Boutique Design - December 2018 - 12

MAJOR MILESTONES
BY CHRISTINA GREEN

FOLLOWING YOUR APPRENTICESHIPS IN ITALY, WHAT
MADE YOU WANT TO COME TO NEW YORK AND LAUNCH
YOUR OWN FIRM?
ADAM TIHANY: New York was always the end goal for me. I'm an Israeli
who, through Italian education, became an Italian designer. But I was
always set on New York. When I arrived in 1975, I knew my fate was sealed.
HOW HAS THE RESTAURANT SCENE EVOLVED OVER THE
PAST 40 YEARS?
The early '80s was really the birth of the contemporary and authentic American restaurant. It was the beginning of what would become the age of the
celebrity chef and the turning point for white tablecloth expectations of fine
dining. While much has changed in the culinary world, one thing remains
the same: people go to restaurants to be entertained. We don't go out to eat
because we're hungry; we're looking for an experience. The stage is equally
as important as the product being served. The atmosphere has to match
the intention of the space and the food. That synergy is critical.
DESCRIBE TIHANY DESIGN'S OFFICE CULTURE.
We're a small shop and have been for 40 years. It's a very hands-on,
passion-driven environment that caters to the unique abilities each
person brings to the table. I've had the privilege of working with some
of the same designers for over 20 years-our director of projects Andrea
Riecken has been with me for almost 30.
HOW DOES YOUR TEAM APPROACH TECHNOLOGY?
Instead of trying to find a place for the latest gadget, we're making a
conscience effort to rely on the fundamental elements of our trade.
Ideas start with paper and pencil, with straight edge rulers and
compasses. There's infinitely more passion, creativity and thought in
original sketches than images copied and pasted from the internet.
12

boutiquedesign.com DECEMBER 2018

LE CIRQUE 2000, NEW YORK

Our aim is to preserve the handcrafted quality of a true design atelier that's
quickly fading from this industry.
NAME SOME OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE CHEF
COLLABORATIONS.
Working closely with talented and passionate chefs is always an enlightening
experience, especially in understanding how the style and precision of their
cooking can be a direct extension of his or her personality.
Thomas Keller is internationally renowned for his culinary ability, but getting
to know him personally through his food and the development and success of his
restaurants has been the most rewarding aspect of our collaboration.
My years working with the Maccioni family (Sirio Maccioni launched New
York's Le Cirque in 1974 and expanded the brand with international sister
concepts as well as rolling out several independent restaurants) remain some of
the most exciting and most Italian of my early career in restaurant design. On the
operations side, I've found a rare and wonderful collaborative partner in David
Nicholls, group director of food and beverage at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
My most impactful chef collaboration, however, was with my friend and
long-time partner, chef Francesco Antonucci. Our time building and shaping
the Remi restaurants defined my mentality and secured my path towards a lifelong career in hospitality design.
WHAT'S NEXT?
As we've entered fully into the cruise industry, our ongoing work with Carnival
brands including Seabourn, Holland America, Costa Cruises and now Cunard, has
been extremely rewarding. On land, we have a number of exciting projects newly
opened and upcoming with Mandarin Oriental. And far above ground, we redesigned the iconic revolving restaurant at the Seattle Space Needle, opening next year.
Looking ahead, we're focusing on new areas outside of hospitality such as
specialized luxury condos. The horizon is shifting, and we have a whole new set
of milestones we'd like to celebrate at the next big anniversary.

COURTESY OF TIHANY DESIGN (LE CIRQUE 20 0 0); WILLIAM HEREFOR D ( TIHANY )

TIHANY DESIGN: 40 YEARS
ADAM TIHANY, PRINCIPAL
AND FOUNDER

http://www.boutiquedesign.com

Boutique Design - December 2018

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