Clockwise from top left: Blooming Hill Farm Carrots;
Executive Chef Aksel Theilkuhl; Baby Beets;
Cold Smoked Scallops; Lamb Tartare;
Champagne & Caviar; Eric Schwimmer, Owner
Tribeca, Lower Manhattan, New York City
“Our goal was to create a restaurant that provides a feeling of familiarity and comfort, coupled with impressive cuisine and attention to detail...Washington Market Tavern is the perfect neighborhood spot that Tribeca has been waiting for.”—Owner, Eric Schwimmer
Eric Schwimmer is a fourth generation Tribecan whose Great Grandfather had a stall at the original Washington Market. Also the owner of Mudville9, also in Tribeca, but more of a beer and wings joint, he wanted to open somewhere that he would enjoy eating with his family, where the food was filling yet light, extremely fresh, and constantly evolving with the seasons. He set out to open a restaurant with impeccable, sophisticated food and a friendly neighborhood vibe—Washington Market Tavern opened it's doors July 2014.
Establishing itself in the in the southern part of the neighborhood, where there aren't as many great restaurants, Washington Market Tavern has already received amazing feedback from neighbors—"So excited there's finally a nice place on the block where they can go for dinner and drinks." The menu is Seasonal American and changes slightly every week based on what produce is available from the local farms that Chef Aksel sources from. "It comes in on Monday and you're eating it on Tuesday..."
Stephan 'Ste' King is the Beverage Director at Washington Market Tavern, where he brings historical cocktail culture to life with the freshest seasonal ingredients, house-made bitters and infusions, and his own unique innovations. Ste draws inspiration from in-season fruits, vegetables and herbs, and has worked collaboratively with Executive Chef Aksel Theilkuhl to create a cutting-edge cocktail program that perfectly compliments the flavor combinations offered in Washington Market Tavern’s cuisine.
When Ste is not behind the bar he enjoys reading anything and everything related to the world of mixology, as well as checking out the newest trends by attending seminars and visiting bars around the city.
"I feel as though most of what I've gleaned over the years has been learned independently from reading, attending seminars and trial and error on the job,” says Ste.
Since coming to New York City, Ste’s experience includes tending the bar at Apothéke and serving as Head Mixologist for Candle Café West, where his original all-organic recipes (named as some of New York City’s best superfood cocktails) have garnered acclaim from media outlets like CBS New York, the New York Post and Organic Spa magazine.
Hailing originally from Liverpool, England, Ste got his start behind the bar, pouring pints in his local pub. Later, as Head Bartender at London cocktail staple The Drunken Monkey, Ste created and mixed a variety of Asian-inspired specialty drinks. He credits Drunken Monkey Bar Manager, Cristian Cuevas and Owner Steven Chan as mentors who set him on the path to becoming a premiere mixologist.
Aksel Theilkuhl is the Executive Chef of Washington Market Tavern, located in the heart of New York City’s TriBeCa neighborhood, where he brings together familiarity and sophistication. A protégée of Laurent Tourondel, Chef Theilkuhl has created a menu of tavern classics with a modern twist. Using hand-foraged seasonal ingredients, Theilkuhl is inspired by the freshest seasonal produce and highest quality local meats allowing the menu to evolve with the seasons.
A graduate of Johnson & Wales University College of Culinary Arts, Chef Theilkuhl works collaboratively with Washington Market Tavern’s Beverage Director, Ste King, to create a cocktail program that contains innovative flavors that perfectly compliment the seasonal menu.
Later Chef Theilkuhl moved to Charlotte, NC were he became Chef de Cuisine for the opening of Laurent Tourondels’s BLT Steak Charlotte at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Next Chef Theilkuhl would move to Philadelphia, PA to take a gig with restaurateur Stephen Starr as Chef de Cuisine. After 19 months working with Starr Restaurants, Chef Theilkuhl linked back up with Laurent Tourondel to become Chef de Cuisine for the highly anticipated opening of BLT American Brasserie in Chicago. Chef Theilkuhl has since moved back to NYC were he did a stint with The One Group as Executive Chef for STK in both meatpacking and midtown Manhattan locations.
http://www.washingtonmarkettavern.com
41 Murray Street
New York, NY 10007