Introduction to Eugene Remm
This isn’t about 1 a.m. at Tenjune anymore. It’s about lines down the block at 5 p.m. It’s about caviar-topped lobster rolls, dry-aged rib caps and zucchini brûlée. It’s about finding great chefs, giving them the best infrastructure, trusting their culinary visions and getting out of their way.
The Rise of Eugene Remm
After the success of The Corner Store and The Eighty Six, Eugene Remm is ready to solidify his standing as one of New York’s—and the country’s—most important and prolific restaurateurs. In February, Remm, Tilman Fertitta and Catch Hospitality Group will unveil their latest restaurant, Or’esh, across the street from The Corner Store in SoHo. Then they’ll dive into the extensive renovation of Catch in New York and Los Angeles, with both locations reopening this spring. After that, there’s a to-be-announced all-day West Village restaurant that’s slated to debut in the fall. And then there’s the fall opening of The Corner Store at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Shift in Focus
Remm is moving from big, clubby restaurants into more intimate destinations where the food takes center stage, even when Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter are dining together. Catch in New York, for example, is turning its fourth floor into an event space and transforming from a 350-seat restaurant to a 120-seat restaurant, Remm tells Observer.
The New Catch
“We’ll reintroduce Catch to people who haven’t been in a while and people who maybe have never come,” Remm says. “And now we’re doing it through a lens of culinary. We’re keeping the DNA of everything that people love about Catch, but reintroducing it with a food-first approach as opposed to a party-first environment.”
Or’esh: A New Venture
Or’esh, a Mediterranean restaurant with a focus on Levantine cuisine, will also be a chef-driven endeavor. It’s led by Nadav Greenberg, who previously was executive chef at Eyal Shani’s Michelin-starred Shmoné. The 75-seat Or’esh will offer a Jerusalem bagel with baba ghanoush, matbucha, mint tzatziki, olive oil and za’atar. Zucchini brûlée with sheep’s milk yogurt, mint and a crispy slice of challah will be a new riff on bread and dip that’s simultaneously warm, cold, sweet, sour, savory and slightly spicy.
The Menu at Or’esh
Or’esh’s coal-fired kitchen, with a custom grill, will showcase dishes like a 67-layer wagyu flatiron skewer, lamb kebabs, sweetbreads, dry-aged butterfly dorade and salt-baked whole branzino. There will also be coal-kissed Ora King salmon crudo, charred greens, chicken liver cigars, house-made pasta and crispy potatoes with caviar.
The Vision Behind Or’esh
“The Mediterranean is a big region, and we’re more focused on the Levant,” Greenberg, who spent six months working with engineers to create Or’esh’s grill, tells Observer. “It’s the east side of the Mediterranean Sea. It’s focused on the flavors of the olive oil, the za’atar, the fire, the flame, the ocean, the lamb you have in the Mediterranean.”
Remm’s Approach
At this point in his career, 20 years after he and Mark Birnbaum opened Meatpacking District nightclub Tenjune and set off on a path that led to the creation of Catch a block away in 2011, Remm wants to be the hardware while having his chefs be the software. His hot spots have helped seed a new generation of top-tier operators, including Adam Landsman (co-founder of Sunday Hospitality), Pavan Pardasani (the newly appointed global CEO of JKS Restaurants) and Eric Marx (chief operating officer for food and beverage concepts at Think Hospitality).
Future Plans
Remm says he’d love to open French and Italian restaurants if he finds the right people. He’s open to the idea of a second restaurant with Greenberg, which could be anything from an all-day destination to a concept that’s more high-end than Or’esh. “This is a part of the business that I believe is the biggest opportunity of growth, where we can put on chefs who are amazing at what they do,” Remm says.
Conclusion
Eugene Remm is shifting his focus from big, clubby restaurants to more intimate destinations where the food takes center stage. With the opening of Or’esh and the renovation of Catch, Remm is solidifying his standing as one of New York’s most important and prolific restaurateurs. He is on the hunt for great culinary minds and is open to new ventures, including French and Italian restaurants.
FAQs
Q: What is Eugene Remm’s new restaurant venture?
A: Eugene Remm’s new restaurant venture is Or’esh, a Mediterranean restaurant with a focus on Levantine cuisine.
Q: What is the concept behind Or’esh?
A: Or’esh is a chef-driven endeavor led by Nadav Greenberg, with a focus on the flavors of the Levant, including olive oil, za’atar, fire, flame, ocean, and lamb.
Q: What is the menu like at Or’esh?
A: The menu at Or’esh features dishes such as a Jerusalem bagel with baba ghanoush, matbucha, mint tzatziki, olive oil and za’atar, as well as coal-fired dishes like a 67-layer wagyu flatiron skewer and salt-baked whole branzino.
Q: What is Remm’s approach to the restaurant business?
A: Remm wants to be the hardware while having his chefs be the software, providing the best infrastructure and trusting their culinary visions.
Q: What are Remm’s future plans?
A: Remm is open to new ventures, including French and Italian restaurants, and is on the hunt for great culinary minds to partner with.
