Say ‘Oui’ to French Restaurant Brasserie D

Chef Alain Eigenman is obsessed with food. On Thursdays, he goes to the farmer’s market to buy supplies for the weekend and is back again on Sundays to purchase for the early week. “I base all my garnish, all my vegetables, my salad, my sauce, it is all based on the farmers market”, Eigenman says, his French accent ebbing and flowing with the jazz music that plays softly behind him.

Because of his commitment to fresh ingredients, Eigenman does not suffer the American mindset of having everything available at once. “I buy what I need. If I’m out, I’m out,” he says. He even tells stories of tossing ingredients he felt did not live up to his standards. This dedication to quality does not make him inflexible, however. Eigenman says that chefs must be willing to be creative, providing an example of an omelet. Even though Eigenman does not have omelets on his brunch menu, he says “Guess what? You have eggs, you have a saute pan, you have a spatula – you can make an omelet”. He is not interested in teaching customers a lesson or staying fixed to his menu. If he can, he will. If he can’t, he won’t. 

Eigenman’s commitment to quality ingredients and creativity is best exemplified through the restaurant’s rotating seasonal menu. “I love to stop eating certain vegetables and come back to them when it’s ready”, he says, laughing about how soon he will not even want to see a tomato. As the leaves begin to fall and the tomatoes fade from the menu, Eigenman looks forward to his take on Oktoberfest and a Wild Game Month. These events will feature ingredients such as imported sausage from Germany and wild game from Scotland.

Chef Alain Eigenman is a chef in the truest sense of the word, one whose experience spans from sixteen seat bistros to two star Michelin restaurants. Eigenman says that while he loves being creative in the kitchen, his interactions with his guests remains his favorite aspect of being a restaurateur. “I sit with 99% of my customers. I will take two minutes or three, sometimes a half hour of my time to sit down and just interact with them”. 

Eigenman says that twenty years ago, a guest would never see a chef come out and interact with diners, but now people are impressed by the appearance. “[The guests] love the fact that the chef comes out, talks to them, cooks for them, [and] is present on the floor… They want to be able to see the plate and see the person who makes the plate”. Due in part to the growth of cooking based media like The Bear, Top Chef, Chopped, or even crowd favorite Ratatouille, the character of a chef has become “…almost like an icon”, says Eigenman. It becomes a memorable experience when guests have the opportunity to interact with the chef involved in the creation of the meal.

While walking down the bustling Nyack Main Streets, guests should follow the lilting sounds of French jazz and look for a white chef’s coat bustling around. Stop for a glass of wine and enjoy the meal knowing that a fresh French meal is available for a fraction of the cost of a French airline. Peruse the menu at brasseriednyack.com or call 845-353-2191 for reservations.