With their 48th anniversary this year, Bobby Van’s steakhouse will be celebrating with the opening their latest location. The new addition to the steakhouse family will be Bobby Van’s on 40 Central Park South. This combination of this ideal New York City location mixed with the talent of their Executive Chef Ted Rozzi has reconfirmed Bobby Van’s as a New York institution.
Total Food Service sat down with Executive Chef Ted Rozzi to discuss the new Bobby Van’s and what will be sure to be a fresh new look for the steakhouse.
What was your motivation to start cooking?
I’ve been cooking in NYC for over 10 years at some of the city’s top restaurants. I developed a love for cooking at an early age. My mother would take me to the Italian butcher and we would buy steaks and I would come home and grill the m outside with my brother.
Where were you before Bobby Van’s?
Before Bobby Van’s, I worked for the Drew Nieporent, Daniel Boulud and Terrance Brennan. I also spent time at the Waverly Inn working for Chef Eric Korsh.
How did you go about the menu creation?
When it came to our opening menu, in particular, Rick Passarelli and I worked for hand in hand cooking, tasting, and developing all of the dishes that made it to the opening menu. We wanted a menu that held up to Bobby Van’s high standards of quality but had more of a small neighborhood type feel to the restaurant. I was also able to give my personal thought to it, from making the pastas in house to hand selecting the meat with Scott from Masters.
How do you procure your meats?
We work with some of the best purveyors in the city. All of our meat and fish is fully sustainable. I work hand in hand with Scott over at Masters to select the prime beef that meets our high standards. For our seafood, we work with Barry Slavin. He provides us with the freshest fish that he buys at the market every morning. I love the wake-up call from him telling me about something special that he found for us to use.
Do you make an effort to get ingredients from local sources?
We always try to source local products whenever possible. A great reflection of this is the fact that we support Amy’s Bread. They are only using New York wheat in the breads that we proudly serve on our tables.
How does the front of house decor differ than the rest of the Bobby Van’s?
This restaurant is designed differently than the rest of the Bobby Van’s. We used international designer Jeffery Beers to make more of a modern take on the steakhouse. It fits in perfect being on one of the most famous streets in the world. (40 Central Park South)
What about the kitchen design?
As far as the kitchen design, Rick and I designed the kitchen ourselves. Between the two of us we have years of restaurant experience and we designed a kitchen that is not only ergonomically beneficial but also in view of the guests so that they can see their food being prepared. The most important thing to us when we designed the kitchen was the overall flow of how the food would come out.
To learn more about Bobby Van’s Steakhouse, visit their website.
