Chef Spotlight: Executive Chef Mark Zuckerman HARTA at Grayson Hotel

At New York City's industrial-chic Grayson Hotel from acclaimed group Apicii, chief culinary officer Jonathan Benno leads a local culinary team helmed by Executive Chef, Mark Zuckerman.

Born and raised in Staten Island, N.Y., Zuckerman brings more than a decade of experience in some of the country's most renowned restaurants. Zuckerman has been working in the hospitality industry since the age of 14, an interest sparked by a cooking program he was a part of in high school.

After graduating from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., with a Bachelors in Science for Culinary Arts, Zuckerman moved to New York City. He was part of the opening team at Lincoln Ristorante, Benno's first venture after departing Per Se, followed by a chef de partie position at Michael Tusk's famed Quince in San Francisco.

Zuckerman returned to NYC, where he held roles at Hearth Restaurant and L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon before helping lead the kitchen at Benno restaurant as chef de cuisine.

Zuckerman now resides in Astoria, Queens, where his hobbies outside of restaurants include reading and baking at home, going to the movies and hanging out in Central Park with his fiancé.

Broadwayworld had the pleasure of interviewing Chef Zuckerman about his career and Harta at the Grayson Hotel for our "Chef Spotlight."

What was your earliest interest in cooking?

I've always been interested in cooking since a young age. I grew up in an Italian/Jewish household, so there was always a good amount of cooking going on, especially around the holidays with both of my grandmothers. Whether it was getting to help with the meatball rolling for a Sunday dinner or sneaking a piece of carved turkey from my grandfather, I was always in the kitchen.

Who were some of your career mentors?

I have been incredibly lucky to work with many extremely talented chefs, cooks and restaurant staff throughout my career. My path post-culinary school landed me in the kitchen of Lincoln Ristorante in 2010 working under chef Jonathan Benno, whom I have been very fortunate to be able to work with for many years since.

What culinary styles have influenced your career?

My career has been focused on mostly Italian and French cooking. Italian style and sensibility when it comes to cooking has always spoken to me, whether in the kitchen, at home, or at a restaurant. My cooking style has always leaned toward more classic flavor pairings and combinations.

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

The food at Harta is based in the belief that if you find the best possible ingredients, you can organize them in a way that helps them taste the best they possibly can. Seasonality and locality play a part in this as well. A dish that is currently on the menu, which is a great example of this, is the Heritage Pork Chop. The chops are brined and grilled, served with Norwich Meadow sunchokes, braised chicories and Moroccan Olives.

What is your favorite meal?

Something that was always a special occasion, and a memorable favorite is my mother's chicken parm.

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

Harta is an all-day Mediterranean brasserie on the main floor of Grayson Hotel in Manhattan's Bryant Park neighborhood. The vibe is casual yet elevated, and our menu focuses on highly seasonal, vibrant dishes that celebrate produce and draw inspiration from Italian, French, Spanish and Moroccan cuisines.

Editor's Note: Stay tuned to Broadwayworld Food and Wine. We had the pleasure of visiting Harta at the Grayson Hotel for lunch and look forward to sharing the wonderful meal experience with our readers.

Harta at Grayson Hotel is located at 30 West 39th Street, New York, NY 10018. Visit https://www.hartanyc.com/ or call 646.443.6864. The restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch, afternoon, and dinner service. Follow Harta on social media @hartanyc.

Photo Credit: Noah Fecks