John McDonald (entrepreneur)

John McDonald is a restaurateur and entrepreneur based in New York City.[1] He is the founder and CEO of Mercer Street Hospitality, and co-founder of Tasting Table Media.

Career

McDonald began his career in nightlife with MercBar and went on to open restaurants including Canteen,[2] Lever House,[3] Lure Fishbar,[4] Bowery Meat Company,[5][6] El Toro Blanco,[7][8] Burger & Barrel[9] and Chinatown Brasserie.[10]

In 2002 McDonald co-founded the Mexican restaurant Dos Caminos with Steve Hanson of BR Guest Restaurants.[11] He was bought out in 2007 when Starwood Capital purchased all of BR Guest.[12]

Prior to founding Tasting Table, a culinary lifestyle publication, he started a niche magazine title, CITY, acting as both Editorial Director and Publisher from 1999 to 2008.[13] The magazine was nominated for National Magazine Awards in 2002 for General Excellence, for Photography in 2004 and Photo Portfolio in 2007 (winner).[14] He closed the magazine in 2008 and started Tasting Table with Bob Pittman.[15][16]

He is also the co-founder of the beverage brand EBOOST along with Josh Taekman, in 2007.[17]

McDonald was the first American restaurateur to bring the design work of Marc Newson to New York with the 1999 project Canteen and then again together developed the Lever House Restaurant inside the modernist landmark Lever House.[18][3] He received a Michelin Star in 2005 for this restaurant.[19]

He was mentioned by New York magazine as one of The New Yorkers of 1999.[20]

References

  1. ^ "The 1999 New York Awards". NYMag.com. 20 December 1999. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  2. ^ "Canteen". NYMag.com. 24 January 2000. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  3. ^ a b Hamilton, William L. (2003-08-17). "Tonight's Special: Lever House". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  4. ^ Betker, Ally. "Restaurateur John McDonald's Guide to SoHo, New York". W Magazine. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  5. ^ Wells, Pete (2015-03-10). "Restaurant Review: Bowery Meat Company in the East Village". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  6. ^ "The Bowery Meat Company Is a Beef Haven—but Don't Call It a Steakhouse". Observer. 2015-01-06. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  7. ^ Scott, Andrea K. (2013-01-14). "El Toro Blanco". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  8. ^ Steigrad, Alexandra (2012-10-24). "Feast for the Eye: El Toro Blanco Bows in the West Village". WWD. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  9. ^ Williams, Alex (2010-12-08). "Burger & Barrel's Owner on His Mercer Street Empire". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  10. ^ "City Success". Fast Company. 2007-04-15. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  11. ^ Asimov, Eric (20 November 2002). "Dos Caminos (NYC Restaurant) Review - New York City Restaurant Reviews - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  12. ^ "Report: Starwood Capital pays $150M for B.R. Guest". Nation's Restaurant News. 2007-03-12. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  13. ^ Carr, David (2004-07-06). "Trying to Create a Niche In Meals and Magazines". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  14. ^ "39th Annual National Magazine Award Winners Announced; Esquire and The New Yorker Are Only Publications to Garner Multiple 'Ellies'". Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  15. ^ "MTV Founder Bob Pittman Launches Tasting Table Today". Grub Street. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  16. ^ Flint, Jessica. "Now It Can Be Told: Bob Pittman's New Tasty Venture". The Hive. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  17. ^ "About | EBOOST". www.eboost.com. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  18. ^ "LANDMARK UPDATE – LEVER HOUSE TO GET EATERY, NOGUCHI GARDEN". New York Post. 2000-12-11. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  19. ^ "The Michelin Stars of New York - Vinography: A Wine Blog". vinography.com.
  20. ^ "New York Magazine Table of Contents for December 20, 1999 (12/20/1999)". nymag.com. Cover photo, on second row, bottom far left. Retrieved 2018-02-12.


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