Shabooty Interview Series: Sarma Melngailis (One Lucky Duck)

Sarma - Pure Food & Wine - Interview
Shabooty Interview Series: Sarma Melngailis (One Lucky Duck)

In the raw-vegan food world, Sarma Melngailis needs no introduction. In the Howard Stern world, you may need a minor reminder…(audio).

She is so enchanting, that Benjy Bronk (writer on the Howard Stern Show), called her a witch on the air. Her cookbooks are adored, her online goodies store is loved, and her restaurant, NYC’s Pure Food and Wine is held sacred. Whether you’re from “Manhatty” or you’re “bridge and tunnel,” Sarma’s raw food offerings are reaching cult status. Her celebrity customer base is countless *cough* Howard Stern *cough*, and when Artie Lange personalized a copy of Too Fat to Fish for Sarma, he stated that he is going to open up a ‘Pure Heroin and Tequila’ restaurant next door. Benjy is right, because I too am under the Sarma spell. And I expect to start receiving dating offers from several Peta chicks within the next few days, because I was “One Lucky Duck” (the name of Sarma’s company), and got to interview her!

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Shabooty: Would you ever date a guy that ate fast food?
Sarma: Nice first question. Once in a while wouldn’t bother me. I’ll eat anything once in a while too. But if a guy ate crappy fast food all the time, it would gross me out. My guy actually just walked out to get a slice of pizza. J He usually eats really good food, but sometimes eats pizza or fries, or whatever, but for sure not a 99 cent Wendy’s hamburger. The fact that you can get a hamburger for that little money is just wrong, but that’s a whole other issue. Also, I don’t think I could ever date someone for long who was a totally strict vegan or raw-vegan. It would be in my nature to want to rebel and eat big steaks in front of him. I’m not much for rules. I’m not going on dates these days anyway so it’s not an issue. (p.s. he just came home with a rice n bean burrito).

Were you into the Howard Stern show before the time Howard visited your restaurant then talked about it on the air?
I’ve always loved Howard. I never got to listen to it a lot—probably the most was when I lived alone and worked in finance and had it on my shower radio in the bathroom so I’d listen while I got dressed. I’ve always had sort of a crush groove thing for him. So when he came in and was seated at the next table from where I was working, I got all flustered. He was sweet. He came in another time a few months later. I was really nervous talking to him and I usually don’t get nervous. I thanked him for talking about my restaurant so nicely on the air. I wanted to let him know that everything else he said was all cool too. Then he was saying that I should have my own radio show on Sirius like Martha Stewart. And I so badly wanted to say, “But I don’t want to have my own radio show, I just want to be on your show!” I didn’t say that because I was too scared…I don’t ever want to put anyone on the spot. But I do really want to come on the show. And make them all ice cream sundaes. I’d be terrified of saying something stupid, but I’ll talk about pretty much anything. I wouldn’t ride that thing though—I forget what it’s called. J

How has that exposure changed your customer base? And just helped business in general?
I was totally flattered when he talked about us on the air the way he did. The restaurant definitely got extra busy for a while, it was really nice. Something about the crowd looked very different. I realized it was way more B&T than usual! (Bridge n Tunnel). I like that he said he liked the restaurant so much. It gives us a certain credibility because most people expect a vegan restaurant to be lame.

sarma I find it interesting that often times your customers are fellow people in the raw food business. If it was up to you, would you want your competition out of your restaurant, or are they welcome?
They’re welcome. It’s all good.

Is your diet the secret to not aging?
It has to help. Eating junky food definitely takes a toll on you, as does overeating in general, and anything that taxes your system like that. If I got more sleep, stressed out less, did shit like yoga all the time and meditated, that would probably help too. I was 30 when I got into raw-vegan, I’m 37 now. Wish I’d started earlier! Most people don’t realize how much better it feels to eat clean food, and it’s a drag that in so many places it’s hard to find anything but crap food. But hopefully I can do my part to help change that.

