Talent abounds within the Paramount Club — especially in the kitchen, where three masters of their craft oversee the cuisine for The Atrium Bar & Lounge, the Paramount Café, private dining, special events and corporate catering. Bringing experience that ranges from fine dining to product innovation and development, Chefs Chef Julian Alonzo, Mark Gandara and Einav Gefen have come together to create exciting and unique menus for Club members and their guests. Get to know a bit more about these culinary superstars before you meet them in person on Thursday, June 13 at 4:00 pm.
Chef Julian Alonzo
As the Executive Chef at The Paramount Club, Julian Alonzo brings more than 25 years of culinary expertise to the kitchen and beyond. With a background that includes Michelin-starred restaurants like Guy Savoy in France and iconic New York dining such as Brasserie 8 1/2 and The Sea Grill, Alonzo draws inspiration from a wide breadth of culinary styles and cultures, and incorporates ideas of sustainability and local-focus into all aspects of the Club. “The menu draws inspiration from the here and now of New York City, the vibrant essence of its rich cultural tapestry and culinary traditions, the energy of the modern power lunch, and the bonding of after-work socials,” he says.
Chef Mark Gandara
With a resume that spans the worlds of hotspots (Harlem’s Red Rooster) and household names (he was the Executive Chef at Twitter’s NYC headquarters), it may come as a surprise that one of Chef Mark Gandara’s favorite places is actually the garden. The Hudson Valley resident spent a year volunteering at a local farm when he made the move to Dutchess County and that experience only solidified his love of local ingredients and creative cooking, an outlook he brings to the Paramount Club. “I think my approach is to just make sure that we’re serving well-executed food. We want to keep focus on quality food that’s prepared with passion and love. When they are eating it, it will come through,” says Gandara.
Chef Einav Gefen
Chef Einav Gefen has held many roles during her culinary career, using her knowledge of world cuisine and talents as a pastry chef to gain recognition for her innovative ideas in the world of food. As the corporate executive chef at Unilever she led a team of chefs charged with innovation development;; was a chef at Israel’s Mul-Yam when it was awarded the top rating by Gault-Millau;; and worked as a professional chef instructor at ICE (Institute of Culinary Education) in Manhattan. Add to that a 2014 TED talk, competing on the Food Network’s “Chopped” and contributing to the book “Art & Cook,” and you can get just a hint of her eclectic and impressive background.
