Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Hops, Sour Cherry Trees And Kale Growing On Waldorf Astoria Rooftop
By
Nell Casey
Published Jun 7, 2013
Modified Jun 7, 2013
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 .
Courtesy Waldorf Astoria
View all 7
By
Nell Casey
Published Jun 7, 2013
Modified Jun 7, 2013
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
The honeybee hives atop the Waldorf Astoria hotel don't have to travel far for their pollen sources. The iconic hotel made good on a promise to open a chef's garden in the bees' backyard, which they unveiled at a media event this week. The hotel has installed nine raised plantings beds on a 20th Floor rooftop space in addition to several large planters with a few kinds of fruit trees.
The bounty from the garden has already been incorporated into dishes at the hotel's restaurants and bars, including their Sunday Brunches at Peacock Alley. Chef De Cuisine Matt Schindler used up massive amounts of kale last weekend and looks forward to harvesting the carrots, which have already begun to peek through the soil. Edible flowers, various strains of thyme and other herbs, and lots of lettuces fill out many of the plantings. A row of apple trees are growing quickly but won't bear fruit until at least next year, but plump tomatoes can already be seen on the trellis along one wall.
Tim Gunn, filling in for Bette Midler as ambassador from the New York Restoration Project, helped to plant one of two sour cherry trees, whose yield will find a home as garnish in the hotel's version of a Manhattan cocktail. The rooftop trees count towards the Project's MillionTreesNYC initiative, which seeks to plant one million new trees throughout New York City by 2017. George Pisegna, Director of Horticulture and Public Programs at The Hort, designed and planted the garden and will maintain it through the seasons.
The garden can be viewed on one of the hotel's Historic Tours, which take place on Thursdays and Saturdays. Call the reservations desk at (212) 872-1275 to reserve a spot on a tour—stylish celebrity appearances not guaranteed.
Tagged
milliontreesnyc
new york restoration project
rooftop gardens
tim gunn
waldorf astoria
original
Nell Casey
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
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 .