Suzanne Cupps, Chef & Owner of Lola’s

Meet Suzanne Cupps, chef and owner of Lola’s, the pan-Asian and southern restaurant located at 2 West 28th Street in NoMad.

1. Lola’s combines pan-Asian and southern influences paying tribute to your diverse culinary journey and of growing up in Aiken, South Carolina. Tell us more.
I wanted Lola’s to honor my family, and to combine my southern upbringing with my interest in many Asian flavors and techniques. My father is Filipino, and we moved to SC when I was young. I went to middle and high school in Aiken and then went to college at Clemson. After graduation, I moved to NYC where my interest in food developed. I began cooking and got my first line cook position at Annisa. The chef/owner, Anita Lo, was Chinese-American, my sous chef was Japanese, the cook to my right was Tawainese and to my left was Filipino. For family meal, they would all make such delicious traditional dishes and I got excited to learn more about Asian cuisine. As I progressed in my career, I’ve continued to be drawn to Asian cuisine, and recently started cooking with more ingredients from the south as well. The concept of Lola’s doesn’t really mash up the two, but more weaves influences of both into the menu, using seasonal produce and carefully sourced ingredients as the star of the dishes.

2. You have worked at several celebrated New York City restaurants, including Annisa, Gramercy Tavern, Untitled at the Whitney, and 232 Bleecker. You became the first female Executive Chef at Union Square Hospitality Group in 2017. What lessons have you taken away from these defining career moments?

I’ve had the opportunity to work in great NYC kitchens and learn from strong mentors. They taught me how to build and inspire a team, how to connect with guests even from the kitchen, and how much drive it takes to run a restaurant everyday. They showed me the importance of knowing where your food comes from and building relationships with those who grow or curate it.

3. You earned a BA in Math from Clemson University before moving to NYC. What led you to pursue a career in culinary arts?

When I moved to NYC, I was unsure of my career path. I was placed by a temp agency at the Waldorf Astoria, in human resources. It was my first job in hospitality. About a year into the position, my boss said they needed help in the hotel’s steakhouse, and I volunteered to work a couple nights a week in the dining room. I immediately liked the fast-paced and lively atmosphere, and thought I’d possibly go into restaurant management. Through a series of interactions with friends, I shifted my gaze to the kitchen instead of the dining room and have not looked back.

4. What are your menu recommendations at Lola’s?
Some of my favorites on our current winter menu:
Pimento cheese toast, bacon jam, pickled jalapeno. Roasted oysters, scallion kimchi, apple mignonette. Seafood chowder, shrimp + crab, celery root soup. Stir fry egg noodles, Japanese curry, chilled bok choy.

5. When developing a new dish, what are you passionate about in its creation? Where do you draw inspiration from?
The heart of Lola’s menu is sourcing. Much of my creativity comes from discovering great vegetables at the Union Square Greenmarket or an interesting grain or dried spice that I may have tasted for the first time.

6. When you’re not at Lola’s, how do you like to spend your time in Flatiron & NoMad? What do you love most about these vibrant communities?
The whole area is lovely to walk around. I like to grab a matcha and explore, maybe pop into a few shops and then get a snack or lunch. If I have time (and it’s nice out!), I’ll sit in the park or outdoor seating.

7. Finally, choose three words to describe Flatiron & NoMad.
Diverse, bustling, convenient.

Header & Thumbnail Photo Credit: Lola’s