THE FOOD SEEN - Episode 245: Adam D. Tihany, restaurant designer

Episode 245: Adam D. Tihany, restaurant designer

07/14/15 • 42 min

On today’s episode of THE FOOD SEEN, Adam D. Tihany has made quite a mark on the interior of New York City. He’s designed some of the top restaurants and hotels in the world, but it all begin here in 1981, when Tihany designed La Couple, New York’s first grand café. Since then has worked on Sirio Maccioni’s Le Cirque 2000, Thomas Keller’s Per Se, Daniel Boulud’s namesake Daniel. His book, TIHANY: Iconic Hotel and Restaurant Interiors archives, and celebrates projects from around the globe like the Westin Chosun in Seoul, Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner in London, One & Only Cape Town South Africa, and the Mandarian Oriental in Las Vegas. But what does Tihany first see when he walks into a restaurant? Where’s his favorite seat to dine at? What modern materials are being used to build beautiful new dining spaces? Now, Tihany sets his sights on the sea, designing the future in ultra-luxury cruise liners. What will Tihany design next? This program was brought to you by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons.

“I think the beauty of Italy is the fact that ‘made in Italy’ is not a product, it’s a way of doing things.” [11:00]

“I wanted to do everything I was doing in Italy in this microcosm of restaurant design.” [18:00]

“We are extremely proud of the fact that we go to huge lengths to try and understand the DNA of every place that we work at.” [26:00]

“It’s important that you understand where you come from to understand where you’re going to.” [26:00]

“The first impression that captures your imagination and tells you a little bit about what the experience is going to be has to do with two things. It has to do with light and the sense of smell.” [34:00]

“The success of good lighting, [is that] whether you are in the sea or the air [the lighting] is controlled.” [42:00]

–Adam D. Tihany on THE FOOD SEEN

“I think the beauty of Italy is the fact that ‘made in Italy’ is not a product, it’s a way of doing things.” [11:00]

“I wanted to do everything I was doing in Italy in this microcosm of restaurant design.” [18:00]

“We are extremely proud of the fact that we go to huge lengths to try and understand the DNA of every place that we work at.” [26:00]

“It’s important that you understand where you come from to understand where you’re going to.” [26:00]

“The success of good lighting, [is that] whether you are in the sea or the air [the lighting] is controlled.” [42:00]

–Adam D. Tihany on THE FOOD SEEN

Previous Episode

Episode 244: Sarah Simmons, City Grit culinary salon, Birds & Bubbles fried chicken and champagne

On today’s episode of THE FOOD SEEN, Sarah Simmons Southern sense of hospitality, may have turned her Sunday suppers into New York City’s culinary salon better know as City Grit. A win as Food & Wine’s America’s Home Cook Superstar, may have proclaimed her food worthy, but nothing prepares you for the business that comes with owning a restaurant. Luckily, years working as a retail strategist for Fortune 100 companies, gave Sarah the insight she needed to become a successful chef and restaurateur. Her second venture, Birds & Bubbles, focuses on fried chicken and champagne, because, really, what’s better than that pairing?! Now working with Williams Sonoma, Sarah curates gourmet gifts, scouts out up and coming chefs in cities across the USA, and begins to focus back on her Carolina roots, with possible brick and mortar culinary experiences making their way back South. So much for just being a home cook. This program was brought to you by The International Culinary Center.

“I felt like I owed the food community something because I got to change my life over night.” [17:00]

“No one really knows this because it wasn’t the initial intention but I got to use City Grit as my own test kitchen.” [26:00]

“Champagne is really hard to experiment with when the majority of the bottles are over $100.” [27:00]

“I just want everyone to make fried chicken. It’s not as hard as they think.” [30:00]

–Sarah Simmons on THE FOOD SEEN

Next Episode

Episode 246: Joe Carroll’s “Feeding The Fire” BBQ & grilling cookbook with Nick Fauchald

On today’s episode of THE FOOD SEEN, Joe Carroll, proprietor of barbecue restaurant Fette Sau, and New American steakhouse, St. Anselm, joins co-author Nick Fauchald in their book about meat cookery called “Feeding The Fire”. Hear how a $40 Weber grill, one dry rub, and a slow and low mantra, not only changed the urban BBQ landscape, but also elevated the cuts of meats we smoke and/or throw on the grill. Yes, there’s Texas, Kansas City, Memphis, and the Carolinas, but did you know about upstate New York’s Cornell chicken, California’s Santa Maria Valley tri-trip, Western Kentucky and mutton, and Maryland Pit Beef? Learn that BBQ is more technique than recipe, and contemplate the choices you’ll have to make for that coveted smoke ring (pinkish meat under the bark) and perfect doneness. This program was brought to you by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons.