Nick Valenti, restaurateur and CEO of Patina Restaurant Group, is proud to introduce Franck Deletrain as the newly appointed Executive Chef of Brasserie 8 1/2. Chef Deletrain, noted for his sophisticated French cuisine, launches a menu that shows a light touch and elegant point of view to the Midtown Manhattan restaurant just off Fifth Avenue on 57th Street.
Deletrain deftly upgrades dishes from the brasserie repertoire, with Lobster Bouillabaisse (re-imagined with poached lobster in saffron), Moules Frites Provençale (in a tangy ratatouille sauce), Vichyssoise de Petits Pois (chilled and vibrantly tasting of summer). Long-forgotten Pike en Pôchouse is straight from Burgundy, a rare preparation in which freshwater fish is braised in a red wine reduction with leeks and chanterelles. He also pulls inspiration from his personal family recipes, including the Pâté de Normandie, which pays homage to his father’s pâté recipe, served with house-pickled vegetables and baguette toast.
“Franck Deletrain’s cooking has the spirit of an authentic brasserie, you can taste it in every dish,” says Nick Valenti. “The flavors of Paris come through in the depth of his sauces and crackle of his roasts – he is a rare culinary talent.”
“I believe in taking beautiful flavors and classic techniques, treating each dish with a fresh perspective,” says Deletrain.
Featuring original artwork by artists such as Matisse, Picasso, and Léger, the restaurant is a stylish embodiment of a bustling French brasserie. It features a grand, sweeping, spiral staircase leading guests into a sophisticated dining room fit with white tablecloths. The curved bar and lounge serve as a popular after-work spot for business locals and destination diners alike.
The Parisian-born, Italian-raised Deletrain takes his place at the helm of the kitchen following extensive experience working in Manhattan restaurants, including The Four Seasons, The Sea Grill, Tropica, Café Centro, and Patroon, where he earned three stars from The New York Times. For the upcoming autumn months at Brasserie 8 ½, Chef Deletrain plans to share his passion for game meats, with a menu of comforting classics featuring pheasant, venison, wild boar, and quail. He is continuing the restaurant’s popular Sunday Brunch Buffet, with crêpe, omelette, salad, carving, and pastry stations,
To accompany the menus, the restaurant will soon debut a new cocktail program with a focus on French libations. With the shift in focus, the interior of the restaurant has also been updated with refurbished private event rooms. Outfitted with sleek new furnishings, these can be configured for dinner parties as well as standing cocktail receptions. New artwork decorates the walls of the rooms, among them an original Marco Del Re painting.
