THE LOBBY

A GATHERING PLACE FOR GLOBAL CITIZENS. FROM THE TEAM BEHIND PORTER & SAIL

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BEN CHAPMAN

Co-Owner, Smoking Goat | London

Q: What is your most inspiring food or travel moment?

A: Two spring to mind: A Volvo powered family trip around Northern Italy, Tuscany and Umbria included a meal at a tiny town-on-a-hill's sole restaurant. I would have been around 10 years old and remember we arrived to a full restaurant of locals who were there for the evening, getting enthusiastic with the help of red wine. No menus, the family in the kitchen sent cannelloni, then lasagne, then tiramisu in decades old oven trays carried over our heads and merrily dished out at the tables.

A dreamily jet lagged, late night meal at Pok Pok Brooklyn. Sat around plastic tables with Mark, one of the chefs there and my friend Andy Oliver, who now runs the wonderful Som Saa restaurant in London. I have no idea what we ate or drank, but the brightness and breadth of Northern Thai flavour at full tilt has stayed with me.

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ALANA LOWE

Film, video, event producer | San Francisco

Q: What's the raddest food trend right now?

A: I'm into the wild food trend. Wild greens, foraged mushrooms, berries, herbs. Sustainably harvested wild edibles. Amazing how much tastiness is around if you know what to look for.

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ANTHONY RUDOLF

Founder, Journee | NYC

Q: What is your most inspiring food and/or travel moment?

A: The most inspiring food moment was definitely in Japan but wasn't related to how something tasted but how we were made to feel by the hospitality. The culture of Japan places a high value on service taking personal pride on welcoming and receiving guests along with seeing them depart. I remember on many occasions looking back after departing from a restaurant to find the owners still standing, facing us and ensuring we are on our way safely.  Every time eye contact was made, a bow would follow.  It truly made me feel special.

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NADIA AL-AMIR 

Managing Partner, Wagstaff Worldwide | L.A.

Q: If you could teleport yourself to a place and a moment right now, where would that be and what timestamp would it be?

A: 11am CET- lunch at La Tupina, BourdeauxI daydream all the time about being back in Bordeaux for my dear friend Armelle’s wedding. Her brother Julien is my best food-loving friend and we were determined to eat at the classic Bordelaise restaurant, La Tupina. The only time we could go was right before the wedding ceremony so we raced to the restaurant for an early decadent lunch of duck confit, goose fat fries and a bottle of wine. We were dressed to the nines and I felt like we were in a movie. It was heavenly.

Later that same day @ 3:15pm CET- wedding at Domaine Goudichaud. The day continued with the aperitif hour outside on the grounds of Domaine Goudichaud where I was surrounded by tables full of charcuterie, fresh local oysters, and of course wine. I was definitely in my happy place and I would happily teleport back to those moments in a heart beat. 

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MICHAEL MCILROY

Co-founder, Attaboy | NYC

Q: What is your most inspiring travel moment? 

A: My most inspiring travel moment happened over the course of one week last April...

I went to Cusco in Peru to make and distill Pisco with Encanto Pisco which was an amazing experience, then afterwards traveled to Machu Picchu. One of the most incredible moments of my life.

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JEFF HO

Mixologist, Jekyll & Hyde | Singapore

Q: What is the most exciting food and drink trend happening right now?

A: Cocktails! Singapore is becoming the cocktail capital of Asia. The amount and diversity of good cocktail bars in Singapore now is amazing.

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SANTIAGO GOMEZ 

Managing Partner, Cosme | NYC 

Q: What's the most inspiring thing about being an entrepreneur?

A: The challenge. Think of assembling a Rubik's cube in which everything is at risk. You spend a lot of time trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together and once you do, you just want to start over again.

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LYNDEL JOYCE

Marketing + Communications, Unlisted Collection | Singapore 

Q: What is the best hidden gem in your city?

A: That would have to be Keong Saik Street. It’s full of history and personality. It used to be a red light district before its gentrification which now house beatiful boutique establishments worth every minute of your time to check out! A far cry from the clinical image that Singapore is often portrayed to be.

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ADAM PENNEY

Chef at Potato Head Folk | Singapore

Q: What is your most inspiring food and travel moment?

