Chef Spotlight: Chef Sarah Flynn of NEUEHOUSE

Sarah Flynn is native New Yorker with over a decade of experience in the hospitality business. With a tradition of large family gatherings, Sarah has been producing events from a very young age. With a single working mom who served a home cooked dinner nightly, she learned the pleasures and the importance of the family table. During a year abroad in Italy, surrounded by the fantastic quality of ingredients of open-air markets, she fell in love with cooking. Returning home to finish college, she further developed her culinary skills by watching the Food Network and cooking nightly for herself and her roommates.

Sarah then enrolled in the French Culinary Institute and after worked in several well-known restaurants (Braeburn Restaurant, Susie's Supper Club, Flex Mussels) before jumping into the catering world. Working her way up from cook to Executive Chef in multiple roles, Sarah has helmed kitchens all over NYC, executing simultaneous events, serving up to 30,000 guests.

Now, as the Executive Chef at Neuehouse and Fotografiska, she has developed, executed & launched a 3-service 70-seat restaurant and full-service catering operation for relaunch of new F&B program with 7 private event spaces and full-service restaurant that serves as the international model for all current and NH + Fotografiska locations. Her cooking is influenced by her extensive travels, her love of entertaining, and her commitment to seasonal, locally sourced, beautifully presented food.

NeueHouse ('Home of the New') is the private work and social space for creators, innovators and thought leaders to gather and connect. With iconic buildings, timeless design, thought- provoking cultural experiences and elevated hospitality, NeueHouse has reimagined the ideal environment for creative performance and connection. NeueHouse is home to a curated collective of original thinkers at the intersection of culture and commerce, whose work is defining the fields of design, publishing, the arts, entertainment and philanthropy. With two locations in Los Angeles and one in New York, and new 2021 openings in Venice Beach, Miami and Stockholm, NeueHouse is the preeminent place to create, collaborate and connect.

Broadwayworld had the pleasure of interviewing Sarah Flynn about her career and NeueHouse for our "Chef Spotlight."

What was your earliest interest in cooking?

I have been in the kitchen helping to execute events for as long as I can remember.I come from a large extended family where holidays and family gatherings were always an occasion to entertain and if you had hands, you were required to participate. I started baking on my own by the age of 8 and preparing birthday dinners for my family from as young as 12.

Who were some of your career mentors?

My mom was a single mom and still prepared nightly family dinners even when she was working full time (there were no substitutions and the rule was you have to try 3 bites of everything on your plate before you were excused which I credit my enthusiasm for new foods and my diversity of palette to). Even now she is constantly entertaining and hosting dinner parties for friends and family weekly. Susie Cover, my first real boss, was a model of a female chef and entrepreneur who gave me great responsibility at a young age and was another example that showed me that women can do it all. Antonio Prontelli, who was the Rockefeller Ctr. Complex Chef for Patina is a great nurturer of talent, a true leader and was a model for running a multi-unit role with humor, grace and no bullshit.

What culinary styles have influenced your career?

Global. I fell in love with cooking in Florence, so definitely Italian. Classically trained in French. Backpacked through India and am lucky to have a lot of Indian family by marriage. Modern American which is a great catch-all term but actually a reflection of the global melting pot of cuisine that is America and as a native New Yorker it's honestly what I love about it.

What do you consider the most distinguishing features of your work as a chef?

Culinary Approach: I'm practical and a realist in almost all aspects of my life including my food. I want things that taste great, look pretty and are interesting but I also understand the need for universal appeal. I also believe in my bones there are a million ways to skin a cat - so if you have a way to do something that is more efficient, smarter or faster than I do, I want to know about it and implement it. I think it's a good representation of me as a chef, manager and human.

Signature Dish: Weirdly latkes. A lot of my family by marriage is Jewish so I grew up celebrating the Jewish holidays and am a sucker for a potato pancake in any form. It became one of my signature HDs in the catering world, I won a latke competition in 2019 and now we have a gluten-free celeriac version on our NH breakfast menu.

What is your favorite meal or meals?

Honestly - sandwiches! A meal in itself with a million directions. Or bread and cheese b/c the possibilities are endless. Feel free to add in fresh radishes and butter esp. with a great glass of wine.

Tell me a little bit about your restaurant for our readers.

NeueHouse MSQ Gallery Bar is a members-only co-working space and we just launched our first full-service F&B program in-house which is really exciting. Our daytime menu is all about nourishing your mind and body - we don't want you to go back to work and take a nap under your desk. Its full of healthy vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains with lots of options if you have dietary restrictions. All of our ingredients are carefully locally and sustainably sourced. Our evening menu is designed to encourage you to come down after a work day, indulge in our large selection of wines by the glass, start with a few light bites or starters to share with colleagues and friends and then stay for dinner if you are inclined. We have a DJ in-house on Wednesdays and Thursdays, tons of cool cultural programming events and the house has a really cool, chic and diverse vibes.

For more information on NeueHouse, please visit https://www.neuehouse.com/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sarah Flynn

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