| Jarnac
is named after the town in which the owner, Tony Powe, grew up.
A typical French town with town square, daily market and the
river Charente running through the center, Jarnac is at the
center of France's Cognac producing region and also renowned
for its Pineau, a combination of grape juice and Cognac, often
served chilled as an aperitif.
British by birth, Tony's journey through Europe to New York,
has included a number of unexpected stops along the way, all
linked to the hospitality industry.
Over the past 12 years, he has run a travel agency in Turkey,
specialising in accommodation and tours around ancient sites.
He has been general manager/owner of a tourist attraction in
the UK, consisting of prehistoric caves. He has managed an up-market
chalets company, specialising in gourmet skiing weeks in Chamonix,
France and he has run a Country House Hotel.
In the mid 90s, Tony joined the team at the newly opened Chez
Bruce, a London restaurant, to help run the Front of House.
Chez Bruce has now become one of the hottest tickets in London.
It was named Best New British Restaurant at the Carlton Restaurant
Awards (Britain's culinary equivalent of the Oscars) and was
recently reviewed in the New York Times and described as 'required
study for any restauranteur thinking of opening a Bistro' (08/04/99
- Dining Out Section).
Like many in the business, Tony's dream was to open his own
restaurant in London. However, on a visit to New York in 1998,
he spotted an opportunity for adapting the same concept to Manhattan:
A neighborhood restaurant where good wine and fine food can
be enjoyed in a relaxed, informal atmosphere.
In late 1999, Tony found the dream location, at the intersection
of the West Village and the Meatpacking District on Greenwich
Street. He teamed up with chef Maryann Terillo and a number
of investors and opened Jarnac.
Maryann is the former chef-owner of Café de la Gare, one of
Manhattan's most successful small French restaurants. Her food
has been described as both "innovative" and "reflecting tradition",
her restaurant as the "sort of snug Bistro (that) is hard to
find even in Paris, let alone New York" (Mimi Sheraton), and
she achieved a Zagat rating of 21 for her food.
Maryann closed the restaurant in 1992 to created a boutique
catering company and strengthen her already close involvement
with the James Beard Foundation, becoming engaged in a variety
of international culinary festivals and events.
Along with its fresh approach to food, Jarnac will also introduce
another concept to New York: The
Jarnac Members Club. This club will give members
access to special events such as Guest Chef evenings, Wine and
Cognac tastings and Art Shows as well as offering them privileged
access to gourmet travel in Europe, cooking weeks in Italy/France
and other activities of interest to gourmets and europhiles.
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