Current:Home > InvestDanny Meyer and Tom Colicchio on humble beginnings and enduring legacy of NYC's Gramercy Tavern-InfoLens
Danny Meyer and Tom Colicchio on humble beginnings and enduring legacy of NYC's Gramercy Tavern
View Date:2024-12-23 15:21:46
Gramercy Tavern in the heart of New York City's Flatiron District is more than just a place to eat; it's a landmark in the culinary world, described by Food & Wine as "a Great American Restaurant."
This iconic establishment, now celebrating 30 years of "enlightened hospitality," is a destination for diners and has transformed the lives of its co-founders, Danny Meyer and Tom Colicchio.
From its maroon awning to the banged-up old bar and wall-to-wall antique furniture, Gramercy Tavern feels timeless. The menu of locally sourced, all-American classics offers fine dining without the pretense.
But the truth is, Gramercy Tavern almost didn't exist. Meyer, now a famous restaurateur known for Shake Shack and Eleven Madison Park, initially had no interest in opening a second restaurant following the successful launch of Union Square Cafe. That changed after a meeting with rising star chef Colicchio at the 1992 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado.
"He said, 'You know, confidentially, my restaurant's about to go out of business and there's no one I'd rather partner with than you.' And it's kinda like if LeBron James said, 'I'd kinda like to play on your basketball team,'" said Meyer.
Yet when Gramercy Tavern opened on July 11, 1994, it still had a lot to prove. Meyer recalls facing immense pressure, feeling like a bullseye was painted on the restaurant owners' backs after it was featured on the cover of New York Magazine, posing the question, "The Next Great Restaurant?"
"New Yorkers were pretty quick to answer, no. Which was the right answer," said Meyer. "We weren't the next great restaurant. We might one day become that, but great restaurants are like brand-new baseball gloves. You gotta play catch for a long time before you break it in."
The glove is pretty well broken in by now, and as it turns out, many New Yorkers have played catch with it.
Over the years, Gramercy Tavern has become a staple in New York City's dining scene. The New York Times praised its "remarkably polished, complicated food" and "correct but casual" service. It even made a cameo in the pilot episode of "Sex and the City."
The vision for Gramercy Tavern was to blend European fine dining standards with the rustic comfort of an American tavern. Hospitality was as important as the food for Meyer.
"We'll do the shopping, we'll do the cooking, we'll serve it, we'll do the dishes, we'll provide a social environment in which you feel like you took a little vacation," he said. "But at the same time, we're gonna be the best element of coming home, which is you're gonna feel loved and you're gonna feel like you belong."
By the early 2000s, Meyer and Colicchio had so many other projects that they decided one of them should take full ownership of the restaurant. After much deliberation, Colicchio chose to step away, though he admits there are times he misses it.
"I don't know if I've regretted it. There are times I have walked by and said, you know, it would be nice," said Colicchio.
This month, the culinary world celebrated as Meyer and Colicchio reunited at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, commemorating 30 years of Gramercy Tavern and the colleagues who helped them along the way.
"It's great. It's like you get the band back together, come back from one night only," said Colicchio.
Looking ahead, Meyer is confident about the restaurant's future.
Mike Anthony, the current executive chef and partner, has been with Gramercy Tavern longer than Colicchio was, and Areta Ettarh, the No. 2 in the kitchen, is part of the next generation upholding Meyer's vision.
"The origin story of Gramercy Tavern was, I imagined that this place had been in my family since Gramercy Park was founded, Meyer said. "So it's been here forever. And guess what? It needs to be here forever as well."
- In:
- Food & Drink
- New York City
Tony Dokoupil is a co-host of "CBS Mornings." Dokoupil also anchors "The Uplift," a weekly show that spotlights good news stories that uplift and inspire.
TwitterveryGood! (923)
Related
- NYC bans unusual practice of forcing tenants to pay real estate brokers hired by landlords
- Noah Lyles gets second in a surprising 100m opening heat at Olympics
- Olympics 2024: China Badminton Players Huang Yaqiong and Liu Yuchen Get Engaged After She Wins Gold
- A year after Maui wildfire, chronic housing shortage and pricey vacation rentals complicate recovery
- Chrysler recalls over 200k Jeep, Dodge vehicles over antilock-brake system: See affected models
- 2 Georgia National Guard soldiers die in separate noncombat incidents in Iraq
- What to watch: Workin' on our Night moves
- 2024 Olympics: Gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik win Bronze in Pommel Horse Final
- Will Reeve, son of Christopher Reeve, gets engaged to girlfriend Amanda Dubin
- Kansas man sentenced to prison for stealing bronze Jackie Robinson statue
Ranking
- Nearly 80,000 pounds of Costco butter recalled for missing 'Contains Milk statement': FDA
- Cameron McEvoy is the world's fastest swimmer, wins 50 free
- Taylor Swift combines two of her songs about colors in Warsaw
- Minnesota Settles ‘Deceptive Environmental Marketing’ Lawsuit Over ‘Recycling’ Plastic Bags
- Channing Tatum Drops Shirtless Selfie After Zoë Kravitz Breakup
- Olympic medals today: What is the medal count at 2024 Paris Games on August 3?
- Hormonal acne doesn't mean you have a hormonal imbalance. Here's what it does mean.
- How did Simone Biles do today? Star gymnast adds another gold in vault final
Recommendation
-
Kentucky officer reprimanded for firing non-lethal rounds in 2020 protests under investigation again
-
'This can't be right': Big sharks found in waters far from the open ocean
-
When does Simone Biles compete next? Olympics beam finals on tap
-
3 dead including white supremacist gang leader, 9 others injured in Nevada prison brawl
-
Elon Musk responds after Chloe Fineman alleges he made her 'burst into tears' on 'SNL'
-
Ballerina Farm, Trad Wives and the epidural conversation we should be having
-
Minnesota Settles ‘Deceptive Environmental Marketing’ Lawsuit Over ‘Recycling’ Plastic Bags
-
Class is in Session at Nordstrom Rack's 2024 Back-to-College Sale: Score Huge Savings Up to 85% Off