A: I moved to Indonesia and Asia a year ago, from quite a comfortable lifestyle in London. I gave up everything to come and cook my burgers. It was quite daunting, coming out of my comfort zone, and opening two restaurants in two different countries in as many months. But to date it’s been brilliant, if a little hairy at times. And I met my amazing wife.

When I decided that I wanted to become a chef, my family sent me to Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons for my 21st birthday. I attended a week long cookery school there. I was breath-taken by the food. I really felt that I wanted to be part of food and cooking for the rest of my life when I was there, and 20 years later, I’m still in love with the idea of raw ingredients, and the playground of the chefs pantry.

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JACK NAKAMURA 

Executive Chef, Ramen Lab | NYC | Tokyo | Kanagawa

Q: What makes the perfect bowl of ramen? 

A: There are 5 elements to ramen. The noodles, broth, toppings, tare (liquid seasoning), and aroma oil, which is essential to the taste. The aroma oil is pre-made and depending on what type of ramen, it could be made out of garlic, scallion, or other ingredients. 

@ramenlab

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TAD BARNES

Ice cream specialist, Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream | NYC

Q: What is your most unforgettable food moment? 

A: I ate a rabbit for the first time at the Queens County Farm Museum - the oldest working farm in New York City, built in the 1600's. We ate in the farmhouse and were taught about how rabbits were raised. 

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SOTHER TEAGUE 

Mixologist, Amor y Amargo | NYC

Q: What's your most inspiring travel moment? 

A: I've lived in 13 states. I would identify a cool city, then just pack up and go live as a local for a year or so and then move again. I was a chef, and through my culinary experience, I would move to places to investigate and see what they're really like. 

@creativedrunk

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EINAT ADMONY

Chef + Founder of Balaboosta, Bar Bolonat and Taim | NYC 

Q: What city do you find most interesting and why?

A: Tel Aviv - the food scene is crazy, party scene is crazy. It’s like if New York city was warm all year round and surrounded by a beach. Everyone gets off work at 5, heads to the beach, and just has hummus and beer.

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MARTINA LEE 

Marketing Intern, Porter + Sail | NYC

Q: What's your favorite dish of all time? 

A: A classic Neapolitan-style margherita pizza. I once dashed into Naples during a train stopover just to find the famous Da Michele pizzeria. Luckily there wasn't a long wait, and my mom and I brought marinara and margherita pizzas back to my dad, who was waiting for us at the train station. Even though we ate the pizzas lukewarm in the hallway of a train station, it was one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted. 

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FUKASHI ADACHI

Chef at Fat Cow | Singapore | Tokyo

Q: What's your favorite dish of all time? 

A: Kor Moo Yang (marinated grilled pork neck with spicy tamarind sauce)

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HENRY ROBERTS + GILES RUSSELL

Founders of Two Hands | NYC

Q: Where’s the best place to travel to right now? 

A: Maybe we’re a little biased but the best place to travel right now is Australia! Why? As many people would already know, Australia offers such a diverse range of breathtaking landscapes, from our one of a kind beaches, with white sand and turquoise water and dolphins playing in the waves, to our deep red deserts with kangaroos hoping all over, to the tropical rain forests and world renowned coral reefs.

That should be reason enough to visit Australia but what many people don’t know or are just newly learning is that Australia has a really strong national food scene. It’s not a food scene that is not driven by one or two national dishes or one style of cooking, it’s more an eclectic mix of so many different styles of cooking, with Australia being such a multicultural country but most importantly it’s a food culture that’s driven by using fresh, local, seasonal and sustainable produce.

There are so many chefs both seasoned and new that are creating incredibly vibrant and delightful dishes with the produce at the forefront. It’s an exciting time in the Australian food scene and it’s one we really think is going to explode on to the global scene very soon because it’s the way we are meant to eat! Plus every good meal comes with the best coffee you’ll ever have in your life, so it’s a two for one deal. 

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ROMAN MILISIC

Founder, House of Diehl | NYC

Q: What city do you find most interesting and why?

A: Buenos Aires. There’s so much energy there for creative projects. I think it’s because the city is so far away from the rest of the world, it overcompensates by being awesome. There’s the overall look of the city. It’s like a Europe of fifty years ago: Old neighborhoods, cobbled streets, and art and music bursting out of tall dark doorways. It’s very seductive.