The celebrated Condé Nast cafeteria, a hotspot for editorial talent, is set to host its elite crowd again after quite a hiatus. It’s been years since Vogue staff enjoyed lunch in this iconic space.
For a decade, the vibrant hall, designed by Frank Gehry, became part of the Condé Nast lore, frequented by prominent figures like Anna Wintour, Graydon Carter, André Leon Talley, and Grace Coddington, among others, who graced the city’s fashionable scenes.
After the move to One World Trade Center in 2011, the cafeteria closed, only to be revitalized in 2017 alongside a law firm, Durst, now occupying the building.
Next week, however, Condé editors will gather again, shifting focus from the food to celebrate the launch of Michael M. Grimbaum’s book, “Elite of the Elite: Inside Condé Nast,” which touches on the legacy of this influential media dynasty.
Grimbaum recounts how, in 1999, the staff transitioned from their cozy Madison Avenue base to the sleek surroundings selected by owner Si Newhouse, who believed a striking cafeteria would make the change more appealing.
“The result was a cafeteria that became one of the most scrutinized and talked-about in the industry,” he reflects. He describes it vividly: “Blue titanium panels jutted out like dairy stones, framing lush spreads and creating nooks ripe for gossip.”
There’s an interesting detail he mentions: Condé adopted a mostly young female workforce who were quite mindful of their appearances. Gehry even added a warped mirror near the cafeteria exit, which made those passing by appear smaller and more slender.
Moreover, Grimbaum claims that garlic was banned from the kitchen simply because Si disliked it.
According to his estimates, the transformation could have set Condé back anywhere from $10 million to $30 million to fulfill Gehry’s avant-garde vision.
