New & Notable Restaurant Openings & Food Events 2013

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It’s hard to believe that 2013 is coming to an end shortly. There’s been so many fun food festivals, events and restaurant openings with lovely Tiles from the Victorian era this year that it’s been quite the whirlwind! It’s great to be in the food and hospitality industry and connected to some of the Best of the Best to experience new places, meet new people, try delicious food and cocktails and hob knob with some of the Top Chefs and Restaurateurs around the country. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite New and Notable Restaurants, Chefs and Food Events of 2013 that deserve a nod for their outstanding hospitality and efforts in the food world. Check it out and give these guys a go. Happy Holidays and may 2014 be filled with more fun, food and festivities to go around!

Metaphore NYC

I recently attended a fantastic event at Metaphore in NYC where we sampled delectable Gluten-Free dishes by Owner and  Executive Chef Jehangir Mehta. The event was in support of the national Gluten-Free Chef’s Table Tour in an effort to elevate the importance of food safety and promotion of gluten-free items in the restaurant and foodservice sector. Chef Mehta teamed up with GREAT Kitchens, a National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) to create the Chef’s Table Tour which features exclusive gluten-free dining experiences from executive chefs in fine dining restaurants, gluten-free cooking demos with local media and interactive educational experiences at partner universities. The 10-city Gluten-Free Chef’s Table Tour debuted this Fall in New York, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles and will culminate in the spring with an open call for spring tour restaurants and institutions through January 2014. Check out some of the delicious gluten-free goodies we sampled in the slideshow below – Fresh Oysters with Cilantro Pesto and Tapioca Crisps, Foie Gras with Berry Jam on Gluten-Free Toast, Crispy Onion Ring, Pesto and Tofu, Seared Duck Breast with Pickled Onions, Mustard and Portabella Mushrooms, and a gorgeous Gluten-Free Ice Cream Sundae. click here to view the full Gluten-Free menu at Metaphore.

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San Diego Restaurant Week Taste 2013

One of my favorite events this year was out in California when I went to visit some friends for some sun, fun and R&R. I got invited to attend the 2nd Annual #SDRWTaste2013an event to kick off the start of San Diego Restaurant Week! The event was a super fun kick-off party and culinary adventure at the Broadway Pier where people from all over San Diego gathered to celebrate San Diego Restaurant Week and indulge in some of the finest foods and beverages! #SDRWTaste2013 showcased some of the top culinary talents of SDRW chefs from throughout the County. At this premiere tasting event, over 40 of San Diego Restaurant Week’s best restaurants served up samples of their house specialties paired with a unique beverage to enhance the flavors of each dish.

A special nod goes out to VinVillage, the online community for wine lovers, who sponsored my attendance to this fabulous event and who showcased a plethora of top notch wines for tasting to the event goers.  Check out their website to join the community and get access to their events, newsletters, forums, online store and wine tastings around the country.

The weather and the view of the ocean was amazing, and so was my company of good friends. I think it may have also convinced me to move to San Diego someday…what’s not to love?

100 Montaditos NYC

Another fun VIP restaurant opening event I attended was for 100 Montaditos, a new multinational franchise bringing unique Spanish cuisine to the West Village of NYC. The West Village shop specializes in tapas-sized sandwiches made with fresh-baked bread (mini-heroes!) with 100 unique filling combinations such as Chorizo and Manchego cheese,  Blue Cheese with Ham and Strawberry Jam and Serrano Ham with Tomato and Olive Oil. They also have “Americanized” versions such as the Philly Cheese Steak, Meatballs with Marinara, Hot Dogs with Bacon, Ketchup and Mustard and Pulled BBQ Pork. They even have some sweet dessert Montaditos such as Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Spread or Heavy Cream and Oreos – all served on CHOCOLATE BREAD. That’s right – CHOCOLATE BREAD. The atmosphere is casual and buzzing and the prices are reasonable at $1 to $2.50 per Montaditos so grab a plateful with some friends and sip a Sangria or two while you’re at it. Check out the goods in the slideshow below!