What is the most popular item on the menu?
We have this lasagna that’s pretty much the classic. Howard talked about that dish specifically. Zucchini and Tomato Lasagna with Pine Nut Ricotta, Sun-dried Tomato Sauce, and Basil-Pistachio Pesto. Yum. The most popular dessert is definitely the Mint Sundae, the one you had when you were here. Fresh mint ice creams, chocolate ice cream, chocolate mint cookies (that taste a lot like those girl scout thin mint cookies), chocolate sauce, and vanilla cream. We tried to take if off the menu once and people freaked on me. We once temporarily stopped making our ice cream by the pint for takeaway because my pastry chef was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. When people came in and couldn’t get their pints of ice cream, they freaked out, and even got belligerent, like we were withholding some magic cure they needed to survive.
Also really popular are the mallomars we have in the takeaway shop. Sometimes I eat those for breakfast. It’s a big poof of vanilla cream on a salty pecan-walnut cookie all covered in chocolate.

How hands on are you, would you say in regards to the daily activities of the restaurant?
I’m at the restaurant a lot, but after being open more than five years, they don’t need me on a day to day basis. I live right across the street, so sometimes I’ll run over in my pajamas in the morning to get something. It’s also like my office. I sit in the back corner with my laptop a lot, and I have most of my meetings there. The first year we were open, I was in the kitchen almost every night, and then it got less and less often, especially when I started the One Lucky Duck website. I miss being in the kitchen, but the people who work in there are so good – they come up with all the new dishes for the menu. I just get to taste everything and retain veto power.

Aside from Howard Stern, name some celebs that have visited your NYC restaurant?
I don’t like to name a lot of names… I know that sounds totally lame. It’s really tempting to tweet every time someone super cool comes in but I just can’t. It feels dirty! Though… Bill Clinton—I always talk about that. I was totally excited when he came in. He sat at the best table in the corner of the garden at what’s now known as “The Bill Clinton seat.” He sent a hand written card to my office about a week later (I’d given him my book and a card, of course). He said he had a nice dinner and felt like “one lucky duck.” The last line, “hope to see you again soon” still gets me all flustered when I think about it. I don’t know what it is about that man.
Also, we get most of the big name Victoria’s Secret models on a regular basis, and their very well known significant others. And a lot of musicians for some reason, and actors too. Athletes… I like when we get athletes because so many people assume raw vegan food is for sissies. We’ve been open for more than five years so at this point it’s a lot of people. We’re a low key kind of place and like I said we don’t go calling the gossip columns on this stuff and I think our regulars appreciate that. Of all the really famous people that have come in, for some reason everyone was super extra excited when Rue McClanahan from the Golden Girls showed up. She’s just like she was on the show. She came the next night, too.

How often do fans of your raw food book come up to you at your restaurant?
It depends. Sometimes a lot, and sometimes not at all. But it’s always nice. I mean, no one’s ever come up to me to tell me they thought my book sucked. When I’m sitting alone it happens more often. The best was when some guy saw me sitting alone in the corner and sat down thinking I was his blind date. Awkward! But funny. Oddly, we stayed in touch and I ended up going for beers with him once a few weeks later when I was stuck in Brooklyn. (beer = not raw, but I still drink it sometimes anyway).

sarma book Is it a diet book or a cook book? And what’s the name of it and where can we get it?
The first book is called Raw Food Real World. The woman who published that was also Howard’s publisher on Private Parts. She knows good books, right!? That one came out in 2005, I had a partner back then so it was co-written. Beware of going into business or writing a book (or both) with your significant other. That didn’t work out so well. After the first year I was on my own. My latest book, Living Raw Food, came out this past summer. They’re both cookbooks because they’re full of recipes but there’s more of a story in both, and a lot of other information, (which I hope is inspiring!). You can get both at oneluckyduck.com, amazon.com or your neighborhood Barnes & Noble.

What would you say is more difficult a sushi chef or a raw food chef?
In terms of skill, definitely a sushi chef—it’s a more precise art for which you need a certain amount of training. For raw food, traditional cooking experience is ideal, plus creativity to make it good. But it’s not that hard to do or learn how to do.

