Three Chefs Who Shape the Way New York Eats

Plus, two favorite openings from our newest NY editor

Aug 07, 2025

Lena Ciardullo runs the kitchen at the iconic Union Square Cafe. Getty Images

Welcome to this week’s edition of Eater NY on Substack. In today’s newsletter, we talk to three high-powered New York chefs about how they’re navigating such a challenging moment in running restaurants. Then, we talk to staff writer Nadia Chaudhury on what new places she hit up this week and what she thought of them. Last, we have a can’t-miss collab on Monday between Eater and one of your new favorite pizzerias. Read on for more. — Melissa

Earlier this year, I moderated a panel for the New York State Restaurant Association with three powerhouse chefs — Lena Ciardullo of Union Square Café; Mary Attea of the Musket Room and Raf’s; and Sohui Kim of Gage & Tollner and the Good Fork Pub — on how they’re reshaping NYC’s dining landscape. Through their cooking, leadership, and stewardship of some of the city’s most celebrated restaurants, they shared how they navigate challenges, mentor the next generation, and push the industry forward. Here are some takeaways.

Advice for people entering the industry

Melissa: What advice would you give women entering the field?

Mary: When I started, there was this unspoken rule: Don’t ask about pay, don’t talk about boundaries, don’t show any hesitation. It was this head-down, prove-yourself culture. That’s shifted. Now, I tell young cooks — especially women — to advocate for themselves. Be upfront about your goals and what you want to learn. If you don’t communicate that, we can’t help you get there.

At the same time, understand that progress takes time. You can’t expect to walk into a kitchen and be on the sauté station in a month. There’s value in patience, in mastering fundamentals, in building stamina. The best careers are marathons, not sprints.

Lena: I also tell them: be clear on why you’re here. What do you want out of this job? Do you want to run a kitchen someday? Are you here to hone a specific skill? Knowing that makes it easier for me — and for you — to create a path forward.

This industry is better now than when I started. There’s more awareness around rights, boundaries, and work-life balance. But there’s also more noise. Social media can make it seem like everything happens overnight. It doesn’t. I want cooks to know it’s okay to grow steadily. Some of the best chefs I know took the long road.

Sohui: I also tell them: Know yourself. Professional kitchens are grueling. It’s physical, it’s fast, it’s relentless. If you thrive in high-pressure, team-driven environments, it’s incredible — you feel that adrenaline, that camaraderie. But it’s not for everyone, and that’s okay. Figure that out early.

Surprising menu hits

Melissa: What’s a dish you didn’t expect to be a hit?

Sohui: At Gage & Tollner, I leaned into historic dishes from the restaurant’s archives — like devils and angels on horseback (dates, smoked almonds, and bacon $17). I wasn’t sure if guests would go for these old-school classics, but they love them. It taught me people are craving nostalgia.

Mary: We did a Sicilian pizza at Raf’s because we had a 1930s oven and wanted to use it authentically. We thought it would be a niche item, but it became our signature. Guests loved the story behind it, and it became this unexpected anchor for the menu.

Lena: At Union Square Café, it’s the broccoli appetizer (with pomegranate, candied pecans, and mint $21). Servers recommend it constantly, and guests always say, “Broccoli?”— but then they order seconds and ask for the recipe on their way out. It’s proof that sometimes the simplest ideas resonate most.

How NYC dining has changed

Melissa: How has the city’s dining landscape changed since you started?

Sohui: When I opened my first place, diners weren’t familiar with things like kimchi. Now, they’re adventurous and informed. They want to explore regional cuisines. That openness has created space for restaurants that would’ve struggled 20 years ago to thrive.

Mary: There’s also a shift in how diners engage with restaurants. Post-pandemic, people want experiences that feel connected and personal. They’re open to bold flavors, new formats, and storytelling through food. It’s exciting to cook for an audience that’s genuinely curious.

Lena: And they’re more present. There was a time when it felt like everyone was dining for Instagram. Now, people seem more in the moment — they’re there to eat, connect, and enjoy. That’s energizing for us as chefs.

Where to Eat in Manhattan Right Now

Regular readers will notice that Nadia Chaudhury has joined the New York team earlier this year. Before she was in New York, she ran the Eater Austin site, in the city she called home for nearly ten years. But NYC isn’t new to Nadia: She’s a born-and-raised New Yorker, having grown up in Queens. Here’s Nadia on Nadia:

Hi y'all! I'm Nadia Chaudhury, and I grew up Briarwood — we have our own stop on the F train — where we had our go-to neighborhood spots including the still-standing Alba's Pizzeria, where we would grab slices and Italian ices all the time, and the Dunkin (a must for Bangladeshi Americans) where the staff knows my dad (who some of you might recognize if you frequent Kalustyan's). Now my family lives in Queens Village, where their go-to pizzeria is Gaby's Pizza despite the Cuomo of it all.

Below, I’ve asked her about where she’s been dining this past week and some highlights of her favorite meals.

Don’t Miss This

This coming Monday marks our next Eater Dish Drop — a New Haven Tomato Pie at Chrissy’s Pizza (142 Nassau Avenue) in Greenpoint, part of the Eater Turns 20 celebration running through September. It’s available all week for $34 for a whole pie.