattache.com

www.luxuryattache.com

communiqué | spring 2015

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