A celebration for my 10-year hard working employees!

January 19, 2010

A celebration for my 10-year hard working employees!

Last week, I hosted a celebration for all of the employees who have worked in my business for ten or more years. The last time we did this was two years ago and I am so surprised that this year, there are thirty new inductees in this most honorable group, making a grand total of eighty-six! Frankly, it astonishes me that I have been so fortunate to have worked with so many amazingly talented and loyal individuals for so many years. This year's party was held at Co., Jim Lahey's, (Sullivan Street Bakery) pizza restaurant located at 230 Ninth Avenue at 24th Street in Manhattan. You may remember seeing Jim on my television show. He has become rather famous for his no-knead bread and I simply love eating whatever comes out of his oven. Please enjoy these photos and thank you again, to all of these superb employees for all of your hard work and for upholding the integrity of the Martha Stewart brand.

: Toasts topped with delicious pinto beans

: Toasts topped with roasted spaghetti squash and ricotta

: Toasts with roasted eggplant

: And toasts with Broccoli rabe and ricotta

: At 6PM sharp, guests began to arrive. This is the bar area of the restaurant.

: This sign was posted on the front door. The restaurant was closed to the public for the two hours of our party, reopening again at 8PM.

: The exterior of Co. with the Empire State Building shining proudly in the background.

: John Barricelli

: In addition to pizza, the menu also features ‘toasts.’ Here is a tray of toasts topped with Swiss chard and ricotta.

: Pizza with sausage and onions

: The pizza chef busy at work

: The oven at Co. is a gas-fired Earthstone oven. Flavorful hard wood is also burned to aromatize the pies.

: Here he is constructing a Margherita pizza.

: Just the right amount of sauce, buffalo mozzarella, and fruity olive oil

: And of course, fresh basil completes the pie.

: Into the oven it goes.

: Andrew Beckman, Tony, Bielaczyc, and Beth Eakin

: Me and George Planding

: Here I am with Aida, Ana, and Adrianna

: Here I am with Geri Porter.

: The dining room at Co. is minimalist with clean lines and warm wood. It’s a very welcoming room that seats 54. There are 2 long communal dining tables in the middle and individual tables on the side.

: Sarah Carey and James Dunlinson

: Here I am with Talley Sue Hohlfeld

: Lisa Wagner, Kevin Sharkey, and me

: Aeysha Patel and Eric Pike

: Marcie McGoldrick

: The finished pizza Margherita

: Pizza topped with quail eggs

: Fernando Ferarri, Geri Porter, Martin Mendoza, Adrianna Weisberg, Claudia Salame, Ana Velasquez, Yolanda Florez

: George Planding, Me , Dora Cardinale

: My niece – Sophie Herbert, me, and Sarah Carey

: Martin Mendoza, and me

: In appreciation, everyone was given a gift at the end of the party – beautiful charm necklaces from Helen Ficalora and silver cufflinks made by Trudy Borenstein-Sugiura