Is This The Most Exclusive Dining Experience In All Of New York?

New York and fine dining go hand-in-hand. In fact, the city is home to more high-end culinary outposts than perhaps any other place on the planet. But Exclusive Resorts has found a way to tap into that sea of talent while providing a bespoke experience you literally can’t find anywhere else. They’re transporting chefs from Michelin-starred kitchens directly to your own private residence.

The members-only vacation club works with roughly 400 properties across the globe, affording access to fully-furnished luxury apartments at a flat rate of $1,395 per day—regardless of season. The company was started in 2002 with funding from former AOL founder Steve Case, who now serves as its chairman. Think of the service as a premium alternative to VRBO. For example, you can work with their team of concierges to curate private dining experiences at just about any of their locations.

In New York, however, it’s a little more formalized. Exclusive Resorts operate out of Park Avenue Place, just south of Billionaire’s Row in Midtown Manhattan. And it is here that members will get to enjoy the newly launched dining concept, the result of a partnership with a locally based startup known as Resident.

As the name implies, Resident specializes in rendering a white tablecloth restaurant experience within a residential space. Springing up during the pandemic to allow the comfortable trappings of such while maintaining social distance, the company caters to what it calls “a new era of hospitality.”

According to its website:

“Resident events take place in distinctive, luxury spaces across NYC. Current venues include the private terrace of a penthouse with sweeping views of FiDi, a secret multi-million dollar mansion in the East Village, and a chic SoHo loft.”

At Exclusive Resorts, it assumes the form of Michelin-trained chefs who design customized tasting menus to be plated in your dining room overlooking Park Avenue. Prepping it all in a neighboring ghost kitchen, they are accompanied by a sommelier, both arriving intermittently throughout the coursing to explain each plate and its associated wine. Members can even work with the culinary team to customize individual offerings as they see fit.

The VIP restaurant experience is yours to own for the evening for the price of $2000. If this is enough to induce sticker shock, take solace in the fact that you’re allowed a total of eight diners. That’s $250 per head, for a multi-course Michelin-caliber meal including wine pairings. In other words, a bargain by New York standards.

Although this level of luxury is not attainable by all, for those with the money to spend it’s a great way to ease back into the feel of pre-pandemic life. Particularly if they’re still a little wary of diving headfirst into crowded public spaces. The partnership between Exclusive Resorts and Resident is also doing its own part to help hospitality most affected by Covid-related shutdowns: a portion of their proceeds benefit the James Beard Foundation’s Open For Good campaign, helping independent restaurants keep the lights on. That’s something we can all savor.