Latest news with #BrianZak
New York Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Eleven Madison Park ditching vegan menu after it cost too much green
They're finally chickening out. Eleven Madison Park, one of the world's most acclaimed restaurants, is ditching its vegan-only menu just four years after it swore off meat. The vegetable-focused diet was simply costing too much green — and not the right kind, according to its lauded chef. 5 Eleven Madison Park is rolling back its vegan-only menu starting in October. Brian Zak/NY Post 'It's hard to get 30 people for a corporate dinner to come to a plant-based restaurant,' Daniel Humm told the New York Times. 'I very much believed in the all-in approach, but I didn't realize that we would exclude people. I have some anxiety that people are going to say, 'Oh, he's a hypocrite,' but I know that the best way to continue to champion plant-based cooking is to let everyone participate around the table.' Humm formally announced the major menu switch-up in an announcement on the restaurant's website that admitted the limited, plant-based diet excluded a wide range of guests and their cash. While running the first restaurant in the world to earn three Michelin stars for entirely plant-based dishes 'felt like walking on water,' Humm said too many customers made it clear that they were left unsatisfied with his 'land caviar' and smoked potatoes. 5 Chef Daniel Humm admitted the veggie-based menu excluded too many customers. Brian Zak/NY Post 'It became clear that while we had built something meaningful, we had also unintentionally kept people out. This is the opposite of what we believe hospitality to be,' Humm wrote in the statement. 'The all-or-nothing approach was necessary to develop our expertise, but that too, comes with its own limitations. As a chef I want to continue to open paths, not close them.' Starting October 14th, Eleven Madison Park will once again offer fish and meat — as well as its famous honey-lavender-glazed duck. The news also comes as Humm is shopping a book about working at the resturaunt, which has been known as a regular stop for celebs and power players — from David and Victoria Beckham's date night there last year to Hollywood agent Ari Emanuel throwing an alleged 'hissy fit' when he wanted his meal served more quickly than the usual multicourse dining experience which can take up to three hours. Unsurprisingly, the announcement has ruffled the feathers of vegans, who were quick to slam the restaurant on social media. 5 'As a chef I want to continue to open paths, not close them,' Humm said in a statement. Eleven Madison Park / Instagram 'So good to hear climate change and animal ethics have been solved and we can focus on the most important moral issue: maximizing profit,' one user wrote. 'Yesterday, you were the owner of the world's most famous vegan restaurant. An inspiration. Somewhere vegans could aspire to visit for special birthdays and special occasions. Today, you are the owner of just another restaurant. I fell for your act. I thought you cared. You didn't,' wrote another. The dinner items had been stripped from its $365 nine-course menu back in 2021 when the award-winning restaurant reopened from Covid-19 lockdowns. At the time, Humm said he was inspired to take an environmentally sustainable approach — Animal-based foods, especially red meat, dairy, and farmed shrimp, are generally associated with the highest greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations. 5 Eleven Madison Park's vegan menu includes Tonburi with pea cream and baby lettuce. Bloomberg via Getty Images 'The way we have sourced our food, the way we're consuming our food, the way we eat meat, it is not sustainable,' Humm said at the time. Whether the return to meat will include sustainable approaches to animal consumption — such as only offering free-range and organic items — is unclear. Neither Humm nor Eleven Madison Park immediately responded to The Post's request for comment. 5 Duck served with a five-color potato pinwheel could be back on the menu starting in October. Brian Zak/NY Post Critics were quick to slam the vegan shrine, including one hangry food critic who roasted a beet dish for tasting like 'lemon Pledge' — but patrons continued to flock to the NoMad eatery in droves. Eleven Madison Park continued to rack up accolades and its Michelin stars — but the fish-less flood dried up this year. Bookings for private events grew sparse, and wine sales took a nose-dive: 'For wine aficionados, grand cru goes with meat,' he told The Times. Customers will still be able to order an all-vegan menu if they choose — but customers are warned that the fixed $365 price applies whether they're gobbling up tofu or turkey.
