Our Chef
Scott Cohen
As a teen-ager growing up in New Jersey, Scott Cohen, executive chef at The Stanhope, New York, worked part-time in local restaurants and enjoyed it so much, it became his career. After high school, Cohen enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America.
Following graduation, Cohen was employed at the Boca Raton Hotel and Club in Florida and then at the Mansion at Turtle Creek in Dallas. He returned to New York and secured the post of sous chef at The Carlyle Hotel, then moved into the three-star La Reserve as sous chef under the late Andre Gaillard. "This is where I gained the solid kitchen experience which enhanced my traditional French training," Cohen explained.
At the urging of master chef Daniel Boulud, Cohen went to France to further hone his culinary skills. He did an estagiere at the famed Moulin de Mougins and other leading restaurants. In 1990, he began work as executive chef at New York's Tatou where he garnered rave reviews. Cohen left in August 1994 for The Stanhope where he has transformed the hotel's dining room into an impressive presence on Museum Mile.
To showcase Cohen's food, a completely new 74-seat restaurant was constructed at the hotel, located at Fifth Avenue and 81st Street, just across from Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He also is responsible for Le Salon, The Stanhope's classic tearoom; Gerard's, a club-like hide-away; and The Terrace, New York's only Parisian-style outdoor cafe on Fifth Avenue.
Cohen regularly takes part in major fund-raising events for charitable organizations. In 1993 he served as chairman of the Chef's Committee for Feast With Famous Faces for the League for the Hard of Hearing; Citymeals on -Wheels; SOS Taste of the Nation; and The James Beard Foundation. He holds the Bronze Medal of The Vatel Club, a French culinary group.
Chef Cohen's recipes can be found in "The Food & Wine Cookbook", "Regis & Kathie Lee's Cookbook"; and the "All-American Chili Cookbook."
He has appeared on "Weekend Today in New York"; "Lifestyles of The Rich and Famous"; "Recipes of America," for America's Talking; TVFN's "News & Views"; "Talking Food with Robin Leach"; "Live! With Regis & Kathie Lee": Lifetime's "Our Home"; and News 12 The Exchange, Fairfield.
Passionate and picky, Cohen uses only high quality ingredients in his eclectic cuisine which he calls American Provencal. He combines elements of classic French cookery with contemporary flair and enjoys using the bounty from many of the USA's diverse regions in his dishes.
