Q&A With Chef Michael Romano of Union Square Cafe in New York
Chef Michael Romano's first cooking experience was
at Serendipity, the famous New York City restaurant known
for dessert and frozen concoctions. He's come a long way since dishing
up ice cream in 1971. Studying under the tutelage of France's renowned
Michel Guerard, he cooked at Regine's in Paris and then New
York. After stints at Eugenie les Bains in the south of France,
at the two-star Chapon Fin restaurant in Bordeaux, at the
two-star Chez Max in Zurich, and then at the venerable La
Caravelle in New York City, he found a home with restaurateur
Danny Meyer and became executive chef at Union Square Café
in 1988.
Now a partner with Meyer, the two have opened nine restaurants in
New York City, though Romano is found most nights at Union Square
Café, his home base. After winning numerous awards and writing
two successful cookbooks, he talks about staying fresh in the kitchen
after 17 years on the job.
CMEplanner: How do you manage to stay interested after so many years in only one kitchen?
Romano: Union Square Café is simply the right fit for
me with the right people. It calls for a blend of all my talents-my
French classic training and my Italian roots.
CMEplanner: Your partnership with Danny Meyer has obviously
been a very successful one. To what do you credit that?
Romano:
In 1994 we came up with the term "enlightened hospitality." That
is our philosophy of what a restaurant can be to its workers, guests
and investors. We want to make people feel we are a place that cares
and nourishes in all regards. We are a hands-on, handcrafted place
that offers a consistency of product. And that extends to our staff,
many of whom have been here from the beginning.
CMEplanner: Do you change your menu often?
Romano:
We use the seasons as our guide and always serve what's fresh. But
really, it's a balancing act between keeping old favorites and trying
new things. We want to appeal to our regulars and newcomers at the
same time.
CMEplanner: How would you
describe the atmosphere of Union Square Café?
Romano:
Well, we're a big restaurant, but it feels small since it's broken
into intimate rooms. We're casual, but well informed. We're not
slipshod or sloppy. We use white tablecloths and, though our waiters
are not dressed tuxedos, they are very knowledgeable.
CMEplanner: You call yourself a new breed of American eatery. What does
that mean?
Romano:
We offer quality of service, a casual feel and good value.
We are moderately priced and offer our customers value for what
they get.
CMEplanner: How does that translate
to your food? Have you done anything cutting edge in your many years
of business?
Romano:
Well, for example, we were the first to offer a filet mignon of
tuna. We cut it to look like a filet, but really it's a steak made
of tuna. When we first started doing that no one else did. Now everyone
does it. Also, during the season we get almost all of our produce
from the Union Square Green Market. It's always the freshest
and most regional available.
CMEplanner: You've also continuously been ranked as one of the best restaurants
in New York for the solo diner.
Romano:
Yes, we have a huge bar, but not a bar scene. Our bar is strictly
for solo diners who come in and want to eat. They are taken good
care of by the bartender and often have good company sitting next
to them. The seats at the bar are always full so we must be doing
something right.
* * *
Filet mignon of tuna with
wasabi mashed potatoes, served with Tokay pinot gris from the Alsace
region of France.
*Entrees: $23-$34
Union Square Cafe
21 East 16th St.
New York, NY 10003
(212) 243-4020
www.unionsquarecafe.com
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