New York Post
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
TikTok's Cugine opens Brooklyn sandwich shop, cafe, Casa Cugine
This sandwich influencer has gone brick and mortadella. Danny Mondello, the Italian-American behind @Meals_by_cug has turned his social media brand — making chicken cutlet sandwiches and tossing pasta into the air from a frying pan for more than 2 million followers on TikTok and 1.5 million on Instagram — into Casa Cugine, a new sandwich shop, market and cafe in Williamsburg. When he's not slicing soppressata behind the line, Mondello, 28, personally greets customers from a lawn chair outside the Brooklyn storefront, his pinky finger, encircled with a gold ring, jutting out as he sips his signature Diet Coke. 'It's a dream come true,' Mondello told The Post of opening the shop earlier this month on a neighborly Graham Avenue block. 10 Danny Mondello, the Italian-American behind @Meals_by_cug with millions of followers, has turned his social media brand — making chicken cutlet sandwiches and pasta — into Casa Cugine, a new sandwich shop, market and cafe in Williamsburg. Brian Zak/NY Post 'You see families, you see the old Nonnas walking down the street. Everybody knows each other,' he said as he nodded to passersby. Fans of Cug — short for 'cugine,' which is Italian for cousin — are traveling from as far as Texas and South Carolina to get a taste of viral sandwiches like the 'Hey Toots' with turkey and spicy soppressata; and the 'How Ya' Doin,' with chicken cutlet and broccoli rabe. 'The menu is Italian-American delicacies — everything you want. Panninis, like what they do back in Italy — hot soppressata, provolone, olive oil and oregano. Real simple. We're not trying to reinvent the wheel. We just want something that's good, and not over indulgent,' Mondello said, noting the shop will eventually serve heroes. The Rossville, Staten Island, native worked as a line cook in college in New Paltz and made it big posting cooking videos during the pandemic. 10 The menu at Casa Cugine comprises panini sandwiches like hot soppressata, provolone, olive oil and oregano, along with coffee and desserts. 'We're not trying to reinvent the wheel,' Mondello told The Post. Brian Zak/NY Post 10 Rainbow cookies are a signature at the cafe, along with Italian pastries like sfogliatelle and cannoli. 'We just want something that's good, and not over indulgent,' Mondello said. Brian Zak/NY Post 10 When he's not slicing soppressata behind the line, Mondello, aka Cugine (left), 28, personally greets customers from a lawn chair outside the Brooklyn storefront. Brian Zak/NY Post 10 Rachel Kriesel, 23 (right) from Clinton Hill, took her best friend, Sophia Ojeda, 23 (left), visiting from Austin, Texas, last Monday for a panini, in hopes of getting a photo with Cug. Brian Zak/NY Post 'Since I'm 18, I have always worked in delis and sandwich shops growing up. It's kind of where I got the name 'Cug' from. Some guy would come in and call everyone Cug,' he said. The Casa Cugine space was previously home to Cafe Capri, a family-owned coffee shop that opened in 1974 and shuttered in 2015. Mondello kept the original molding from its previous owner, but has also made the shop very much his own. A custom gold sign on the coffee counter reads 'Reserved for Cug & Ya sista,' while a portrait of Frank Sinatra hangs above a still life of Cug's pinky ring hand gripping a cigarette. Rachel Kriesel, 23, from Clinton Hill, took her best friend, Sophia Ojeda, 23, visiting from Austin, Texas last Monday for a panini, in hopes of getting a selfie with Cug. 10 The Rossville, Staten Island, native worked as a line cook in college in New Paltz and made it big posting cooking videos during the pandemic. Now, he's selling his own branded spices and other ingredients. Brian Zak/NY Post 10 'Since I'm 18, I have always worked in delis and sandwich shops growing up. It's kind of where I got the name 'Cug' from,' Mondello told The Post. Brian Zak/NY Post 10 Casa Cugine is also a feast for the eyes — with Italian-American inspired merch. Brian Zak/NY Post 'I was following his social media and I saw a post about his restaurant and that it recently opened. We've both been fans of him for so long,'said Krisel, wearing a Casa del Cug T-shirt. 'We love his sister jokes. I'm also a Diet Coke fan. We were both really depressed and isolated during the pandemic and we would send each other his videos,' Ojeda said, of making the trip to get a zucchini eggplant sandwich. Another visitor from afar, South Carolina clothing designer Michael, 35, started following Cug two years ago and was taken with his Staten Island accent. 'I've been here twice,' said Michael, who declined to give his last name. He raved about the rainbow cookies. 10 Customers enjoy coffee and pastries at the counter, where a sign reads 'reserved for Cug & ya sista.' Some tourists have traveled as far as Texas and South Carolina to support the popular influncer. Brian Zak/NY Post 10 Cugine decorated the cafe with a still life of his pinky ring-clad hand, and other homages to Italian-American culture. Brian Zak/NY Post 'He's authentic, man. I'm not Italian, I'm Russian — I have no idea about how they should talk, the lingo, the slang. What really made me like his videos was when he would cook in his house, saying a bunch of Italian s—t. The chicken cutlet sandwich looked bomb.' Mondello told The Post that he wanted to diversify his staying power by having a business of his own offline. 'There's only so much social media you can do. There's no long term play for it. It's very hard,' he said. 'When I'm 50 years old, what am I supposed to be doing? Still flipping pasta?'