Two part question – as far as menu what is the latest addition to the menu and as far as, a strategic restaurant decoration change, have you done anything new lately?
Latest addition to menu… Sliders! They’re really yummy. I want to eat them all the time. But we don’t print it on the menu, they’re just a special we have now and then or can make if you ask for it. Also new: Chocolate Pecan Banana Bread with Sliced Bananas, Cinnamon Cookie Ice Cream, Chocolate Sauce, and Caramel Sauce.
Strategic decoration change? Nothing lately… I don’t want to change anything I just want new stuff after five years of wear and tear. Our original chairs came from another restaurant that had shut down and we had them recovered. They’re not that strong. We’ve had a fat guy sit down and break one. That was terrible. We now steer anyone of a larger size to our banquette seating or the better of our chairs.
I think people don’t always understand what it takes to run a restaurant. It’s expensive and shit breaks all the time, or needs to be replaced, fixed up, etc. One thing that gets me all fumed is how people are always asking us to donate food for their charities. I don’t mind the small ones, or the non-profits, etc. But pretty often it’ll be rich people or big organizations asking us to give them free food for their charity fund raiser. Fuck that. I’m all for being charitable but a) I’d rather do it in my own way, and b) I need to be in a better position to donate, and c) if you’re rich and throwing a party, pay for the fucking party. Don’t ask small businesses to subsidize it. Can you tell we get asked for this kind of stuff all the time? I want to have a fund raiser just to redo our bathrooms. And get new chairs. And give my staff raises. And build my company into a big empire that gets people eating better food. Then I’ll donate to all your charities. It’s like those people w/ the clipboards on the street that yell at you as you walk by, “Do you have a minute to spare for the environment!?” Sometimes I want to stop and yell at them. I’m doing a lot to help the environment, way more than they know, and I’m in a big fucking hurry! But now that you said that and I kept walking I have to feel like an asshole that can’t spare a minute for the environment. Um, I think I diverged a bit from your original question. Sorry!

sarma Aside from Howard, what other casts of characters related to the Howard stern show visit your restaurant?
Based on the clip, sounds like Benji has been to the restaurant and that maybe I spoke to him but I don’t remember that (which sucks, I need to remember that in case he comes in again). Robin comes in, she’s incredibly nice. Randomly, Jackie Martling came in and left me copies of his books and DVDs and his card (I have no idea why), but I wasn’t there. And Steve Grillo and his wife—I love them. Artie’s sister is the sweetest person in the world, and extremely cool and beautiful (she eats mostly raw!) and love her too. We’ll get Artie to come in for dinner one of these nights. Ever since I read his book I’ve had this crazy girl urge to feed him good food. And hug him a lot. If you have a heart, that book makes you want to hug him. J So far, he’s had two Mallomars from our takeaway. He wrote in the copy of his book that he gave me that he’s going to open a competing restaurant next door to my restaurant (Pure Food and Wine) called Pure Heroin and Tequila. He’s the best. I badly want to snuggle with him. Does that sound weird? OK, next question.

You have mentioned some raw foods are seasonal – can you tell me what are typical summer foods at your restaurant vs the winter time?
In the summertime… squash blossoms, loads of heirloom tomatoes, fresh berries, peaches, melons. In the winter it’s more about squash, winter root vegetables, apples etc.

How long have you been in the restaurant business?
The restaurant opened over 5 years ago and I was in and around the business for a few years before that so 8 years I guess. Then 6 years in finance. One off in between for cooking school. So that’s 15 since I graduated from college in ’94. My math works.

You went to culinary arts school?
Yeah, I went to the French Culinary Institute here in NYC. But that was after 6 years bouncing around doing the Wall Street thing. Being in school wearing kitchen whites and grubby shoes all day was a huge change from business suits and high heels.

