Chef Charlie Palmer's flagship restaurant, Aureole, opened its doors in 1988 on the Upper East Side of New York City with a commitment to farm fresh food and "Progressive American" cuisine. Its immense success led to 12 subsequent restaurants by the world-renowned Chef and the demand for a much larger seating area.
So in 2009 when the Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park, New York City's first LEED Platinum Skyscraper, offered its 10,000-square-foot ground floor location to the classic New York restaurant, Palmer jumped at the chance.
"It's a trophy building, and Aureole is a trophy restaurant," said Douglas Durst, Co-President of Durst,which leases the building to Bank of America.
The new $10-million Aureole restaurant, designed by Adam D. Tihany, boasts the largest on-site wine cellar in New York City with a 23,000 bottle capacity, a bar room that seats 60 people, a formal dining room, and banquet room designated for private parties.
In a building designed to maximize natural light, it was important for Aureole to be properly shaded. Designers chose a double layer window treatment, specifying room-darkening roller shades and translucent custom roman shades by Hunter Douglas Hospitality.
Both sets of shades filter glare and control solar heat gain in the restaurant, demonstrating Aureole's commitment to sustainability, and can be raised or lowered to provide optimal shading at each time of day.
Charlie Palmer is the author of four cookbooks and a frequent guest on the NBC Today Show. Aureole is his first of 13 restaurants that span coast to coast.
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