Relaix & Chateaux VIP Event NYC

I was recently invited to an intimate reception with the CEO of Grace Hotels at the Relais & Chateaux Maison to celebrate the launch of The Mayflower Grace. This summer, Grace Hotels acquired the iconic Mayflower Inn & Spa, the beautiful New England resort located in Washington, CT – which is undergoing exciting updates such as a room renovation and new restaurant.

Chef Jonathan Cartwright and his culinary team of chefs were in the open kitchen showcasing “Taste of Grace” canapés from the Grace Hotel properties around the world with samples of delicious cuisine from Central & South America, Europe & Asia and North America as well as wine and spirits. My favorite was the Wood-Smoked Lobster over Corn Puree with Butter Sauce, served in tiny smoke-infused pots. The most gorgeous, delectable thing I’ve ever tasted! Check out all the other beautiful canapés we sampled that night in the slideshow below.

The James Hotel Winter Art Garden NYC

I recently attended the fascinating unveiling of the new  Winter Art Garden at The James NY hotel. Curated by The James NY’s resident artist Matt Jensen and Recess Art, the installation titled Still Moving will feature the work of five (5) up & coming artists whose outdoor sculptures initiate a chatter of heat and motion in an otherwise still and icy winter landscape. Continuing The James’ commitment to providing a stellar art program and the SoHo neighborhood, the exhibit will be open hotel guests and the public just in time for the holiday season beginning on December 12th, 2013 through March 2014.

Garden Art Sculptures & Artist Biographies

Beth Campbell, “If it is possible it’s possible” 2013
Piece makes sculptural a quirky line drawing or diagram.  There is a sense of instability and indecipherability  in the meandering nature of the line and the movement in the multiple parts.  This is an attempt to get at the veiled instability or slippage of things.

Dave Hardy, Untitled, 2013
Balancing the precarious structures of interiority—from the physiological to the architectonic—with the brazen forces of externalized expression and brute will to form, Hardy’s sculptural works depict an unrelenting tension.  The work captures the paradoxical demands of contemporary artistic life, where each new gesture appears at the brink of collapse.

Marie Lorenz, Flotsam Garland, 2013
The flower garland is often a symbol of celebration but also of impermanence, temporality, the passing from life to death. In India, flower garlands are used in temples, designed with horticultural rules passed down from generations. These Flotsam Garlands are made from things found on the beach, already subject to the ravages of time and tide.

Alina Tenser, Untitled Screen II, 2013
Tenser’s Screen is to be simultaneously, looked at and looked through.  The surface is reflective and translucent, allowing the viewer to experience a polar state of their image being bounced back to them and their vision going past the image, essentially looking past themselves.

Jeff Williams, Supernatant Fossil, 2012
Williams sets up material experiments in which natural and industrial components interact to change or break down existing compositions and structures.  Here, a series of floor sculptures contain Central Texas fossils, resting on weathered plexiglass sheets.  The weight of the fossil produces a concavity in the plexiglass, which is filled with a puddle of calcium sulfate (gypsum).  The fossils slowly wick the chemical solution over time and accumulate gypsum deposits.

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Fogo de Chao NYC

Fogo de Chao is an authentic Brazilian steakhouse, and a new location just opened in Midtown Manhattan. At a VIP press event last week to celebrate the grand opening, I got to experience the Fogo “gaucho” way of preparing and serving meat as they do in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Their gaucho chefs expertly grill 16 cuts of meat served and cut fresh to order with continuous table side service. This is also known as Churrascaria – where the meat is roasted over charcoal or wood embers to give it a rich smoky flavor.

They have a gigantic gourmet salad bar with a plethora of fresh grilled veggies, salads and chartucerie, authentic Brazilian side dishes such as fried bananas and polenta sticks, and we sipped on Brazilian wines and cocktails all night long amongst great conversation and a buzzing atmosphere. The architecture is stunning too with high ceilings and dynamic design. You won’t walk out of this place hungry – I promise. Definitely worth checking out (on an empty stomach!)

