Painting, Food and Film

"Food is our common ground, a universal experience"
-MFK Fisher

This week three of my greatest enjoyments come together in a rich mix: painting, food and film.

Opening this week in New York State is a brand new restaurant headed by Executive Chef Chris Brandt, and Sushi Chef Satoshi Yamaguchi. My painting Silk was commissioned for the space. Also this week, the film La Cucina, in which a number of my paintings are featured, is being shown on Showtime. The Blu Ray is on pre sale at Amazon and the Dvd is available at Turner Classic Movies. The film stars Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Joaquim de Almeida (24), Leisha Hailey (The L Word), Rachel Hunter (Supermodel), Clare Carey (Crash), Oz Perkins (Star Trek), Michael Cornacchia (Hannah Montana), Kala Savage (8 Simple Rules), Cinematography by Alan Caudillo (Day Without a Mexican), and Ian Ball (Gomez) scores the film.


Gregg Chadwick
Silk
7'x5' oil on linen 2009
Executive Chef Chris Brandt, and Sushi Chef Satoshi Yamaguchi open Next Door Bar & Grill in Pittsford (near Rochester), New York on December 11, 2009. My painting Silk graces the walls.

“We set out to create a restaurant that would be very approachable, comfortable, easy to love, and would inspire guests to relax and have fun,” says Stency Wegman, the restaurant’s interior designer. “It’s the kind of restaurant where you’ll fit right in whether you’re in a pair of jeans or a business suit.”

Executive Chef Chris Brandt agrees: “I like to describe it as a fun place with great food. We will serve amazing food in a relaxed way that puts everyone at ease.”

Reservations at:
Next Door Bar & Grill, Pittsford, New York


Still From La Cucina
Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) and Joaquim de Almeida (24) discuss life over a bottle of wine. My painting, for the opera Saint of Bleecker Street, hangs on the rear wall.


Gregg Chadwick
Ghost of New Orleans
48"x36" oil on linen 2006
featured in the film La Cucina

Below is the link for the trailer:
La Cucina on Anthem Pictures
La Cucina on Facebook

I send my holiday thoughts out to all of my collaborators in these projects: Alan Caudillo, Allison Wilke, Zed Starkovich, Stency Wegman, chef Chris Brandt, chef Satoshi Yamaguchi, and to my Market Street neighbors chef and sommelier Nicole Christensen, Danny Massingale and chef Stephen Gibbs who have taught me so much about food and life. Hope all of you have great meals with friends and family as we move into the New Year.

* Link to a great photo of Chef Caruso at Next Door Bar & Grill by photographer Grant Taylor
Daniel Caruso at Next Door Bar & Grill


Gregg Chadwick and Chef Thomas Keller