Personalities

Drew Nieporent

Drew's Links:

Restaurateur - Myriad Restaurant Group

Drew Nieporent | Owner

Drew Nieporent, one of America's most respected restaurateurs, is the founder and inspiration behind the Myriad Restaurant Group, which operates Tribeca Grill, Nobu New York City, Nobu Fifty Seven, Nobu London, Nobu Next Door, Corton, Centrico and Crush Wine & Spirits. Over the last 26 years, Myriad has opened and operated over 35 restaurants around the world.

His restaurants have received countless accolades. Most recently, Corton (2008) received two Michelin stars, three stars from the New York Times and a nomination for Best New Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. Montrachet (1985) earned three stars from The New York Times and kept that rating for 21 years. Tribeca Grill (1990), with partner Robert De Niro, opened to national acclaim and continues to be a New York landmark. In 1994, Nieporent launched Nobu in New York. Nobu NYC, Next Door Nobu and Nobu Fifty-Seven have all earned the coveted three-star rating from The New York Times. Also in 1994, he opened Rubicon in San Francisco with Francis Ford Coppola. Myriad’s excellence in wine service is widely acknowledged as well. It is the only restaurant group to earn three prestigious Grand Awards from Wine Spectator magazine - for Rubicon, Montrachet and Tribeca Grill.

Drew’s many personal honors include induction into “Who’s Who of Cooking in America” (1992) by the James Beard Foundation. He was named the Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Restaurateur (2009) and Humanitarian of the Year (2000). Other recognition includes 2011 Hospitality Innovator by the Cornell Hotel School (from which he graduated in 1977) and the Melman Award (also 2011).

Drew donates his time to dozens of charities. He is on the board of Citymeals on Wheels, Garden of Dreams and DIFFA, an Honorary Chair of the City Harvest Food Council and Culinary Director of the Jackson Hole Wine Auction. He has co-chaired SOS’s Taste of the Nation event in New York City since 1997. He has been honored by Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (2009), American Heart Association (1999), the Tourette Syndrome Association (2000), the Food Allergy Initiative (2001), the American Liver Foundation (2003), the Cancer Research & Treatment Fund (2005) and the Kristen Ann Carr Fund (2006). And he is in great demand as a spirited, highly effective auctioneer at charity events.