Executive Chefs Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr met while serving as sous-chefs at the 4-star rated restaurant Daniel.
Nasr completed cooking school in Canada before training in New York restaurants Park Bistro and Les Halles. In France, he worked at the Michelin 3-Star restaurant Michel Bras.
Hanson, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, began working in a restaurant kitchen at the age of 14. He trained at Aureole, Von, and Le Cirque.
Working together at Daniel, the duo discovered that their cooking styles and temperaments uniquely complemented one another.
The two were approached by Keith McNally while he was building Balthazar, where they became the Head Chefs upon its opening in 1997. Riad and Lee have been working with McNally ever since: in addition to Balthazar, they are currently the Executive Chefs at Pastis, Schiller's and Minetta Tavern.
Nasr completed cooking school in Canada before training in New York restaurants Park Bistro and Les Halles. In France, he worked at the Michelin 3-Star restaurant Michel Bras.
Hanson, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, began working in a restaurant kitchen at the age of 14. He trained at Aureole, Von, and Le Cirque.
Working together at Daniel, the duo discovered that their cooking styles and temperaments uniquely complemented one another.
The two were approached by Keith McNally while he was building Balthazar, where they became the Head Chefs upon its opening in 1997. Riad and Lee have been working with McNally ever since: in addition to Balthazar, they are currently the Executive Chefs at Pastis, Schiller's and Minetta Tavern.