Are you a fan of those cooking reality shows?
I like to watch Top Chef but I always fast forward though all the stupid drama parts, when they’re fighting or whatever. I don’t care about that. I just like to see what people come up with in their quick fires, and I like to see all the guest judges and the finished dishes. The problem is, when I watch these shows it makes me want to cook again! There have been some really lame shows since. Like that show Chopped on the Food Network. It’s so funny when they pull the cover off the plate and then Ted Allen is all serious and dramatic with his “You’ve been chopped!” That show isn’t very good. I miss the classic cooking shows, like Julia Child. There was a show called “Great Chefs of North America” and “Great Chefs of the World” on some random channel that I loved. No such shows are on anymore. They’re more adventure shows now.

How often are you recognized at your restaurant?
I don’t really know. A lot I guess. More often if I’m walking around vs. just sitting in a corner, and more often if I’m in something sleeveless. I get recognized a lot b/c of my tattoo, especially when I’m not at the restaurant. A waitress in Toronto recognized me… she wouldn’t have expected to see me in Toronto, but saw my tattoo, so that pretty much gives me away. Of all places, I was recognized also at Peter Luger’s (legendary steak place in Brooklyn). I didn’t realize it until I got a facebook mail from our waiter the next day. I was like, um, thanks for not writing on my wall! (I don’t really talk about it, but now and then I’ll go do something like drink a bunch of red wine, and eat steak and pureed spinach at Peter Luger’s. Maybe once a year. If I’m going to eat meat once a year, it needs to be good!) Some vegans might not like that I do that, but oh well. Now they know.

Explain to me the ingredients in that mint chocolate ice cream dessert. Unless it’s a SECRET! [Editor's Note: A personal fave]
The mint sundae recipe is in my second book! You can find it there. The base of the ice cream is mostly the soft meat from young coconuts, organic cashew nuts, and organic agave nectar. Like Howard pointed out, we don’t use any soy.

What if i described your food as the sushi of vegetarians, what are your thoughts on that?
I don’t know. Sushi isn’t vegetarian. Anthony Bourdain has called vegans the Hezbollah of vegetarians so I’m not sure what he would call raw vegans. He totally makes fun of it. I want him to come eat with me at the restaurant. I like him. He could not like the food, but I bet he’d like it. At least it’s different for him, and he obviously likes to try different things. Anyway, he could not like it but there’s not much he could make fun of us for.

Who would be your dream celebrity that you’d want to walk into your restaurant?
I don’t know. Maybe David Letterman. Or Sting. I think Sting because I’ve had a thing for him since I was 12. I might cry if he came into the restaurant. Paul McCartney came in and I wasn’t really phased. But that was cool. My favorite movie actor came in too, Jean Reno. That was hugely exciting for me. I don’t ever say goofball things to celebrities but my friend introduced me to him and I had to tell him that the Professional is my favorite movie of all time. (Natalie Portman used to come in a lot too, she was also in that movie… I think every guy in the world is in love with her). Oh, Russell Brand came in the other night… and I got all goofy then too. Oh well. I think I have crushes on the smart, funny people.

What is Howard’s favorite dish? And what about yours?
He’s only been in twice, so I don’t know. Hard for me to pick a favorite. Our menu changes a lot. We have a new salad that I love… Green Papaya with Lime Sesame Dressing and Korean Chili w/ Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, Haricots Verts, and Crunchy Cashews. YUM. I could eat a bucket of it. Tara, one of our sous chefs, came up with it. She actually came to the restaurant looking for a job b/c she’d heard about it on Howard and she’s vegan. She’s a huge HS fan. One of my other favorite things is also not on the menu now… they’re little baby tarts you can eat in one bite. Those are Gisele’s favorite. I can say that b/c she says it on the back of my book. They’re black pepper pinot noir crusts with herbed cashew cheese, caramelized shallots, and marinated black trumpet mushrooms. Oh, and apricot reising sauce. Yummy.

In a perfect world, would you like to expand to multiple locations?
Yes, working on it. I have a couple of deals in the works but still looking for the right partners for particular locations. Anyone… ?

