Secrets of Success
An ongoing series of interviews with chefs, restaurateurs and foodservice operators, Secrets of Success looks at the paths taken to professional recognition and acclaim.
Michael Schlow, who with his zany partners, Christopher Myers and Esti Parsons, opened Boston’s Radius downtown in 1999, proceeded to rack up a long list of "Best" accolades including the James Beard Award for Best Chef-Northeast in 2000.
His credentials include stints with numerous top restaurants and chefs, among them New York’s Coco Pazzo and Le Madri; Sapore de Mare on Long Island; Ariel & Michael in New York; New Jersey’s La Cucina and Ryland Inn; and Café Louis in Boston. In 2000, he opened Via Matta his partners in the city’s Back Bay and later, Great Bay in Kenmore Square, before stepping out on his own to open Alta Strada in Wellesley, MA and later in the MGM Casino at Foxwoods in Connecticut.
Giving back has always been important to Schlow who travels each year to NJ to work with a black tie fundraiser Dinner of Hope that benefits children with AIDS. Next on his personal radar is an American grill at Westwood Station, a planned development south of Boston.
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FSE: News of the closing of Great Bay in the Hotel Commonwealth here has set foodies a-buzz recently. Not too long ago, there were rumors flying about that one of your restaurants might close. Any comments?
SCHLOW: This was a joint decision - Great Bay has seen seven wonderful years, but the economics no longer supported our continued operation. Neither we nor the hotel considers this restaurant to have been a "failure" - rather that the restaurant ran its course and has come to a natural conclusion. It's hard to say why some restaurants last decades and others don't. Great Bay offered great food and service in a beautiful space in a bustling neighborhood - as did Aujourd'hui, Excelsior and many others that have decided to close their doors recently. We will continue to put their time and energy into Radius and Via Matta to ensure those establishments' continued success. In Kenmore Square, our contract was up. The restaurant will be closed and could be re-concepted.
FSE: What is it about New Jersey that seems to breed great chefs?
SCHLOW: The water.
FSE: What led you to become a chef?
SCHLOW: I was always drawn to the excitement of the restaurant business, loved everything that went into cooking (the meticulous behavior, the artistry, the dedication, the interaction).
FSE: Who were your early mentors?
SCHLOW: Craig Shelton, Pino Luongo, Jean Luis Palladin, Joel Robuchon. I always thought, even as a kid that Julia Child and the Galloping Gourmet were about the coolest thing on television since Space Ghost. As for The Frugal Gourmet, I always knew there was something wrong with that guy.
FSE: What’s the greatest compliment you’ve ever gotten for your food?
SCHLOW: The greatest compliment is whenever someone approaches me long after a meal and still remembers in detail what they ate.
FSE: What’s the hardest thing about being a chef/restaurateur?
SCHLOW: Dividing your time. You could easily work 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.
FSE: What do you enjoy most?
SCHLOW: There are so many things that I enjoy about this business. There is no one thing that is my favorite. It's that there are so many interesting components to the job that keeps it fresh and new for me.
FSE: If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing?
SCHLOW: There are many things that are of interest to me but I'm not sure I could do any of these full-time: photography, something to do with horseracing (certainly not a jockey), architecture, advertising, and music.
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