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2nd Annual Anti-Gala Benefit Dinner & Speakeasy Party on October 15th 2013 featuring acclaimed guest chef Gabrielle Hamilton of Prune Restaurant

 
 

Lowline Anti-Gala & Speakeasy

On October 15th, Neuman’s Kitchen will collaborate in the exciting production of the 2nd Annual Lowline Anti-Gala Benefit Dinner and Speakeasy After Party. Neuman’s Kitchen is working in conjunction with renowned chef and author Gabrielle Hamilton from Prune Restaurant to create a magical Anti-Gala event to raise funds with a live auction to support the planned conversion of the former underground trolley terminal into a public park below Manhattan’s Delancey Street on the Lower East Side.

Neuman's Kitchen

Neuman’s Kitchen is a 32 year old award-winning catering and event firm located on the Lower East Side, known for its beautifully designed events, elegant menus and attentive service. Neuman’s Kitchen supports numerous community service programs and is proud to be involved in supporting the Lowline and LES community through this special event.

The Lowline would be New York’s first subterranean park and would utilize innovative solar technology to bring sunlight to the cavernous interior. The concept was developed by Dan Barasch and James Ramsey – with a goal of giving New Yorkers a peaceful, green underground space.  The Lowline project is still in early stages of fundraising and development and with the help of Neuman’s Kitchen and the other supporting partners and patrons, the Anti-Gala and Speakeasy Event will be another step towards raising funds and building awareness and support for this groundbreaking city project.

Angel Orensanz
Angel Orensanz

The event will be held at the beautiful and historic Angel Orensanz Center at 172 Norfolk Street, the oldest surviving former Gothic Revival synagogue in New York. The venue is the perfect spot with its rich details and design, adding drama to this spectacular gala.

Chef Gabrielle Hamilton and Chef Julian Alonzo
Chef Gabrielle Hamilton and Chef Julian Alonzo

Inspired by menus and designs from 1908, the year the trolley terminal opened, Chefs Hamilton and Alonzo collaborated to prepare a spectacular menu for the 7 pm cocktail hour and seated 4-course plated dinner reminiscent of the early century era. Turtle soup, consommé, fresh cherrystone clams, broiled mackerel, poached stuffed chicken breasts, French peas, Duchess potatoes and tinned white asparagus are just a few of the tantalizing items on the menu, concluding with delightful Crème de Menthe parfaits for dessert to dazzle your taste buds.

The event is going to be a major avant-garde production and will have interactive entertainment throughout the evening provided by Vance Garrett Productions. Look forward to a thrilling and surprising experience to remember. Guests will be transported back to the early 20th century with the gorgeous antique décor and design by Broadway Party Rentals, Props for Today and ZAK Events: vintage silver trays, carved crystal goblets, fine white china and antique linens will top the tables and serve the splendid food and cocktails.  To add to the ambiance and excitement, there will be a live auction and three dramatic acts of live entertainment throughout the night reminiscent of the era – you’ll see contortionists, street performers and dancers, servers dressed up in 1908 clothing, stilt walkers and more.

Morgan O'Kane
Morgan O’Kane

Guests will also get to experience a miniature trolley car in the cocktail lounge on the balcony with the talented Virginia-based musician and live performer Morgan O’Kane, who will be strumming his banjo and playing music of the era inside the car. And to wrap up the evening, the Speakeasy After Party will start at 10 pm until midnight where you’ll get to see more entertaining acts and sample smashing classic cocktails provided by Absolut Vodka and a Punch Bar.

For more information on the event contact Amanda Weidel, Special Events Planner at Neuman’s Kitchen – 212.228.2444 or a.weidel@neumanskitchen.com.

Read more about the Anti Gala & Speakeasy: http://www.thelowline.org/get-involved/anti-gala/

Tickets can be purchased online at www.thelowline.org/antigala

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