With the temperature in the low 30s and a wintry mix blowing in off the East River, it was a morning fit for neither man nor beast. And yet a calm but energized feel pervaded as the Beach Plum crew got down to work creating the pop-up restaurant Fish and Rose.
If you have ever paused for a moment before moving in to a spartan dwelling and thought, how am I going to turn this in to a home, you wouldn’t make the cut on the Fish and Rose team. This morning Chris Fischer and his Beach Plum restaurant crew arrived in New York city for a three-week run as pop-up restaurateurs, and they had just seven hours to go from vacant space to first customer.
Chris Fischer and Lee Desrosiers ponder how to create restaurant in seven hours.
Chris Fischer and Lee Desrosiers ponder how to create restaurant in seven hours.
With the temperature in the low 30’s and a wintry mix blowing in off the East River, it was a morning fit for neither man nor beast. And yet a calm but energized feel pervaded as the crew got down to work.
At 9 a.m. Tolya Ashe, a private chef in New York but with Island connections and a strong back, started off-loading the first van of produce and cooking supplies. At 9:30 a.m. another van arrived and the crew carted in an ice chest filled with 600 oysters, hoisted onto the counter a clam shell fountain usually located in the yard of Mr. Fischer’s grandfather, and turned the music up high. More vans were due soon, bringing supplies from Brooklyn, and the waiters were scheduled to arrive at 1 p.m. for training.
The pop-up restaurant is located at 10 Kenmare street, a busy stretch of road near the Bowery and will be open seven days a week from Dec. 9 through Dec. 30, for dinner only. The block is equal parts imposing wholesale kitchen supply stores and airy cafes serving $12 yogurt.
The event is a Vineyard production in both staff and provisions. Wild oysters from West Tisbury and Katama Bay were trucked down, as was beef, pork and offal from Beetlebung Farm. Chicken, lamb and suckling pig were also on the van, sourced from local Vineyard farms. Oyster shucker Brendan Karalekas, progeny of Agricultural Fair champion shucker Teddy Karalekas, had been brought down, too. When you have oysters that have been growing for three years, you don’t trust them to just any pair of hands.
Even the genesis of the project has Island roots as Bryan Meehan, West Chop coffee impresario, used the Kenmare street venue as a seasonal coffee shop, and brought the locale to the attention of Mr. Fischer.
Wild oysters from West Tisbury and Katama were trucked down to New York city.
Wild oysters from West Tisbury and Katama were trucked down to New York city.
The Beach Plum group had only decided to do the project a month earlier. Mr. Fischer said the biggest hurdles to setting up shop 300 miles from home were “communications and transportation systems of varying degrees.” Short haul (kitchen to dining room), medium haul (basement storage room to kitchen), and long haul, New York city to Martha’s Vineyard (as food would be continually shipped south for the duration).
The first reservation was for 4:30 p.m. today, but if anyone was worried that Fish and Rose wouldn’t be ready, it didn’t show. As Kathryn Arffa, who was tasked with coordinating the logistics said, “we know that if put our minds to something, we will get it done.”
The 10 Kenmare space has no gas, and therefore no cooking range. An electric griddle would need to be procured. The Bowery still has a few kitchen supply stores left, so that, thankfully, could be locally sourced.
Visit fishandrose.com
Comments
Inspiring !!
James Shephard Key WestInspiring !!
LOLOLOL..Some people were
Lauri Bradway Vineyard HavenLOLOLOL..Some people were asking if I was in the Restaurant business now! No, I am not..I am still in the Antiques business, and the name of my online shop is still FISH & RAVEN. LOLOLOLOLOL
I thought Beach Plum was all
eating unlocal West TisburyI thought Beach Plum was all about the local food movement. Trucking food 300 miles - including a diesel smoke spewing ferry- seems anti local to me. Why didn't they source local products in NYC?
Really? You really have a
Dana Nunes vineyard havenReally? You really have a problem with a local guy providing some (probably much needed) juice to island farmers in the winter? Oh, please!
Huh?
eating unlocal West TisburyHuh?
Oh come on....you hsve missed
Island Grandmom Vineyard Haven MaOh come on....you hsve missed the point completely. Bah Humbug
Awesome, fun and adventurous!
Jim Feiner ChilmarkAwesome, fun and adventurous! Wish I could go! Anyone driving down? Maybe vineyarders should rent a bus!
Eating unlocal is spot on.
bob edgartownEating unlocal is spot on. Most people are really hypocrites for most of the feel good movements. Look how Al Gore lives and he worry's about global warming. Do as i say not as i do.
Go for it Chris and best of
Dottie Sullivan Rochester, N.Y.Go for it Chris and best of luck. Wish we could make it to NYC for the experience. Barry and I loved our meals at The Beach Plum. Happy Holidays!!!
could have been more shucking
big ben B new yorkcould have been more shucking puns in there ...
