SERENADE
POTATOGNOCCHI WITH FENNEL CONFIT
GRILLED OCTOPUS WITH WARM POTATO SALAD AND BLACK OLIVE COULIS
NANCY SHERIDAN LAIRD, CO-OWNER, AND HER HUSBAND JAMES LAIRD, CHEF AND CO-OWNER
Chatham
SERENADE
6ROOSEVELTAVENUE,( 973) 701-0303 RESTAURANTSERENADE. COM
yhpt
Celebrating 20 Years at Serenade
Serenely serving delicious food in Chatham
WRITTEN BY JO VARNISH PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE-MARIE CARUSO
When Chef James Laird and his wife and partner Nancy Sheridan Laird opened Serenade in 1996, their concept was clear. They would draw inspiration from James’ sexperience working in fine restaurants such as Georges Blanc and Restaurant Pic in France, and develop their menus on locally sourced, seasonal items.“ Now it is in style,” says James,“ now there is a name for it, Farm to Table, but that is what has been done inEurope for a hundred years.”
That concept still works: The restaurant celebrated its 20th anniversary inOctober with two parties – one for their employees and their families, and one for customers who have been with them for along time.
The couple continues todeftly hone their cooking and operating skills, working the front and the back of the house quietly and successfully. Both are trained chefs; Nancy also worked on Wall Street in the mergers and acquisitions group at Kidder Peabody, and as the development director for Ballet Hispanico, an off Broadway theater company. She changed direction in 1993, and went to study atthe Culinary Institute of America. During her internship at the Ryland Inn, she met James, who was working as sous chef. Twoyears later, they married. Also agraduate of the Culinary Institute of America, James began his ascent in the culinary world at age fourteen, when he got ajob sweeping the parking lot at an eatery near his home in Middlesex, NJ.“ We had both worked in the restaurant business, and we wanted to make it our life together,” says James. They fell in love with Serenade’ slocation, and decided to stay in their native state of New Jersey.
The food at Serenade is exquisite; James’ s commitment to seasonality remains paramount to the menu. The pumpkin soup appetizer, prepared with chestnuts, apples and chives, is delicious and contains no cream so is surprisingly low in calories. Standout entrees include the lamb duo, a combination of grilled porterhouse and roasted rack, and tuna, served with coconut sticky rice, avocado, shiitake
mushrooms and ginger vinaigrette.“ James is known for his light touch; there is very little butter apart from the desserts,” says Nancy.“ It is a way of eating that doesn’ t harm you.” The restaurant is famous for its tomato bisque, lobster bisque and lobster chowder, fish preparation( scallops at lunch, organic salmon at lunch and dinner, and sea bass at dinner) and salads, for which the Lairds use lettuce from their own garden. Nancy’ s favorite salad is made with romaine, endive, arugula and tomatoes. It is served with a sherry vinaigrette and is fittingly named for her. As for desserts, James has his favorite: The warm brownie with house made ice cream and chocolate sauce.
Serenade has weathered a deep recession and, twenty years after its doors first opened, is busier than ever.“ We always did this for the love of the food and not the money. Iwas raised to work for passion,” says James. Adds Nancy,“ Seeing the customers come in every night is the most exciting part, and knowing we have established something that is a permanent part of this community.” ■
MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE SPRING 2017
53