Top New York City Chefs Mario Batali, Nobu Matsuhisa, and Eric Ripert Join Forces to Prepare a Private Dinner for Highest Bidder in Online Auction to Benefit The New York Public Library

Daniel Boulud, Tim Zagat and an Array of New York's Finest Restaurants Contribute Additional Items in the "Make Noise for the Library" Campaign

New York, NY, September 24, 2004 -- Lovers of fine dining can log on to www.nypl.org from October 13 through October 22 to bid on a series of special restaurant experiences in an auction benefiting The New York Public Library (NYPL). Sure to whet bidders' appetites is a lavish meal prepared by Mario Batali, Nobu Matsuhisa, and Eric Ripert. As part of the "Make Noise for the Library" campaign, the celebrated chefs of Babbo, Nobu, and Le Bernardin will whip up dinner for 12 in your own home -- provided you are the high bidder in the Library's online auction. This "Food Lover's Fantasy" is the grand prize of the auction, which will raise funds to buy books for NYPL's Branch Libraries. Daniel Boulud, Tim Zagat, and a broad array of New York's finest restaurants have also offered auction items that will be available. The online auction is powered by eBay but accessed through the Library's web site at www.nypl.org. The chefs and restaurants participating in the program are generously donating their time and services as a way of demonstrating their commitment to The New York Public Library and its users.

Restaurant auction items include:

1. "A Food Lover's Fantasy" - Team of Renowned Chefs Prepare Dinner in Your Home

The grand prize of the auction is a private dining extravaganza, a dinner for 12 prepared in the winner's home by three of the City's, and the nation's, most renowned chefs: Mario Batali (Babbo), Nobu Matsuhisa (Nobu) and Eric Ripert (Le Bernardin). Each chef will cook a different course for the meal. The date and time of the dinner will be coordinated with the chefs and their staffs. The dinner will take place in the winner's home or other location provided by the winner. The location will be limited to the New York metropolitan area (45-minute drive from Manhattan).


2. The Best of Boulud

Four-star Chef Daniel Boulud is offering a five-part prize of rare dining opportunities and merchandise as a stellar package for one winner:

  • Dinner for four with wine pairings in the "skybox" at Daniel (eight courses with selected wines)
  • Dessert and champagne for four in the lounge at Daniel
  • Lunch for four at Café Boulud (three courses with selected wines)
  • Lunch for four at DB Bistro Moderne (three courses with selected wines)
  • Set of five autographed cookbooks by Daniel Boulud


3. Tim Zagat's Private Restaurant Tour

Tim Zagat, Chairman and CEO of Zagat Survey will lead an auction winner and three guests on a very special dining tour of New York City's best restaurants. The winner will meet the chefs and try special dishes at each restaurant as Tim Zagat takes you personally behind the scenes to the kitchens of some of his favorite places to sample the best cuisine in town.


4. Dinner for Four.

Eleven of New York's finest restaurants have each generously offered a dinner for four that will be included in the auction.

  • Aquavit
  • Asia de Cuba
  • Barbutta
  • Haru
  • Michael's
  • Rainbow Room
  • Rao's
  • Strip House
  • Suba
  • Swifty's
  • Tocqueville


In addition, Carol's Café is offering four cooking lessons in lieu of dinner.


Mario Batali oversees multiple Italian dining establishments, including his flagship Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca. In 2002 Batali won the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef: New York City award, and he is also the host of popular food programs on the Food Network. Nobu Matsuhisa is proprietor of Matsuhisa in Los Angeles and of Nobu, the acclaimed New York restaurant with branches throughout the world. Chef Eric Ripert oversees the menu at Le Bernardin, which has been given a four-star rating by The New York Times and was named best restaurant in America by GQ. Daniel Boulud is the chef of Café Boulud, DB Bistro Moderne, and his much-heralded restaurant Daniel, which received a four-star rating from The New York Times in 2001. The "Make Noise for the Library" Restaurant Program was organized by a Restaurant Committee co-chaired by Ruth Reichl, editor of Gourmet magazine and Tim Zagat, Chairman and CEO of Zagat Survey.

"Make Noise for the Library" is the theme of the current phase of The New York Public Library's three-year Emergency Campaign begun last year to raise $18 million in private funds to protect core programs and services threatened by budget cuts. Donations are earmarked specifically to purchase the books necessary to keep the Library's shelves filled and up-to-date for its users. "Make Noise for the Library" encourages all New Yorkers to use and support the Library. The public is invited to "Make Noise" by visiting one of NYPL's 89 branch and research libraries, or by visiting www.nypl.org to make a donation.

To find out more about "Make Noise for the Library" and to make an online bid for a restaurant experience, visit www.nypl.org.

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Contact: Nancy Donner, Herb Scher, or Caroline Oyama, 212-704-8600.