Interview of the Month of December 2023 with Josh Newman, the chef at Supper Club
Updated: Nov 28, 2023
Josh is the current chef at the Supper Club, on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Before opening his own restaurant in partnership with Le Petit Parisien, Josh worked at Union Square Hospitality Group, Hillstone & The Modern. As you will see in this interview, his multi-faceted professional experience makes him more than ready to offer an amazing experience to diners. The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Where did you grow up?
Scarsdale
How did you get into cooking?
I have always liked cooking; I remember cooking with my mom when I was 10 years old. However, I didn’t necessarily want to become a chef and I got into college on a soccer scholarship. I was a goalkeeper.
Do you watch the soccer champion's league? If so, what is your favorite team?
I do follow the Champion’s League, and I try to watch the games on Sundays. My favorite team is West Ham United.
Back to cooking. How did you end up cooking as a profession?
In college, I was pre-law but I quickly realized that it wasn’t the right path for me. I decided to leave college, and I enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).
What was your first job?
After 2 years at the Culinary Institute, I worked at the Modern for 1 year and then I went back to the Culinary Institute to complete my B.A. I really focused on food science in the last 2 years.
And after?
After, I worked at Hillstone as a culinary manager in charge of making sure that the kitchen was smoothly operating from an operational and financial standpoint.
You also worked for Union Square Hospitality, right?
I worked there as their research and development chef. The Group has a test kitchen in which new dishes are tested for the group’s restaurants. It was a great experience and my studies in food science really helped.
How did the idea of a collaboration occur between and Le Petit Parisien?
It happened organically through a mutual friend of mine and the owner of Le Petit Parisien.
Why a supper club as opposed to a restaurant?
We wanted to emphasize that the restaurant offers to our patrons a social and friendly experience combined with amazing food at a reasonable price point. Our goal is to become a well-known neighborhood spot.
If you had to pick one dish to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Blinis and caviar, or foie gras.
Where did you have the most memorable meal this year apart from your restaurant?
Clover Hill. My girlfriend works as a cook at the restaurant, and I highly recommend it. Charlie Mitchell, the restaurant’s chef, is very talented and has already won a Michelin star at the age of 30 years old.
What was the greatest challenge when designing the space?
Le Petit Parisien is a cafe during the day, and it was impossible to hide that fact. Instead of trying to hide it, we used it to our advantage. We created a “speakeasy” and cozy neighborhood vibe.
Thank you, Josh!
Thank you, and we would be happy to have you eat here.
Comentarios