EXECUTIVE CHEF
Stephen J.
Lewandowski
As the Executive Chef and Partner of The Bridge, Stephen J. Lewandowski inspires his staff with his passion for fresh ingredients. His ingenuity in the kitchen is stimulated by his belief that food should not be overworked, but rather appreciated for its simplicity and natural perfection. This philosophy is evident in Chef Lewandowski’s innovative seasonal menus that showcase local and sustainable ingredients.
Chef Lewandowski’s globe-trotting (Stephen traveled throughout the world with Regent Seven Seas Cruises as a celebrated guest chef) culinary style modernizes and elevates traditional American cuisine at Townhouse to modern coastal dining. He focuses on full-flavored dishes that allow the often-unusual ingredients of foreign culinary styles to shine. His menus bring regional specialties to the forefront, incorporating local ingredients into both classic and innovative preparations, with results that have critics across the region taking note.
As a young boy growing up in Union Beach, New Jersey, Lewandowski discovered a love of cooking, almost by accident at an early age. “I grew up in a large family that possessed a zest for life. My dad loved to cook, and I loved nothing more than cooking with him on Sundays for a big group of family and friends. These intimate gatherings helped me recognize my passion for cooking and sharing food,” he remembers. The real eye opener came when he had an opportunity to visit the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. “It was just so inspiring to experience the passion other cooks brought to the process.”
Following his passion for cooking, Lewandowski applied to Culinary Institute of America and graduated in 1995 and sought opportunities to further develop his own creativity.
Lewandowski’s culinary repertoire flourished as a line cook under Executive Chef Alfred Portale at Gotham Bar and Grill, followed by the Ritz-Carlton New York on Central Park South, where he was Chef de Cuisine of its high-end Fantino restaurant, where he developed and refined his culinary technique. He proceeded to Boston’s five-star Ritz-Carlton where he served at Executive Banquet Manager. It was there he extended his skills to all outlets of the hotel, pleasing the palettes of former President George H.W. Bush, Queen Noor of Jordan and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. After spending three years with Ritz-Carlton, Lewandowski went on to take the role of Executive Sous Chef at the Peabody Orlando, where he oversaw five restaurants and 64,000 square feet of banquet space.
In 2000, Lewandowski went on to take the role of Chef de Cuisine at Tribeca Grill, working under Executive Chef Brenton Lee. At Tribeca Grill, Lewandowski was exposed to Lee’s inventive menus, vivid flavors and simply delicious fare that complemented the restaurant’s Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning list and earned his first Executive Chef position at a fine dining restaurant in 2002.
Recognizing Lewandowski’s vast culinary range, Drew Nieporent, co-owner of Tribeca Grill and the founder and inspiration behind Myriad Restaurant Group, offered Lewandowski the role of Culinary Director in 2005. In this new role, Lewandowski oversaw the development of operations for all of the company’s restaurants (Nobu, Mai House, Tribeca Grill, Centrico and Corton) and played an instrumental role in designing and opening the client kitchens of Myriad Hospitality Services, including projects like: The Daily Burger at Madison Square Garden; the 350-seat Acela Club, located in left field at Citi Field in New York; Proof on Main in the historic 21C Historic Hotel and Museum in Louisville, Kentucky; Lucca at the five-star Boca Raton Resort and Club in Florida and The Coach House, at the Charlotte Inn, a Relais and Chateaux property in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard.
Lewandowski brought his culinary expertise and creative vision from New York City to Connecticut in 2012 opening the Harlans – Harlan Social in Stamford, Harlan Publick in Norwalk, Harlan Haus in Bridgeport and Harlan Brasserie in Hartford.
Following a successful seven-year endeavor at Harlans, he met Dana Cifone in 2019 and together, opened Townhouse, Greenwich, Connecticut’s newest dining destination and private event space in late January 2020.
When he’s not in the kitchen, Lewandowski focuses his attention on a number of local, regional, national and international events. Annually, he participates in the La Paulée Mondiale, the legendary wine gathering celebrating the wines and winemakers of Burgundy, produced by award-winning sommelier Daniel Johnnes, Wine Director for Boulud and the La Paulée team. He also donates his talents to the Kristen Ann Car Foundation, the first foundation formed to exclusively address, gain understanding and provide treatment for sarcoma cancers. After the World Trade Center tragedy, Lewandowski, along with Charlie Palmer, Daniel Boulud, Scott Byran, and Don Pintabona prepared a five-course wine pairing menu that raised close to $1,000,000 for the Windows of Hope Family Relief Fund. He has participated in numerous Food and Wine Festivals from coast to coast.
Lewandowski’s work has gained national attention from such publications as The New York Times, The Hartford Courant, Wine Spectator, Cooking Light, and Martha Stewart Living. He has appeared on popular cooking segments on ABC’s Good Morning America, NBC’s The Today Show, WCBS-TV News and Toni On! television travel series which is broadcast on WLNY as well as WCBS-TV. He has been a featured chef at the James Beard House numerous times and cooked for former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela; South African cleric, Desmond Tutu; former President Bill Clinton; Robert DeNiro; Bill Murray; Sean Penn; Mikhail Baryshnikov; Bruce Springsteen; Jay-Z and Beyonce to name a few.
AS FEATURED IN
BEDFORD CITY LIFESTYLE
The Food & Drink Issue // October 2023