What is the most popular product on your website?
We sell a lot of stuff, but our packaged cookies and snacks are always the most popular. Of those, the chocolate and blonde macaroons sell the most, and also our cheesey crackers. They totally taste like those Cheezits in the red box from the supermarket, if you can still get those. But ours of course, vegan, raw, no pesky gluten. We ship stuff all over the world… I love when we get orders from places like Japan, or Germany.

Explain the duck logo.
I wanted a brand for my company that’s memorable. No one remembers names when they’re only using words like natural green organic eco-healthy blah, etc. I wanted a name and logo that people would see and wonder what it is. And I wanted it to be fun. And the fact that there’s a cuteness factor because it’s a duck helps make it appealing to kids and that means a lot to me. Ducks are cute.

Are you a vegetarian?
I don’t call myself that. I’m mostly raw vegan most of the time. But as you know from above, I may show up at Peter Luger’s and eat a steak. And at my Mom’s house, if she walks in with a freshly laid egg from one of her chickens, I’ll eat that. It’s special. I love love love going to nice restaurants so I’ll try whatever. And I’ll try pretty much anything when I travel too. I was in Tokyo and ate all kinds of strange shit. But also really good shit. Still, on a day to day basis, I eat all raw vegan. I love it. It makes you feel amazing, btw. In all your questions you didn’t ask how eating raw vegan makes me feel, so I’ll tell you. I first tried it six years ago for what was meant to be a two week experiment, and four days into it I felt like a different person (in a good way). I love it. And I never get sick, which is nice.

What’s the busiest night of the week?
Saturday.

If you could only be known as an author, cook, or restaurant mogul, which would you prefer?
A mogul, but not just a restaurant mogul. I want to be like Richard Branson. I want to expand on what we’re doing now really well, but then also branch out in a big way, all in the world of organic and eco-cool living. I get insecure about loads of shit, but not about my ideas and plans. I have it all laid out. Now if only Oprah would pick my books for her book club…

What can we expect at PURE FOOD AND WINE in 2010?
More good food, hopefully new chairs and bathrooms, and I think I’m doing a TV show. I need some serious media training, but I’ll do whatever I need to do.

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Boob Job + Tattoos + Alt.Pron Chick GONE WRONG (NSFW)

alt pr0n
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A lot of alt.pr0n chicks are notoriously butterfaces (sort of like redheads), but this chick is in a whole ‘nother category.

Where do we start? 1) THE HORRIBLE BOOB JOB. 2) Too many tattoos 3) The trailer chic’ (sheek) hair cut 4) The protruding c-lips… GoTdamn! Full image after jump…

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Thank god for the paper bag bit. Otherwise, it was a dumb f-ing interview. AHHAHAH, the publicist at the end goes “alright, that’s it!” after the interviewer got Megan Fox to look ever more dumb, when she believed them that Brad and Angelina adopted a penguin. Lol. Okay, that last part won me over, this is pretty classic stuff.

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Fast forward to :17… this video is pretty hilarious!

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Emo Sand Art: Making Russians Cry Since. . .?????? ???????? – ??????? ?? ?????

That chick must give really intricate hand release, but I think it would get sand in your pee-hole.

My favorite part was when the bombs went off and she cleared her canvas. Just kidding. This reminds me of… have you ever been to the boardwalk of your local beach, and they got the bible-thumpers there, with their cool Jesus sand-art? It’s pretty bad ass, but as good as it may be, I think there’s that part in everyone that wants to just run up and drop-kick it and ruin the sand sculpture, for no other reason than it’d be fun for the 20 seconds you did it, until you actually reflected on what you just did. That’d be the closest you could get to Jesus in your pee-hole.

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Listen, Hunter S. Thompson is the m-effing man. All the pictures I have seen of him though, looked like Johnny Depp’s character in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Who knew as a younger guy, Hunter S. looked like Tim McVeigh (no sh0ts). I would do a separated at birth goof side by side pictures post, but I am not putting the great Hunter S. in that company. Anyways, fans of Hunter S. would find these pics cool:

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