NRN names Tihany Innovator of Year

Nation's Restaurant News, May 31, 1999 by Adam Tihany

DALLAS -- Nation's Restaurant News has selected Adam D. Tihany, widely acknowledged as one of the pre-eminent restaurant designers in the world, with more than 65 projects to his credit, as its 1999 Innovator Award winner.

Tihany's attention to detail is apparent in some of the most renowned dining establishments, such as Le Cirque 2000 and Jean Georges in New York City, Spago in Chicago and Gundel in Budapest.

"The creativity Mr. Tihany brings to dining ambience has added immeasurably to the enjoyment of millions of restaurantgoers," said Alan Gould, publisher of NRN. "We're proud to recognize his contributions to our industry with this award."

The 51-year-old designer will be honored during the 40th Annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators Conference, to beheld here Sept. 12-15. Pepsi-Cola Co. is sponsoring the Innovator Award.

Charlie Palmer, owner of Aureole Restaurants in New York and Las Vegas, said: "What sets Adam apart from other designers is that he is very aware of the many food trends in this country today He is a visionary with a great understanding of the evolving dining scene."

Born in Transylvania, Romania, in 1948, Tihany was raised in Israel and schooled in Milan, Italy. He apprenticed with design studios across Europe, gaining experience in furniture, lighting, product and interior design. But his heart was always set on living in America.

"If you really wanted to make it, you came to the U.S., where the roads are paved with gold," he said with a laugh.

Tihany's opportunity came in the mid-1970s when Italian design became popular and was introduced in the United States with an exhibit at the Museum of Modem Art in New York. Afterward several American firms came to Italy, looking for designers. One of them -- Environmental Research and Development -- visited the company where Tihany worked, hoping to import a designer to operate a small branch studio that would create things with an Italian flair.

"They asked if anyone was interested," said Tihany wryly. "I was at the door with my luggage, saying, 'Oh, I just happened to have my bags packed.'"

He arrived in the United States in 1976. After doing a variety of projects for the company studio, he saved enough money to open his own multidisciplined design studio in 1978. He's been there ever since as Adam D. Tihany International Inc.

Tihany entered restaurant business by accident. "I was designing some clubs in the early 1980s. One of the principals wanted to open a restaurant and asked if I was interested," Tihany recalled. "It was La Coupole on Park Avenue South, which became one of the first grand cafes in New York."

As Tihany tells it: "I basically got hooked on restaurants. I like all aspects of design, not just one niche, and restaurants encompass everything from architecture, space planning, lighting and furniture, down to china, silver, glass, graphics and fashion."

He appreciates the opportunities that have come his way: "It's really quite thrilling that operators will allow you to create a variety of things that in the end spell consistency."

From that first venture with La Coupole, Tihany has amassed a design portfolio that reads like a Who's Who in fine dining. Some of his projects include Aureole in Las Vegas; Bice restaurants worldwide; Spago in Las Vegas, Mexico City and Palo Alto, Calif., for Wolfgang Puck; and Biba and Pignoli for Chef Lydia Shire in Boston.

In addition to restaurant design, Tihany recently completed a spectacular renovation of the historic King David Hotel in Jerusalem. Current projects include the new Domus Sign of the Dove restaurant in New York; a villa resort complex on the island of Nevis; the forthcoming Disney Wonder Cruise Ship; a boutique hotel in New York called The Time; and a new Wolfgang Puck concept in Las Vegas, Trattoria del Lupo.