The Vision

Early October abundance. An intimate celebration with food built around love, connection and joy.

This event centers on a relaxed, celebratory atmosphere with layered service moments: light passed bites on arrival, then a seated dinner built around peak-season fall vegetables and proteins, followed by a dessert experience that stretches into the evening with pie, smores around the bonfire. Every element is designed to move guests naturally through the evening, with warm beverages punctuating the evening.

About Russell Markus

Chef. Curator. Sourcing obsessive.

Russell Markus founded Essential Herbs to bring chef-led rigor to private events. Every menu is built from his understanding of what's at peak season, who grew it, and how to honor those ingredients. He approaches each event as a full production - menus are never recycled, service is never generic, and the sourcing philosophy is non-negotiable.

Russell maintains direct relationships with farmers across the Northeast. He visits farmers markets weekly, builds seasonal menus around what's abundant, and ensures every dollar spent on ingredients flows back to the people who grow them. This approach takes more time. It costs more. It's also the only way he knows how to work.

Your Chef de Cuisine for the Evening

Emma Lutteral

Emma Lutteral is a New York-based chef originally from Argentina, with experience cooking across private events, high-end catering, and acclaimed restaurant kitchens — including AbcV by Jean-Georges and Tokyo Record Bar.

Her cooking is grounded in real ingredients, global technique, and a deep commitment to responsible sourcing. Drawing on fermentation, preservation, and culinary traditions from Argentina, Japan, the Middle East, and beyond, she builds menus with a bold, layered palate — tangy, earthy, spicy, acidic — where vegetables are never a side thought.

Whether cooking for an intimate dinner or a multi-course feast, Emma brings the same precision and intention to every table.

For this event, Emma leads the kitchen as head chef while Russell collaborates on menu development, sourcing, and logistical support. This partnership ensures both culinary excellence and seamless execution across all operational details.

Sourcing Philosophy

Seasonal. Ethical. Direct.

All produce sourced within 250 miles of Brooklyn at peak season. Chef Russell maintains direct relationships with growers, ensuring ingredients are harvested days before the event. This approach delivers three benefits: maximum freshness and flavor, environmental integrity through minimal transportation, and fair compensation that allows farmers to maintain their teams and economies.

Proposed Menu

Service Timeline & Menu

Beverage Program

Warm & Welcoming Throughout the Evening

Staffing & Service

Full Service Team

Emma Lutteral leads the kitchen and oversees all service execution. Front-of-house and bar teams ensure seamless transitions between service moments. Your FOH will be lead by Rebecca Forman, formerly of Manor Rock (Hudson, NY), a farm-to-table dining concept restaurant which focused on regenerative agricultural practices. Your bar will be lead by Jamie Johnson, formerly of Public Records (Brooklyn, NY).

Investment

Note on Alcohol & Bar Operations: The Rechler family will provide all spirits, wine, and beer. Essential Herbs provides comprehensive bar operations: 3 bartenders, 2 barbacks, all mixing, setup, ice, service, and coordination throughout the evening. Kitchen build fee covers only onsite kitchen set up. Transportation includes staff arrival/departure logistics. Pricing scales proportionally with headcount above 60 guests.

Next Steps after deposit made and date secured

Payment Methods