This Fashion Week, we've tapped our inner foodies to partner with model, environmentalist, and now restauranteur Elettra Wiedemann for her pop-up lunch spot GOODNESS. What sold us on the concept (besides the lunchtime cocktail pairings) was her passion for sustainability through locally-sourced ingredients--a way of eating we can definitely get behind. Plus, she's brought on a top tier crew of chefs, including Mario Batali and Julian Medina, to create the menus for each day. We sat down with Wiedemann to find out more about her background in sustainable food, what we can expect at GOODNESS, and her favorite indulgence. Read on for the full interview, and come order a cocktail with us this week starting tomorrow from 11 AM-3 PM daily at 2 Columbus Avenue inside the Museum of Art and Design.
Kanon Vodka: How did you come up with the concept for GOODNESS?
Elettra Wiedemann: GOODNESS is a pop-up concept with a different chef and a different menu every day. I created GOODNESS because whenever I would travel around the world for the Fashion Weeks, I would never have the time or the energy to go try out the new places in town. GOODNESS brings all the best local culinary talent under one roof. Eventually, I would like to expand GOODNESS to not just Fashion Week pop-ups, but also pop-ups at film festivals, music festivals, art festivals, etc. It's the beginning of a long journey!
KV: Have you always been interested in the restaurant industry, and the sustainable/local aspect as well?
EW: I have always loved bringing people together around a dinner table and hosting. I also have always been interested in sustainabiity issues, which I taught myself about through the study of food and supply chains. My MSc dissertation from the LSE was an analysis of Vertical Farming and the future of feeding urban populations.
KV: What are you most looking forward to this Fashion Week?
EW: I am looking forward to launching our second GOODNESS! We have amazing chefs on board - Mario Batali, Leo Forneas, Alain Allegretti, and Julian Medina. Also I am excited about the daily changing Kanon cocktails - I will definitely be indulging in those!
KV: What are the must-try dishes at the GOODNESS pop-up this year?
EW: All the chefs are so different, so it is impossible to choose just one!
KV: What do you think it is about fashion and food that go so well together?
EW: Everyone has to eat to survive! Particularly during crazy weeks like Fashion Week, people are on the go-go-go and we all need to nurture ourselves and refuel with healthy food. In order to be the most productive, we ALL have to take a time out and focus on our health–not stuff a bagel and a handful of nuts in our mouths and think we'll be able to make it through the week without a major crash, or even a breakdown!
KV: How should people expect GOODNESS this season to compare to last season's pop-up?
EW: This season, we are having GOODNESS at Robert which is a fabulous restaurant on top of the Museum of Art and Design (MAD) at Columbus Circle. Robert is a fun and unique space, and they also have AMAZING views of Columbus Circle, Central Park, and upper Manhattan. This year, we also have our first ever GOODNESS LOUNGE, which will be on the 7th floor of the MAD Museum.
KV: How would you describe each of the featured chef's cooking styles?
EW: Mario Batali is amazing Italian food. I have been a HUGE fan of Mario's for years. His food is wonderful and comforting and he proves how versatile Italian food really is.
Leo Forneas is a fabulous and eclectic mix; it's hard to pin down the flavors he uses. I would say French influenced with Asian flair.
Alain Allegretti is more Mediterranean, so there is Italian and also French influence in his dishes. He also has added haute American flavors and ingredients into the mix.
Julian Medina is a fabulous Mexican Chef! His food is very authentic Mexican and I LOVE it. I could bathe in his guacamole. Also, I will be eternally grateful to Medina, as he taught me how to make flan.
KV: We know that you love healthy eating, but what is one indulgence you can't live without?
I love french fries and mayo, possibly the two worst things on the planet. Even chocolate and flan have SOME nutritional properties! Fries and mayo have zero :(
KV: When it's time to sit back and unwind after a long day, what is usually your cocktail of choice?
A Kanon dirty vodka martini with extra olives!
