New Yorkers and tourists alike are enamored by the legendary Tavern on the Green. Tavern on the Green was once a place known for celebrating big occasions such as weddings, birthdays and other milestone events but now it’s starting to shift and becoming a bit more accessible to everyone.
Metro spoke with the Executive Chef Bill Peet about the allure of Tavern on The Green, and he shared that he believes part of the fascination with Tavern on Green is partially because “it has kept reinventing itself and continues to be relevant.”
He continued, “I feel Tavern on the Green is a ‘Bucket List Restaurant’ and people have been waiting years to come here – I have heard this story many times over, and it resonates with me.” When I spoke with the chef, this was among one of the first things I shared with him.
Peet has been with Tavern on the Green for three years and noted that since he’s started there, the culture and food has changed immensely. He shared with Metro a little bit about this shift and how he has taken on creating the new and innovative menu concepts.
When it comes to creating and developing menus, the first thing needed is a bit of inspiration. Peet was happy to share where he seeks inspiration with Metro and said that, “First, seasonally – whatever will be around that time of year, the freshest possible ingredients – I take advantage of. Next, I have been in NYC since 1980 and have seen many changes to the restaurant scene, good and bad, also food trends that come and go. I look at food that had gone out of style but is making a comeback…dishes like Baked Alaska, Beef Wellington, etc. Solid food that deserves to be seen again.” He also draws on his previous experiences for inspiration.
When developing items, he added that, “…Tavern on the Green is a very unique space that is constantly busy. I have to figure out how to pick up a dish in a very timely manner for big numbers without losing the integrity of the products.”
Despite the size of Tavern on Green, the chef told Metro that there is very little storage space at the restaurant, so every day they are getting fresh items. So, when you’re eating at the restaurant, your food is as fresh as it can be. Due to this lack of space, it helps inspire the chef to create lots of salads and grilled dishes.
In fact, Metro asked the chef what his favorite dish was, and he shared that it was the Chopped Vegetable Salad. He told Metro that “… we would always have leafy salads sent back to the kitchen to be chopped up into very small pieces. It seemed that no one really wanted to fuss with their salads, just be able to eat it without getting too messy. It created quite a mess in the kitchen. I had been trying to figure it out for a while when I came up with a salad of many different vegetables cooked in different ways or not at all, everything cut bite-sized.”
To taste the chopped vegetable salad or experience Tavern on The Green for yourself, check out their website tavernonthegreen.com to book your meal.
