Chef Camille Becerra is most known in New York City for former Soho seafood destination Navy and chic Nolita spot De Maria, but her cooking is also informed by her stints away from the city. The Top Chef star made meals for monks at a Zen monastery in New Mexico and created the menu at Tulum hotspot Casa Pueblo.
So it’s no surprise that the American traveler is the focus at Ace Hotel Brooklyn, where Becerra recently transformed the menu at its popular all-day restaurant As You Are. “When we travel, we need that nourishment,” Becerra says. “People really gravitate toward that.”
What that means is comfort fare with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. Think a creamy potato salad bursting with the freshest summer tomatoes. That’s just one of the thrilling reasons to dine at the Ace Hotel Brooklyn right now. Read on for the rest.
A career defined by embracing seasonal comfort food
Becerra has worked as a chef for more than 20 years and showcasing fresh produce has always been at the forefront. While at the monastery in New Mexico, she used ingredients from the garden on site. At Navy, all of the produce came from a co-op that works with 100 small farms in Pennsylvania. Plus, Becerra honed her skills at East Village vegetarian pioneer Angelica Kitchen.
Becerra’s love for vegetables is best embodied by her Buddha bowls, a dish she’s carried through several of her restaurants. At the Ace Hotel, the colorful, hearty creation has roasted carrots, beans, and kale with the option of adding a poached egg, avocado, and chicken.
Next up, Becerra will launch her first cookbook, Bright Cooking, in the spring of 2024.
Exciting dishes served all day
Ace Hotels are known for their vibrant, buzzing lobby culture, and Becerra’s celebrates that with dishes that can be eaten anywhere and at any time of the day. One such highlight is the chicken soup studded with housemade SpaghettiOs that’s available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. “The whole menu is based on classics,” Becerra says. “A menu that changes with the seasons with products that we are able to get.”
The Hippie sandwich, a take on California veggie sandwiches, is another favorite and envelopes pickled cabbage, cheddar, and sprouts with spicy aioli and whole wheat bread.
Speaking of bread, here’s a hot tip: As You Are does a weekly Saturday bread drop, when you can choose from fluffy focaccia, massive English muffins, and more.
A slate of events to keep coming back for
A test kitchen is one of the distinctive features of the Brooklyn Ace Hotel, and the team goes all out with cooking demos and guest chef events. Next up is a soy sauce-making class and tasting led by Japanese condiments company Cabi later this month. Stay tuned for a hand roll sushi workshop in January.
As You Are is open daily for breakfast from 7:30 am to 11 am, for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 am to 3pm, and for dinner Sunday through Wednesday from 5:30 pm to 10 pm and Thursday through Saturday from 5:30 pm to 11 pm. The bakery is open daily from 7 am to 2 pm, and brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays from 7:30 am to 3 pm.
Tanay Warerkar is OpenTable’s NYC writer and a content marketing manager.
