Tom Colicchio began his culinary career at the age of 15. His seventeen year of experience have included stints at The Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill, Rakel and Mondarin. Tom also completed Stages in France working with Michel Bras and Andre Daguin. In 1991, he was honored as one of Food & Wine Magazine's Top Ten New Chefs in the United States. As Executive Chef at Mondarian, ( NY Times 3-Star Review Date ), he specialized in classic French cuisine, and focused on using seasonal ingredients, drawing vibrant flavors from vegetables and herbs.
In July 1994, Tom opened the critically acclaimed Gramercy Tavern in Manhattan's Flatiron district, with partners Danny Meyer and Larry Goldenberg of Union Square Cafe. Gramercy Tavern is a revival and renewal of the classic American cuisine and hospitality in a historic landmark building. While Tom's cooking style at Gramercy Tavern is similar to what he practiced at Mondarin, he draws further bold, gutsy flavors from both Italy and France to create simple and refined food.
Within its first three months, Gramercy Tavern was touted as "The next great restaurant" by New York Magazine and singled out as "the warmest and most charming of all the new city restaurants" in its New York Newsday three star review. In 1994 The New York Times, Ruth Reichl said that "eating at Gramercy Tavern is a bit like drinking great wine out of the barrel, you can almost taste the future and it appears extremely promising."
Our Proprietor Danny Meyer
Danny Meyer opened New York's Union Square Cafe in 1985 and his restaurant helped pioneer a new breed of American eatery where imaginative food and wine are paired with caring service, easy comfort and excellent value. A critical success from the outset, Union Square has garnered the New York Times' coveted three-star rating, is an eight-time winner of The Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence, and has seven times been voted one of New York City's Top 10 favorite restaurants by the Zagat Survey. Union Square Cafe is a premier DiRona Award winner, and earned a spot on Food & Wine Magazine's "Top 25 Restaurants in America." In 1992, Danny Meyer won the national James Beard Award for Excellence in Service and Hospitality.
In July 1994, Meyer opened a second Manhattan restaurant, Gramercy Tavern, a revival and renewal of the classic American Tavern, offering new American cuisine and hospitality in a historic landmark building. Within its first three months, Gramercy Tavern was touted as "the next great restaurant" by New York Magazine and singled out as "the warmest and most charming of all the new city restaurants in New York, Travel & Leisure wrote "Danny Meyer has turned the tables on four stars, combining friendly waiters, rustic dining rooms, and a menu that hops from foie gras to saut�ed cod,", and Esquire selected Gramercy Tavern as one of the best new restaurants in 1994. In The New York Times, Ruth Reichl said that "eating at Gramercy Tavern is a bit like drinking a great wine out of the barrel you can almost taste the future and it appears extremely promising." Just sixteen months later, Gramercy Tavern was awarded three stars by The New York Times. With Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern ranked #2 and #10 respectively in the 1996 Zagat Survey, Danny became the first-ever restaurateur to place two restaurants in the Zagat "Top 10".
Through the style of decor and food varies at Meyer's two Flatiron District restaurant, both are highly committed to providing outstanding quality, value and warm hospitality. Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern also share a strong philanthropic bent, particularly toward fighting hunger. Meyer serves on several hunger relief organization boards, including Share Our Strength, City Harvest and Food and Hunger Hotline. In 1992, he was featured in a national television commercial sponsored by American Express, to promote Share Our Strength. In 1994, he received Share Our Strength's Humanitarian of the Year Award for his role in the fight against hunger. In 1996, Danny won both the James Beard Humanitarian of the Year Award, and the IACP Restaurateur Award of Excellence.
Collaborating with Union Square Cafe's Chef/Partner, Michael Romano, Meyer co-authored the Union Square Cafe Cookbook, published by Harper Collins in October 1994. Featuring a collection of the restaurant's 160 most popular recipes, the book earned the IACP's Julia Child Award for best new cookbook by a first time author.
