Bryant Park has also been a neighborhood that we have enjoyed having power lunches and dinners as well as having amazing views of library and the large greenspace! In this month's The Art of the Snack, we head over to this storied area to pop into Heritage Grand Bakery, Heritage Grand Restaurant and Pizza Bar!
We love that whether you're looking for a bakery that allows you to get great to-go items for breakfast and lunch whether you're heading back to the office or eating in the park. In addition, there is a stunning restaurant that is perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and happy hour. We took some time to sit down to talk with Managing Partner, Lou Ramirez to find out more about these spaces, what is offered, and what we should think about ordering on our next visit!
ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into Heritage Grand Bakery, Grand Restaurant and Pizza Bar, Please tell me about Lou Ramirez's background as he has been part of some of our favorites including Fig & Olive!
LOU RAMIREZ: My experience in the hospitality world began as a manager at BR Guest Hospitality Group. I then advanced to Director of Food and Beverage at Boutique Hotels & Resorts. Leveraging my expertise, I became Director of Operations at Le Pain Quotidien, successfully launching 18 locations in NYC and LA. This success led me to Fig & Olive, a concept I started with the founder, opening 3 locations in the city.
Subsequently, I co-founded Maison Kayser with Eric Kayser, overseeing the construction of over a dozen stores. Returning to Le Pain Quotidien as the President and Head of US Operations, I played a key role in reinventing their brand image. Drawing on my experience in hospitality and deep knowledge, I founded Nicloubella Management, an entrepreneurial consulting company created to assist established overseas companies looking to break into the US marketplace.
AM: It seems like there are 2 concepts with the bakery as well as the restaurant. Can you tell us about how the concept came about and why you wanted to have a bakery and a restaurant?
LR: I founded Heritage Grand with my partners, Luc Boulet and Alex Garese. Luc is a renowned master baker from France, coming from a lineage of 4 generations of bakers. Alex is the founder of the acclaimed Wolkonsky Bakery, making us all seasoned veterans in the world of bread and pastry. Our vision was to open a bakery and restaurant showcasing our Ancient Grains which are milled in-house.
AM: In looking at the bakery, can you speak to the decision to focus on health-conscious baking and cooking techniques, Ancient Grains and Artisanal Milling Techniques?
LR: We are very passionate about health-conscious and environmentally friendly foods and preparation techniques. We believe “you are what you eat," what you put into your body is what you get out of it. Natural, artisanal foods nourish our minds and bodies and energize our spirit, and that’s the effect we’d like to leave on our guests.
AM: What are the health benefits to cultivating the grains in this way?
LR: Our grains contain an accentuated value in lipids and carotenes, which give the bread a beautiful cream color and signature aroma, as well as making it optimal for baking and pastry making. Health benefits include ease of digestibility, high nutritional value, and low allergenic potential.
AM: Focusing on Heritage Grand Bakery, there is quite an extensive offering from coffees, teas, pressed juices etc. What are 3 coffees cold or hot that you suggest as we head into the summer months?
LR: At Heritage Grand, we use a highly dynamized water filtration system, essentially mirroring water’s natural journey through the mountains using motion, magnetism, and natural minerals. This results in energized water with improved taste and texture, as well as better hydration. We use this water as the foundation for all of our brewed beverages. 3 coffees we’d recommend as the weather warms are our signature Roast Heritage Drip Coffee, our house blend made with different coffee blends from across the globe, the Iced Red-Eye, a double shot of our specialty roast espresso poured over our signature coffee blend served on ice, and our Finca Bernina Red Honey Geisha poured over coffee from Costa Rica.
AM: What are 3 teas, hot or cold that you suggest that we should have in mind when visiting?
LR: Our Hot and Cold teas are sourced from historic tea-growing regions in dirrect collaboration with the farmers. I would recommend the Chai Latte, a spiced latte made with chai spices; Matcha Latte and Tieguanyin Oolong Tea made with oolong tea from China.
AM: On your BAKERY menu, you have a selection of Viennoiseries. What does Viennoiseries mean and what are 3 that we should try on our next visit?
LR: Viennoiseries are breakfast pastries typically modeled after the style of pastry that originated in Vienna, Austria. Executive Head Pastry Chef Damien Herrgott expertly creates the viennoiseries and pastries, and while all delicious, we’d recommend Pistachio Cruffin, muffin-shaped croissant dough filled with pistachio pastry cream; Plie au Chocolat, buttery, flaky croissant dough folded and filled with vanilla pastry cream and dark chocolate chips; Apricot Danish, croissant dough filled with a mixture of pastry cream and apricots.
AM: The Bakery menu also has Muffins/Cruffins/Baked Goods! What is a Cruffin and what are 3 that you suggest that we should have?
LR: Inspired by the French brioche pastry, a cruffin is the hybrid of a croissant and muffin. We’d suggest our Chocolate, Vanilla, and Pistachio Cruffins, muffin-shaped croissant dough filled with chocolate, vanilla, and pistachio pastry creams.
AM: What are 3 pastries that you suggest for breakfast?
LR: In our Restautant we just started weekend Brunch and have several classics but in our Bakery, Our Egg Sandwiches and vienoisseriie are really the best sellers for breakfast, like the Lemon Raspberry Danish, Croissant, and Pain au Chocolate. But for those with a particular sweet tooth, perhaps our Espresso Tart to start your day with a kick; Coffee Ganache and Coffee-Soaked Lady Fingers, topped with espresso Cremieux and white chocolate coffee glaze. Next, the Montebello, a decadent way to get your fruits in early in the day, pistachio almond hazelnut cake topped with pistachio mouse, fresh raspberries, and chopped pistachios; Ispahan, a colorful and vibrant rose-colored raspberry macaron filled with rose buttercream and chopped lychee with fresh raspberries and garnished with a rose petal.
AM: What are 3 G&G Sandwiches that you would suggest when you're heading over to Bryant Park to enjoy an outdoor lunch?
LR: A refreshing Caprese Sandwich on a savory olive roll to beat the heat, French baguette with fresh mozzarella, tomato, fresh basil pine and pesto; Tunisian Niçoise Sandwich, tuna salad mix, hard-boiled egg, red pepper, arugula, and olives on Pan Bagnat bun; our classic Pariseinne with ham gruyere butter and cornichon on a fresh baguette.