When restaurateur Drew Nieporent had to find a chef for Heartbeat
who would fulfill W New York's keen awareness of nature and
well-being, he didn't have to look very far. Michel Nischan
was already the Corporate Consulting Chef for Nieporent's Myriad
Restaurant Group, and Drew knew Nischan would bring one unique
talent to W - his ability to turn natural, whole foods into
something healthful and flavorful.
Heartbeat will offer an innovative menu of focused, natural
cuisine that will reflect the hotel's philosophy of balance
and well-being. Nischan's consistent objective will be to
create meals that achieve impact through focusing on pure
ingredients and limiting manipulation. To achieve this objective,
Heartbeat will shun the use of butter and heavy dairy products
which mask food's natural flavors.
Nischan credits his respect for nature to his mother, who,
in order to feed her depression-era family of thirteen, turned
to the family farm. She passed her ideas of cooking, farming
and deep respect for the earth's bounty onto Michel, who relies
on them every day.
Michel began his career in 1980 as a breakfast cook in a
rural area near the Wisconsin- Illinois border. He took his
love of the land to the Windy City, working in some of Chicago's
top restaurants, including La Tour in the Park Hyatt and Jovan
Troyevic's prestigious Le Perroquet. Soon after, he moved
to Milwaukee, where he opened Fleur de Lis. This French restaurant
transformed the staid Milwaukee restaurant scene, while receiving
substantial culinary praise. Not having attended culinary
or business school, Nischan realized the need to advance his
business knowledge. He accepted a position as opening chef
for Interstate Hotels Corporation. His openings included hotels
in Connecticut, Boca Raton and Orlando, Florida. Having fulfilled
his educational needs, and being hungry to leave the corporate
world, he moved back to Connecticut.
Michel broke into the Connecticut market as chef and co-owner
of Restaurant Miche Mache. Miche Mache quickly became one
of Connecticut's most highly praised restaurants and Connecticut
Magazine called Miche (a nickname given to Michel by his friends)
"the best chef in Connecticut ." But the praise didn't end
there; Miche Mache was often highlighted in The New York Times,
regularly finished in the top ten of the Zagat Restaurant
Guide, and its Gospel Brunch was featured on the BBC and in
the London Times.
It was during this time that Nischan met Nieporent and their
partnership and friendship quickly flourished. Chef Nischan's
expertise is applied to a wide variety of important culinary-consulting
assignments and new ventures. He also lends his ebullient
personality and talents to a variety of special events at
the James Beard Foundation, Peter Kump's Cooking School and
other organizations. Michel currently lives in Southport,
Connecticut with his wife, Lori, and four children.
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