Chef Spotlight with Preston Clark
For more than a decade he's shaped the iconic Lure Fishbar and now Bar Mercer
Being the executive chef at an iconic restaurant in New York City is a daunting task that requires endless hours, nonstop dedication, and a nearly superhuman ability to multi-task.
For more than a decade, Preston Clark has done just that at the iconic Soho favorite, Lure Fishbar. Now, Clark has taken on the task of helming the kitchen at a second restaurant: Bar Mercer, the West Houston Street restaurant that opened just a month ago in the former Bar Tulix space. Mercer Street Hospitality owns both restaurants.
Clark says he created a menu at Bar Mercer that speaks to how people like to eat. “It’s a neighborhood spot, so the menu is approachable. I wanted to create dishes that I like to eat. I wanted to create a craving.”
The chef has succeeded.
The menu reads like a list of favorites like a grilled pork chop with mushroom and cipollini white wine sauce, a filet au poivre with peppercorn sauce, a proper burger (with American cheese), and the “hangover pasta”, a comforting bowl of chitarra, ham, bacon, and a sunny side egg. “I’m a little more out of the box from Lure, because I don’t have to stick to a predominantly seafood menu. It’s fun for me to do a chicken liver mousse or a sliced ribeye on the blackboard,” he says.
The restaurant is also causing a sensation with its mini pigs in a blanket — a modern rendition of a retro classic cocktail party snack that is the ideal companion to a pre-dinner martini.
Clark says his inspiration came from English Pubs mixed with a classic New York hotspot with a close, personal connection: The Odeon — a restaurant that his father, Patrick Clark, the first Black chef in the U.S. to win a James Beard award, helped open with restaurateur Keith McNally back in 1981.
The elder Clark, whose career included helming the kitchen at Tavern on the Green, helped forge Patrick’s career from a young age. “My father would take me to work with him when I was young. I decided to be a chef when I was 13 or 14.” One of Clark’s first jobs was at Tavern under the guidance of his dad. Though the Lure and Bar Mercer chef lost his father nearly 20 years ago, he continues to be the driving force in Patrick’s career.
As executive chef of Lure Fishbar, Clark has placed his mark on another iconic New York establishment. “I’ve been there so long, I feel like it’s mine,” he says of the SoHo seafood house. In a city where dozens of restaurants open daily, Clark says the secret to success lies in simply making guests happy. “There are so many flash-in-the-pan restaurants that people never return to. I want people to enjoy the restaurant so much they return. That’s the key to longevity.”
Clark says being a chef is satisfying not only for the food but for the community building. “We’re able to provide jobs and be a part of the fabric of the city. I can help by teaching people a skill. If you’re able to change the life trajectory of a few people, that’s being successful.”
With leading two restaurants in Manhattan, Clark says the only challenge is trying to make room to try out other restaurants to stay current on dining trends. He admits to eating at home a lot with his son but says he makes time for a few favorites, like sister restaurant, Cha Cha Tang for the roasted duck and dumplings by chef Doron Wong. “I love how clean the food eats,” he says.
You might also find Clark at Bar Mercer on his days off. “I like to eat there to make sure the chefs are executing the dishes properly. Plus, I love the menu,” he confesses.