New York Post
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Cocktail-sipping New Yorkers looking to beat the heat with a side of ‘fancy' ice — and bars are happy to pay for the upgrade
Talk about a chilling effect. As summer officially kicks off and an oppressive heat wave threatens to melt the Northeast, New Yorkers will be venturing to rooftop lounges and chic watering holes to cool down, but with icy flair. Big Apple bars are happy to pay extra to have crystal-clear ice delivered to their doors because in the world of fine cocktails, everything that goes into a drink matters — even the ice. Advertisement Customers have even come to expect it, and much more. 9 Okamoto Studio owner Shintaro Okamoto shows off ice cubes that are upsized and upscaled with vibrant flowers. Brian Zak/NY Post 9 Large cubes with custom logos are crafted by Okamoto Studio in Queens. Brian Zak/NY Post Advertisement While most people only think of ice as a simple afterthought, it's already crystal clear to those in the know that ice plays a pivotal role in the flavor, presentation and overall experience of a perfect drink. And while fancy frozen cubes aren't a brand-new concept, specialty cocktail ice has saturated high-end bars and restaurants — and now even private parties are embracing the trend that's done anything but cool in recent years. 'Almost any new cocktail bar and restaurant aspiring for awards does this,' Alex Dominguez, head bartender at Bar Calico, told The Post. Advertisement Unlike the typical crushed or cubed ice, bespoke ice is often larger, clearer and meticulously crafted. At its core, specialty ice is about precision and purpose. It's also about expecting the unexpected. That includes petite flowers, literally frozen in time, encased and floating in a snow globe-like ball. Or fancy-font engravings to personalize and add elegance to a birthday or anniversary celebration. Advertisement Or even adorable gummy bears patiently waiting for the melt to happen so the imbiber can pop the candy in their mouth as a sweet cocktail chaser. 9 These over-the-top, flower-embedded spheres would impress any restaurant-goer. Brian Zak/NY Post Like many other top-tier city venues, Dominguez's team adds thrill to the chill at their Flatiron District bar by ordering from Hundredweight Ice, which charges $30 for 50 pieces of the standard but upsized 2-inch cubes and $5 per 2.25-inch hand-cut 'Geodesic' sphere. This cold is bold, and clear-cut ice has become 'the norm' at most craft cocktail bars, according to Isabel 'Izzy' Tulloch of A Pop-Up Called Pancakes, a boozy, monthlong residency at S&P Lunch. She and her partner Danielle De Block, both alums of Milady's and Clover Club, are using custom cubes from Clear Cut Ice so that 'the drinks look beautiful but more importantly than that, they taste the way we intend them to for a significantly larger amount of time.' 'It's fashion and function. Cocktails look sleek and manicured, but even more than that, the large cubes keep drinks colder longer and dilute slower,' Tulloch told The Post. Ice Modern — the cocktail ice sector of Okamoto Studio, which specializes in frozen sculptures — also serves many of the city's cocktail spots, like the St. Cloud rooftop bar at the Knickerbocker Hotel in Times Square, along with making specialty ice cubes for everything from birthday parties to baby showers. Advertisement Some popular places, like St. Cloud, pass at least some of the cost to the customer, as The Post recently discovered when ordering a glass of Maker's Mark: it came with a $2 'Big Ice Cube' up-charge. However, venues like Calico and Pancakes do not adjust theirs, saying the high-end product helps justify their preset cocktail costs. 9 Okamoto Studio has some inspired custom ice to dazzle restaurant-goers, like this cube encasing a vibrant orange flower. Brian Zak/NY Post 9 These cubes are hot: Okamoto created these chili ice blocks for a branded event. @thetablenewyork Advertisement Custom ice has also become a hit for branded events. 