Rachel Wong
Lower East Side, Manhattan
Nestled at the base of NYC still-newish golden child Nine Orchard, Corner Bar is a complete ode to traditional bistro dining, though their extensive selection of domestic wines up the ante there. We blew in on a snowy Wednesday to chat with GM Rachel Wong over her favorite meal: The Nine Orchard burger served at Swan Room, delivered swiftly to the counter for us to experience with a side of fries and wine pairing. We spoke at length with Rachel on her upbringing, and the demanding but fulfilling nature of the food biz.
Full name, age, where are you from?
Rachel Wong, 30, Westchester, NY
What is your title and where do you work?
General Manager of Food and Beverage at Nine Orchard
Was food a big part of your upbringing?
Eating dinner as a family every night is one of my clearest and fondest childhood food memories. Not only were we sharing a meal together, dinnertime was a sacred hour where my brother and I would recount our time at school, and our parents would tell us about their days at work. Though we had a standard rotation of weeknight meals – from chicken to sloppy joe’s – white rice was a nonnegotiable on the table every night.
What are your earliest memories of dining out?
As a child, what signified a special occasion to me was not blowing out birthday candles or adults popping Champagne corks, but the dizzying spin of a lazy susan at our favorite Chinese restaurant. Adorned with endless dishes from chicken and corn soup, to shrimp mayonnaise and walnuts, to sweet and sour pork, special occasions were celebrated with thirty family members around a massive Chinese feast. Sometimes taking up half the restaurant, our biggest celebrations required two tables – one for the kids and the other for the adults.
If you could give a piece of advice to someone who wanted to pursue your career, what would it be?
It’s no secret that working in restaurants is demanding, but I’ve found that a penchant for hard work and a passion for hospitality motivate me to perform at a high level and create an enjoyable experience for our guests day in and day out. My biggest piece of advice is to find a culture you thrive in and a team you trust – especially when opening a restaurant. It is so important to build a strong foundation, and this starts with finding the right people.
What do you think working in this industry has taught you?
Working in this industry has taught me not only the fundamentals of running and operating a restaurant, but also the importance and value of cultivating personal relationships with both my team and our guests. To me, we’re not simply operating a restaurant, we are building a community. Ultimately, I ask myself, what brings people back to Nine Orchard? And every day I work to find that why.
What's your favorite drink or dish on the menu?
I cannot resist our Nine Orchard Burger served at Swan Room. I love caramelized onions on my burger, and the smoked-onion remoulade is next level. Add in briny pickles and melted cheddar, and you have one of the best burgers in NYC!
What is your favorite place to go out and eat at and what are you ordering?
I’m a big dessert person so you’ll see me often at Gramercy Tavern having Miro’s desserts. One that I can’t stop talking about is the chocolate pudding cake. It has the perfect balance of a warm cake and cold ice cream. It’s sweet and salty and just so delicious.
You’re on a desert island, what are the 5 kitchen items you need to run your business?
A very sharp knife, a cutting board, a microplane (for all the shaved coconut I’m going to make), a sauce pan, and some good butter.
