Amy Sacco has been called the queen of New York nightlife. After working at Bouley, Jean Georges, and Vong, she opened the Chelsea club Lot 61 in 1998, and managed to keep it hip for years in a city that crowns a new hotspot every few months. Next she opened the exclusive lounge Bungalow 8, and four years later it remains a favorite for celebrity-filled after-parties. Her newest spot, Bette, is a Chelsea restaurant named after her mother.
What do you start with when planning a new space?
I first think of the main idea of what I want to do. I usually have a concept before looking for a space. Basically, when I walk in, the first thing is tearing it down to its bones and analyzing what’s left that could be salvageable, that would be part of the decor. From there, we sit around and do the schematic drawing of how things will fit.
What makes a venue work well for events?
Not all of us can afford to do this, but superior bathrooms, enough bar space so you can really access and serve cocktails quickly—making sure everyone is able to get a drink as soon as they walk in. Same with food; you want the layout to have a flow to it.So you have to think about where to put a buffet—is there room to put a buffet? How many people will you seat? It’s a thought process whether to put tables in the center or sides, and their proximity to kitchen.
You’re currently renovating Lot 61. What are you planning to do with the space?
We’re renovating to use it as an event space before I turn it into something else, for timing reasons. It’s going to be a big white box that you can do anything you want with, aside from having a bonfire. It’s such an amazing space because it’s ground floor, it has easy load-in and load-out, and a lot of bathrooms.
What do you consider the most important.phpect of a club or restaurant?
The most important part is service. The rest is atmosphere and music, and how you handle the door has to be a priority. In a restaurant, food is number one. Food and service go hand in hand, but the food has to be good. It always amazes me how many mediocre restaurants last forever.
After your success in New York, would you ever open anything in your native New Jersey?
Never. I’d rather die.
You’re known for being very fashion-savvy. Does your love of clothing influence the decor of your spaces?
Yes. I have the image of a woman for Bette, not just my mother. My mother is an amazing woman. Bette is a term for a sexy girl. We did the chairs with a Chanel fabric. It is feminine, but not so over-the-top that you can’t do business in there. It’s a happy medium.
Did you ask your mom about the decor of the restaurant named after her?
My mom helps me by giving me lots of love. The decor is all me, but I have a team of people. I go in with a vision, a very specific vision, and they put their two cents in.
You seem pretty loyal to the designers you’ve worked with in the past. What about their creations makes you keep using them?
I think when you understand and know someone very well, it’s very easy to work with them. You can skip some of the process, which includes a lot of time and effort trying to figure out what to do. If someone knows your taste and understands you, you don’t have to speak to understand each other. You have a kind of mental telepathy with them.
What are your favorite event spaces aside from your own?
Cipriani 42nd Street is amazing and really good for events. Milk Studios. I’m going to the Intrepid tonight for a premiere. Central Park. And I love that they use the Supreme Court House for the Tribeca Film Festival.
—Alisandra Puliti
Photos: Frank Oudeman (Bette), Peter Hunt (Sacco)
Posted 10.17.05
What do you start with when planning a new space?
I first think of the main idea of what I want to do. I usually have a concept before looking for a space. Basically, when I walk in, the first thing is tearing it down to its bones and analyzing what’s left that could be salvageable, that would be part of the decor. From there, we sit around and do the schematic drawing of how things will fit.
What makes a venue work well for events?
Not all of us can afford to do this, but superior bathrooms, enough bar space so you can really access and serve cocktails quickly—making sure everyone is able to get a drink as soon as they walk in. Same with food; you want the layout to have a flow to it.So you have to think about where to put a buffet—is there room to put a buffet? How many people will you seat? It’s a thought process whether to put tables in the center or sides, and their proximity to kitchen.
You’re currently renovating Lot 61. What are you planning to do with the space?
We’re renovating to use it as an event space before I turn it into something else, for timing reasons. It’s going to be a big white box that you can do anything you want with, aside from having a bonfire. It’s such an amazing space because it’s ground floor, it has easy load-in and load-out, and a lot of bathrooms.
What do you consider the most important.phpect of a club or restaurant?
The most important part is service. The rest is atmosphere and music, and how you handle the door has to be a priority. In a restaurant, food is number one. Food and service go hand in hand, but the food has to be good. It always amazes me how many mediocre restaurants last forever.
After your success in New York, would you ever open anything in your native New Jersey?
Never. I’d rather die.
You’re known for being very fashion-savvy. Does your love of clothing influence the decor of your spaces?
Yes. I have the image of a woman for Bette, not just my mother. My mother is an amazing woman. Bette is a term for a sexy girl. We did the chairs with a Chanel fabric. It is feminine, but not so over-the-top that you can’t do business in there. It’s a happy medium.
Did you ask your mom about the decor of the restaurant named after her?
My mom helps me by giving me lots of love. The decor is all me, but I have a team of people. I go in with a vision, a very specific vision, and they put their two cents in.
You seem pretty loyal to the designers you’ve worked with in the past. What about their creations makes you keep using them?
I think when you understand and know someone very well, it’s very easy to work with them. You can skip some of the process, which includes a lot of time and effort trying to figure out what to do. If someone knows your taste and understands you, you don’t have to speak to understand each other. You have a kind of mental telepathy with them.
What are your favorite event spaces aside from your own?
Cipriani 42nd Street is amazing and really good for events. Milk Studios. I’m going to the Intrepid tonight for a premiere. Central Park. And I love that they use the Supreme Court House for the Tribeca Film Festival.
—Alisandra Puliti
Photos: Frank Oudeman (Bette), Peter Hunt (Sacco)
Posted 10.17.05
Bette
