The Most Fun You Can Have at a Michelin-Starred Restaurant
A talented team infuses The Modern with irreverent creativity, from entryway to entrée.
Words: Caroline Campion
Images: Colin Clark
The Modern
Founded: 2005
Location: Midtown Manhattan
# of stars bestowed by The New York Times: 3
# of restaurants and bars in Danny Meyer’s empire: 14
# of total James Beard Awards: 26
Upon first approaching the understated entrance of The Modern — the double Michelin-starred restaurant at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art — a guest might understandably feel a bit intimidated. The low-key signage (“Is this the place?”), the sinuous passageway that recalls a Scandinavian subway tunnel, the blaring midtown noise that suddenly falls away as you approach the dining room.
But at the front desk a warm, attentive greeting is proffered by a young man in an impeccably tailored suit, and from there on you feel as if you’ve been transported to the chicest watering hole on the island.
In the energetic Bar Room, a celebrity perches solo at the gently curving marble counter, feasting on black truffle cavatelli. Elsewhere, a family relaxes on leather sofas after a day perusing Basquiats and Warhols, munching on smoked salmon sliders. Once you continue on to the dining room, the vibe becomes more serene as it overlooks the Miró- and Picasso-dotted sculpture garden.
The Modern combines the excitement and elevated experience of a fine dining destination with the ambience of a neighborhood brasserie. Where midtown regulars and out-of-towners, the glitterati and the galleristas, walk-ins and reservation-holding parties are given the same welcome.
This is the vision Abram Bissell has striven to achieve since taking over as executive chef two years ago. Before his arrival, Bissell (at left) skyrocketed through the kitchens of the inventively upscale mainstays Eleven Madison Park and NoMad. But when Danny Meyer — CEO of the Union Square Hospitality Group, which runs The Modern — asked him to oversee this institution, Bissell was, in fact, returning home, having launched his New York City career as its chef de partie. “I’ve been drawn to Danny,” says Bissell, “because he believes if your employees are happy, that feeling will go forth into the dining room.”
A meaningful approach to both employee and guest has long been the centerpiece of Meyer’s business philosophy, an ethos that informs their no-tipping policy, a recent transition Bissell and his team have shepherded and a milestone in the customer-restaurant relationship.
Since coming aboard, Bissell has also overseen a top-to-bottom rebranding of The Modern, including hiring the restaurant’s first wine director and a dedicated florist, who softens the cool, reflective space with locally grown foliage and flowers.
“We cannot get caught up in the fact that we are part of the MoMA,” attests Bissell. “We have to stand alone.”
That means iterating, whether tweaking the popular Tarte Flambée or developing closer ties with their farmers.
As The Modern continues to innovate into its second decade, Bissell and his team hope to balance high and low, creating an environment where you can dine on roasted lobster potage a stone’s throw from a Matisse, but feel as if you’re enjoying it in a favorite hangout. “We put the customer first,” remarks Bissell. “If there’s a beloved dish that’s been taken off the menu, email me! I always say, ‘Just let me know when you’re coming in, and we’ll take care of you.’”
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