Springtime
GREGORY GOURDET • Printemps America
WORK • Tuesday Routine
GREGORY GOURDET • culinary director • Printemps America
Neighborhood you work and live in: Financial District
It’s Tuesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
It’s a buzzing Tuesday morning at the restaurant. In our dining room at Maison Passerelle, 40 new team members are getting onboarded with HR as we prepare to open [April 17]. Training starts this weekend, and the energy is high.
I walk through the prep kitchen, greeting our executive sous chef as he shows me the dry-aged ducks he’s preparing for our opening menu. Next, I stop by our raw bar, Salon Vert, which will open in a few hours for service. I confirm the oyster selection for the day and taste all the prepped sauces, vegetables, and seafood. Then, I head to our café, Café Jalu, to check on the team, grab my first coffee of the day, and take a look at the pastry case. Everything looks incredibly fresh, and the line for croissants and Haitian chocolate cookies is the longest it’s been since we opened.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Today, our focus is on executing a great lunch service at Salon Vert. It’s a small, intimate kitchen, so efficiency and flow are key to making it work. Tonight, we’re hosting our first private event in the space, for 100 guests. It’s exciting to see how the team handles this volume in a new setting.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
With 12+ hour days at the restaurant, I usually grab a quick bite to keep going. Right now, I’m on a steady diet of chicken tacos and guac from Los Tacos No. 1, which just opened around the corner — great protein and fiber at a solid price. This weekend, my vegan chef friend is visiting from Portland and invited me to Eleven Madison Park last minute. I’m justifying the splurge by telling myself that it’s been about a year since my last visit.
How about a little leisure or culture this week?
My friend Dom Dolla is DJ’ing at MSG, with Kid Cudi as his special guest. I’m excited to support him and get inspired — seeing a friend sell out MSG and share their passion with 20,000 people is unreal. Plus, I’ll get to go backstage at MSG for the first time. I was just here last week for a Knicks game, so it’s wild to be back in such a different context.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
As a recovering NYC raver from the ’90s, you can imagine my excitement when Balenciaga dropped their Platform Sneaker on the runway last year. I was on my client advisor immediately to secure a pair, and after months of patiently waiting, they finally arrived. This shoe is the epitome of a modern throwback. Just 30 years ago, I was getting my Pumas turned into platforms at East Village Shoe Repair (original St. Mark’s location) before hitting the West Side clubs. This is a fun, full-circle moment.
What NYC store or service do you love to recommend?
Andrew Pannullo at Bodyworks DW is hands-down the best massage therapist I’ve ever worked with — and as a chef and runner who’s put his body through decades of wear and tear, I’ve had a lot of massages. I’m a few months out from back surgery, and his deep, intense technique has been a game-changer for my chronic pain. I can’t recommend him enough.