INTERSECT BY LEXUS – NYC, the innovative culinary destination in New York City’s Meatpacking District, will reopen its doors on December 3, 2020. Upon reopening, INTERSECT will debut its fifth Restaurant-in-Residence, Savannah, GA-based The Grey, from award-winning Executive Chef and Partner, Mashama Bailey. INTERSECT will also unveil its new izakaya-inspired first floor concept, The Lounge. Guests will be welcomed back to the reimagined space along with the second-floor restaurant with vigorous safety measures in place.
“We are excited to welcome guests back to INTERSECT BY LEXUS – NYC with Chef Bailey’s exceptional Southern cuisine,” says Rachel Espersen, Head of INTERSECT BY LEXUS – NYC. “As the restaurant industry continues to struggle in uncertain times, it is more important than ever to spotlight the incredible talent within the U.S., and we look forward to introducing The Grey to New York City.”
Spotlighting U.S. talent amid restaurant industry struggles
The Grey
Based in Savannah, Georgia, The Grey is an award-winning restaurant helmed by Chef Mashama Bailey. The restaurant is set in a former Greyhound bus terminal and was founded in partnership with Johno Morisano. The duo also oversees The Grey Market, which combines their love for New York City bodegas with the history and convenience of the Southern lunch counter. Bringing her personal take on Port City Southern food to a city of her youth, Chef Bailey taps into all of her experiences to create dishes that are deep, layered and soulful in their flavors. With a penchant for regional produce, seafood and meats, her style of cuisine is a melting pot of surprising and comforting tastes with something new and revealed each time. Adding to her list of impressive accolades, in 2019 Chef Bailey became the first African American chef to star on Netflix’s Chef’s Table.
The Grey was a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation’s Best New Restaurant award, with Chef Bailey winning Best Chef Southeast award in 2019. She will now bring her renowned cooking style to INTERSECT with an exciting menu that blends Southern cooking with New York flavor.
“As native New Yorkers, we are thrilled to share The Grey experience with our neighbors and community,” says Morisano. “We are so excited for this homecoming and for the opportunity to showcase our style and perspective of Port City Southern food at INTERSECT BY LEXUS,” adds Bailey.
At INTERSECT BY LEXUS – NYC, The Grey’s dinner menu highlights include Red Rice Balls with Savannah red ice, lamb and green goddess, Collard Greens with holy trinity and pepper vinegar, Smoked Lamb with potato cake and kanni sauce and Whole Roasted Snapper with charred citrus and salsa verde. The beverage program will complement the experience with cocktails such as Chatham Artillery Punch with brandy, bourbon, Jamaican rum and champagne, Father John Manhattan with Russell’s Reserve, Cocchi Torino and Angostura bitters and Seasonal Sherry Cobbler with oloroso sherry, calvados, apple cider and lemon.
The Lounge
The new ground level destination ushers guests into the space with a luxurious yet approachable atmosphere featuring master-level culinary and cocktail craftsmanship. A lounge experience will feature a new and unique menu by Executive Chef and Lexus Culinary Master Nickolas Martinez that is inspired by his international travels as well as INTERSECT’s past restaurants-in-residence and a nod to the Japanese philosophy of omotenashi.
The space, which previously served as a café and gallery, has been re-imagined as a reprieve in New York City where guests are welcomed to enjoy the new offerings and unwind. Offering small plates complemented by sake, champagne, and low-ABV cocktails designed by guest craft cocktail expert Nick Bennett (Porchlight, Cedric’s, Booker and Dax), the welcoming space invites guests to come in, grab a drink or a light bite and unwind. Expertly crafted dishes include snack, skewer, and raw options such as A5 Wagyu Beef Temaki with mustard, crispy garlic and soy caramel, Lobster Shiso Tempura with ponzu sauce and Pork and Foie Skewer with mitsuba and garam masala glaze. Bennett’s cocktails range from Cold as Rice with rice milk, coconut, blanc vermouth, oloroso sherry and shaved ice, Pamplemousse Party with Asahi, grapefruit juice, citric acid and beer cotton candy and One In A Melon with sake, house-carbonated melon soda, lime sorbet and champagne acid.
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Health and Safety
In accordance with mandated guidelines and protocols – as well as additional health and safety standards by Union Square Hospitality Group and Lexus – INTERSECT will reopen with the safety of employees, guests and the surrounding community as a priority. In partnership with CLEAR, Union Square Hospitality Group will implement their new Health Pass by CLEAR system for all INTERSECT employees, which includes a real-time health survey via CLEAR’s Health Pass app and a touchless temperature check upon arrival. All employees also will be required to wear face masks and gloves.
New food safety measures have been added under the guidance of food safety experts, and suppliers will be required to meet rigorous health and safety standards. Additionally, all high-touchpoint surfaces will be disinfected at least once every hour with EPA-registered disinfectant, and hand sanitizer stations are available in both the kitchen and dining rooms. The HVAC system has been upgraded to include MERV 13 air filtration and purification as well as UV lighting and bi-polar ionization technologies. Upon reopening, a comprehensive contact tracing protocol will also be implemented which includes guest temperature checks and a QR code for all guests to supply contact tracing information.
INTERSECT BY LEXUS – NYC is located at 412 West 14th Street New York, New York 10014. Both the Lounge and Restaurant will be open Wednesday and Sunday from 5PM-10PM and Thursday – Saturday from 5PM-11PM. Further details on all health and safety protocols can be found at Intersect-NYC.com.