Bravo! Well done.
Shannon M.Bravo! Well done.
Best of luck to you. How
Bill ShanokBest of luck to you. How long do you plan to operate?
How fun!! I will spread the
Joan S EdgartownHow fun!! I will spread the word among my NYC friends!
This is a great idea. I'm
Andrew DCThis is a great idea. I'm letting my NYC friends know about it too. WT oysters are tremendous (but one cannot get them during the summer!)
You should think about Nu
Dick Iacovello Vineyard HavenYou should think about Nu Wave ovens, & Nu Wave cooktops, They're Awesome!
NO, I'm not a salesman, but I thought this may help.
I have informed my NY foodie
Steve Posin San FranciscoI have informed my NY foodie friends.
Still remembering the great food at Ned and Kaila's wedding - best lamb and pork I have ever had.
Good luck with the venture.
The last thing MV needs is a
J.T.R. ConnecticutThe last thing MV needs is a stronger connection to NYC. The island is about escape from metropolitan madness. Adding to my list of reasons to hate the Beachplum/Homeport/Menemsha Inn/Nixon Family.
Really.....exclusion is not
Vineyard Grandmom Vineyard Haven MaReally.....exclusion is not the way to go. Lighten up! Rejoice in a group of young Vineyarders who have the Vineyard spirit! I applaud them !
This is a wonderful story:)
Sally MVThis is a wonderful story:) Good for the young enterprising chefs from the island! Long term, and from my humble clam digging perspective, this also seems to make perfect sense and really bolsters the reputation of our fair island. The more commerce and interest we can attract from major cities along the east coast and else where - I say the better. But what do I know!? Funny thing about venomous and destructive feelings, sentiments and/or comments - they're typically a reflection of those that spew them. I don't know if I've ever used the word hate in all my 62 years but god bless a man whose heart is full of so much of it. J.T.R, I sincerely hope that you make it back to the Vineyard sometime soon! It's folks like you that truly need the warm embrace of an authentic, sleepy, and humble island like ours.
Awesome!!! My NYC friends are
Sandi OBAwesome!!! My NYC friends are on their way. Open for New Year's eve?
Why all the hostility...you
Andrea SudburyWhy all the hostility...you naysayers....Good Luck to The Beach Plum!!!! Can you do this in Boston next year?
Only good positive wishes for
J WestchesterOnly good positive wishes for you guys!! Want you to succeed!
Love how you keep thinking
Deneen McQueen-Chippari BostonLove how you keep thinking outside the box! Bring on the creativity! Oh, by the way-they know how to make clean food taste delicious!
If they don't have the proper
Max Veritas The EtherIf they don't have the necessary inspections and permits, they are likely to get issued violations by NYC Health Dept. and NYS Conservation Dept., or perhaps even shut down.
"WHAT A DUMP"......I WOULD
KERRITT TISBURY.MA"WHAT A DUMP"......I WOULD NOT BE CAUGHT DEAD IN THAT DUMP...EVEN HOUSTOUN SOUP KITCHEN LOOKS FAR BETTER.. TRY SOME PAINT AND BLINDS.
TRY SOUTH BOSTON....
LIVERPOOL....
WHALES....
Houstoun?...........Whales??.
Dana Nunes VhHoustoun?...........Whales??.........say what?!?
Lighten up! It's only for
Art Doughty Tualatin, ORLighten up! It's only for three weeks...
Next time contact me. I would
Lang New York CityNext time contact me. I would love to help with logistics. I think this is a great idea!
Next time contact me. I would
Lang New York CityNext time contact me. I would love to help with logistics. I think this is a great idea!
How does one make a
Brenda Watson New York CityHow does one make a reservation?
For the uninformed, Martha's
Hal Peters New York StateFor the uninformed, Martha's Vineyard was once part of New York.
Welcome back MV - even if for a few weeks
Great Job !!!
We read about this pop up in
Maggie Oak Bluffs and New York CityWe read about this pop up in a tweet from a NY Times food critic and made a reservation for the next Sunday evening. The place was packed and we sat at the bar next to the famous clam shell fountain and watched the team work. They had two electric ovens stacked on top of each other and and were using 3 hot plates to cook on. And the food was amazing! We had the tasting menu so that we could try everything on the menu and splurged by starting with 6 Katama oysters. Each course was unique and delicious, but especially the bow-hunted MV Venison and the Mermaid Farm feta. By the time desert was being served we made a reservation for the following Sunday and a list of friends we wanted to bring. To all the naysayers...all I can say was it was great to have the island come to me. Because I wish I could by local all the time, but alas I have to work in the off season (In the city) and so glad the Fisher and the Beach Plum Crew have to too. Can't wait til next year...
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