Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Eating A Four Course Dinner On The Roof Of An Old Industrial Building
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 2, 2012
Modified Jul 2, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Jordan Seiler
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 2, 2012
Modified Jul 2, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
One of our favorite New Yorkers is Jeff Stark, an underground instigator of theatrical events that take place in secret, unauthorized locations. In the past, Stark has staged site-specific plays in crumbling old factories, subway tunnels, and inside moving trains. The protean Brooklynite also curates the indispensible Nonsense NYC event mailer, has a hand in the creative goings-on at Rubulad, and is known for hosting elaborate secret dinner parties in unusual locations. His latest culinary creation took place Saturday night, when he served a four-course dinner on the roof of a rusting industrial building somewhere in in Queens.
The guests were two people who commissioned the dinner as a reward for donating to a Rubulad Kickstarter campaign. The four hour affair was no easy feat: the guests and crew had to climb a long ladder to get to the roof, and Stark tells us, "To get to the location, which was near the Brooklyn-Queens border, we crossed train tracks and ducked through fences. The 60-foot ladder to the roof had a steel safety guard, which was certainly safer, but prevented us from carrying anything on the ladder. that meant that the first 30 minutes of the event we sent up the table, chairs, tripod, cooler, and food up a rope, hand over hand to the top floor."
Stark prepared the dinner for Tetsu Ohara and his wife Anja Olbrisch, who met at Rubulad, and this weekend they celebrated their third anniversary. "I was told what subway stop to go to," Ohara tells us. "And then Jeff asked me a series of questions, like 'Can you be alone in the dark?' and 'Can you handle heights?' I can't tell you where the dinner took place, but it was an old industrial area by a graveyard. It was incredible—like dining in a fine restaurant with beautiful music in the background and an incredible view of midtown."
The menu: Chilled zucchini soup with peppered croutons, white bean hummus bruschetta, zucchini and basil salad with toasted pine nuts and parmesan flakes, bay scallops on spinach and watercress with a citrus-sherry vinaigrette, and for dessert a chocolate mousse and strong black coffee. We're jealous! Stark occasionally organizes larger secret dinners with groups of 40 in unusual, off-limits locations—they're invite only, but we suggest subscribing to Nonsense NYC; you never know what you'll catch wind of.
Tagged
jeff stark
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Why NYC restaurants are playing coy about sustainability
Though it has multiple benefits, the practice remains popular for one basic reason: it saves money.
By
Samantha Dady
Published Oct 26, 2026
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .