Danny Meyer

Perhaps no restaurateur has had more influence over New York City’s dining scene in the past 40 years than Danny Meyer. When he opened his first restaurant, Union Square Cafe, in 1985 at the age of 27, he helped usher in the greenmarket-driven farm-to-table ethos that’s still going strong. His fine-dining gem Gramercy Tavern remains one of New York’s most refined restaurants, and then there’s a little roadside burger chain that he started: Shake Shack.

Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group comprises some of New York’s most beloved and acclaimed restaurants. USHG also offers large-scale event services, foodservice solutions for public and private institutions, industry consulting, and educational programming. Together, Meyer and USHG’s restaurants and individuals have won an unprecedented 28 James Beard Awards, including Outstanding Restaurateur (2005) and Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America (1996).