Drew Nieporent, one of America’s most respected and celebrated restaurateurs, and founder and inspiration behind the Myriad Restaurant Group, which operates Tribeca Grill, Nobu New York City, and others will be the first New Yorker to receive the TORCH Award during the upcoming International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York on Monday, March 7th at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.
The TORCH award, which recognizes an individual or group of Restaurateurs or Chefs whose achievements have enhanced and brought innovation to the restaurant and foodservice community, is presented by Ferdinand Metz, Certified Master Chef and former President of the Culinary Institute of America for more than 20 years, and Chairman of the Education Program and Urban Expositions, producers of the event.
“During the last 30 years, under Drew’s leadership, Myriad has opened and operated over 39 restaurants around the world, including Seattle, Louisville, Providence, Boca Raton, London, San Francisco, Moscow, and Citi Field, home of the New York Mets and we are thrilled to present him with this illustrious award to recognize his many accomplishments,” said Master Chef Metz.
Nieporent’s first restaurant, the groundbreaking Montrachet (1985), earned three stars from The New York Times and kept that rating for 21 years. In May of 2014, Nieporent reopened the space that had been Montrachet and Corton, as Bâtard with chef/partners Markus Glocker and John Winterman. Earning three stars from The New York Times, New York Magazine, and a coveted Michelin star, Bâtard also won the James Beard Award for “Best New Restaurant.” In 1990 Nieporent opened Tribeca Grill to national acclaim, with partner Robert De Niro and an all-star roster of investors including Bill Murray, Sean Penn, and Mikhail Baryshnikov. With a Grand Award-winning Wine List as recognized by The Wine Spectator, Tribeca Grill continues to be one of New York’s landmark restaurants.
Nieporent graduated in 1973 from Stuyvesant High School and in 1977 from Cornell University with a degree from the School of Hotel Management. While at Cornell, he worked on the world class cruise ships Vistafjord and Sagafjord. In 1978, he began his management career with Warner Le Roy at New York City’s Maxwell’s Plum and Tavern On The Green. He then worked at the prestigious French restaurants Le Perigord, La Grenouille and Plaza Athenee’s Le Regence.
“The TORCH award honors individuals whose professional accomplishments drive the industry forward and who better to present this honor to than Drew Nieporent,” said Ron Mathews, Vice President for the Urban Expositions Family of Foodservice Events. “On behalf of Urban Expositions and the Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum we are thrilled to recognize Drew Nieporent for providing exemplary innovation, initiating improvement and engaging with the industry.” Drew joins Torch Award Winners Norman van Aken, Chef and Founder of NORMAN’S who received the award at the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show and Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, Chefs and Owners of Border Grill & Truck who received the award at the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo.
The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, sponsored by the New York State Restaurant Association, will bring together 550+ vendors and 16,000 restaurant, foodservice and retail professionals to the Jacob Javits Convention Center March 6-8, 2016. Attendees of the Expo will have the opportunity to participate in over 30 educational sessions at the Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum, the gold standard, industry-leading educational conference dedicated to foodservice professional development. For more information, visit www.internationalrestaurantny.com or www.thefoodshows.com.
