Drew Nieporent May Be the Last Old-School Restaurateur Standing
- 7 years ago
Drew Nieporent May Be the Last Old-School Restaurateur Standing
Such questionable largess was less scrutinized back then, although Mr. Nieporent recalls
that Irwin Dubrow of Dubrow’s Cafeteria in the garment district — a restaurant he loved — would tape a $20 bill under the toilet for the health inspector, “until the wrong inspector showed up and blew the whistle.”
Mr. Nieporent said he remembers every restaurant he visited and everything he learned.
Nobu came and saw the space that would become Tribeca Grill and said, ‘Maybe I can do a small sushi restaurant with you.’”
The relationship between the two men seesawed over the years, especially after
the replication of Nobu across the globe proceeded without Mr. Nieporent.
“Back then, the chef was anonymous unless he had named the restaurant for himself,” Mr. Nieporent said.
His wife, Ann, said, “In the old days, there was such bad blood between them
that if both were working the same food event, the organizer would have to put them on opposite sides of the kitchen.”
The feud ended in the aftermath of 9/11, Mr. Nieporent said, when both men worked separately to feed rescue workers and help save the neighborhood.
Montrachet received three stars from The Times, and not long afterward, Mr. Nieporent said, he and his partners discovered
that Mr. Bouley was shopping for investors so that he could open his own restaurant.
Such questionable largess was less scrutinized back then, although Mr. Nieporent recalls
that Irwin Dubrow of Dubrow’s Cafeteria in the garment district — a restaurant he loved — would tape a $20 bill under the toilet for the health inspector, “until the wrong inspector showed up and blew the whistle.”
Mr. Nieporent said he remembers every restaurant he visited and everything he learned.
Nobu came and saw the space that would become Tribeca Grill and said, ‘Maybe I can do a small sushi restaurant with you.’”
The relationship between the two men seesawed over the years, especially after
the replication of Nobu across the globe proceeded without Mr. Nieporent.
“Back then, the chef was anonymous unless he had named the restaurant for himself,” Mr. Nieporent said.
His wife, Ann, said, “In the old days, there was such bad blood between them
that if both were working the same food event, the organizer would have to put them on opposite sides of the kitchen.”
The feud ended in the aftermath of 9/11, Mr. Nieporent said, when both men worked separately to feed rescue workers and help save the neighborhood.
Montrachet received three stars from The Times, and not long afterward, Mr. Nieporent said, he and his partners discovered
that Mr. Bouley was shopping for investors so that he could open his own restaurant.