| St. Louis native Danny Meyer brought solid
Midwestern values to New York when he opened Union Square Cafe in 1985 at the age of 27. USC sparked
a new breed of American restaurant by serving excellent food and wine in a relaxed surrounding with
warm hospitality and outstanding value. He followed up with Gramercy Tavern in 1994, which, like Union
Square Cafe, quickly earned three stars from The New York Times. The sibling restaurants have perennially
vied for the affection of New Yorkers, with each having been ranked the number #1 or #2 favorite restaurant
in the Zagat Survey for the past several years. Along with his Union Square Hospitality Group partners,
Danny launched another pair of acclaimed restaurants in the fall of 1998 - Eleven Madison Park and Tabla -
each of which rocketed into the Zagat Top 20 before their fourth birthdays. 2003 marked the debut of
Blue Smoke and Jazz Standard, bringing soulful pit barbecue and live jazz to NYC's East Side. Most
recently, USHG was selected to create and manage the restaurants at The Museum of Modern Art when it
re-opens in Winter 2004/05. Danny is the co-author of The Union Square Cafe Cookbook and Second Helpings
from Union Square Cafe with his longtime partner, Michael Romano. Among his proudest honors are the 2000
IFMA Gold Plate Award, Share Our Strength's Humanitarian Award, and the 17 James Beard Awards won by his
restaurants and chefs.
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