The story
In the back of a midtown Manhattan grocery store, Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare offers an intimate dining experience centered on a seafood-focused tasting menu. Guests are seated at a 20-seat counter overlooking the kitchen or at elegant booths, where the team prepares each of the 12 or more courses with theatrical precision.
The restaurant was founded in downtown Brooklyn in 2009 as a space for cooking classes and dinner service before moving to its current home on West 37th Street in Hell's Kitchen. Today, it is led by chefs Marco Prins and Max Natmessnig, whose partnership spans over a decade. Prins, originally from Holland, began his career at 16 and worked in Michelin-starred restaurants across New York and Europe before joining Chef's Table in 2014. Natmessnig, raised in Austria, trained in Lyon, France, and worked in kitchens across Europe before reuniting with Prins at the original Brooklyn location. The pair first cooked together in 2010 at three Michelin-starred Oud Sluis in the Netherlands, and their shared history informs the precision and creativity of the contemporary seafood cuisine served today.
The cost of the tasting menu is $385 per guest, with an optional wine pairing that highlights classic European regions such as Champagne, Burgundy, and Austria. A new cocktail menu features house-made infusions and seasonal ingredients, while non-alcoholic pairings are also available. The restaurant's wine cellar is expansive, and guests may bring their own bottle for a corkage fee.
The recognition is earned: Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare holds two Michelin Stars, a testament to the excellence of its cooking. The kitchen team, led by Prins and Natmessnig, delivers a seafood-focused menu that changes with the seasons, showcasing the depth of their technique and the quality of their ingredients. For those seeking a refined, counter-side view of a world-class kitchen in action, this is a singular experience in New York City.
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