'Brands are always looking for fun ways to add custom touches to an event. Ice has become popular because it's super photographable and often the first touchpoint when guests enter for cocktails,' Lucinda Constable, an event director based in NYC, told The Post. She often orders ice frozen with flowers and fruit from Ice Modern — including stemmed maraschino cherries for a recent shindig. The company has (literally) carved out a niche by using machines to freeze people's names , buds, candy and even disco balls into cubes of ice. Advertisement 'It's very unique. Very intimate,' Shintaro Okamoto, who took over the studio from his father in 2008, told The Post. They'll also make batches as small as two ice cubes — at $8 each — with a multipurpose 'You Rock' or 'Drink Up' carved into them. 9 The company also devised these 'cherry' nice options for drinkers, like these for event planner Lucinda Constable. @thetablenewyork Okamoto was one of the first to bring specialty ice to bars and parties across the five boroughs, making fancy mini-floes after noticing his ice sculpture clients were increasingly interested in the quality of their cocktail ice. Advertisement 'There was a rise and kind of rebirth of American cocktails in the 2010s, and the ice is such a key ingredient,' Okamoto told The Post of the boom in business. 'If you don't have big, clear cubes, you're not a legitimate bar. It almost separates places between a cocktail bar and a dive bar.' And while people were already becoming home ice connoisseurs — making budget-friendly but 'fancy' rose-shaped or fruit-infused ice themselves — they're now paying $4 per customized cube for parties. 9 A pansy and other flowers have been encased by Okamoto Studio in Astoria. Brian Zak/NY Post 9 A jalapeño brings some spice to this ice from Okamoto Studio. 9 Cubes can also be made with custom-carved messages. 'It's very unique. Very intimate,' Shintaro Okamoto said of the final product. After all, for the non-DIY crowd, this freeze isn't a breeze. High-tech equipment and particular skills go into making crystal-clear ice, and Dominguez said most bars don't even have the time, space or machinery to make a perfect cube of ice on location. 'It takes a lot of care and understanding and maintenance to keep this going on,' Okamoto added. 'So, you know, not everyone can do it.' Although Okamoto wants to keep some of his perfected technique to himself, he shared that the secret to making his ice is filtered water, a motor to keep the water moving, and ice machines that freeze from the bottom up to eliminate distracting air bubbles. Crystal-clear ice is preferred because its purity enhances the aesthetics of the drink and minimizes the dilution rate, preserving the integrity of the cocktail. 'Beyond the look of the drink, the best bartenders understand the flavor benefits of clear ice,' NYC-based certified taster Mandy Naglich noted to The Post. 'Clear ice doesn't interfere with the colors or garnishes of a cocktail, so bartenders can bring their creativity to life.' But it's not just about clarity. Large, solid cubes or spheres are popular for their slower melt rate, ensuring that the drink stays colder for longer without compromising flavor. And, science aside, who can resist cute, custom shapes or embedded flowers that reflect the theme or spirit of a cocktail itself? 'It's just like having your own little art piece in your glassware,' Okamoto declared.
New York Post
08-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
New Manhattan homes for menswear stores Charles Tyrwhitt, Tom Ford
London-based menswear store Charles Tyrwhitt is moving from 437 Madison Ave. to RFR Realty's 477 Madison, doubling its space in the process. Tyrwhitt signed for 3,800 square at the East 51st Street corner. The deal was handled for the landlord by MONA, a retail brokerage backed by RFR's Aby Rosen. Cushman & Wakefield acted for the tenant. Charles Tywhitt has a half-dozen Manhattan locations. Advertisement The building's offices are mostly leased. Recent signings include for Treville Capital and Fiera Capital. 477 Madison Ave. will be the new home menswear store Charles Tyrwhitt. One more Park Avenue office address has filled up. Advertisement Tom Ford Fashion signed a 10-year, 11,118 square-foot lease at SL Green's 500 Park Ave., bringing the landmarked, 201,000 square-foot building at East 59th Street to 100% leased. Tom Ford Fashion has signed a 10-year lease for 500 Park Ave., above. Brian Zak/NY Post Advertisement Other office tenants include The Georgetown Company, Vera Wang and Friedland Properties. Furniture store FRATO's flagship showroom is the retail tenant. Meanwhile, the former Hammacher Schlemmer headquarters building at 145 E. 57th St. can also boast 100% occupancy. Data Science Innovators took 5,067 square feet, landlord ABS Partners announced. Danish furniture maker Carl Hansen & Son replaced Hammacher Schlemmer on the retail floors.
