A chat with Shaun Hergatt, executive chef at SHO Shaun Hergatt

Restaurateur Shaun Hergatt, of Atelier fame, is gearing up for the opening of SHO Shaun Hergatt, his eponymous new hot spot in The Setai building at 40 Broad St. The Australian-born chef chatted with me briefly about this new venture, which has been eagerly anticipated by the gourmands of Wall Street.

IS: What’s the timeline for the restaurant’s opening?
SH: We’re opening at the end of December or early January. Construction is a tough thing to oversee, which is the reason for the delay.

What will SHO Shaun Hergatt look like?
We’ve created two sections of the restaurant: the Pearl Room and the Show Room. The Pearl Room is without tablecloths, and it’s a lighter experience than the Show Room, which is for the typical serious dining experience. We split the room in two, so regardless of your economic background, you can have the dining experience you like.

Speaking of the economy, how are you planning on opening a restaurant in the middle of a recession?
Opening this restaurant has been three years in the process. We didn’t dream that this economic schnozzle would occur. We want to build something long-term, want to face the economic crisis and are dealing with it in reacting in an efficient way.

We put a number to that offered our menu at a competitive price for the quality and investment (we can’t divulge actual prices until restaurant opens, but will be much less than most three- and four-star establishments).

Who do you expect as customers?
Our market is a local market [initially]: Wall Street, the Financial District and Lower Manhattan, but eventually we want to be a destination restaurant.

We’re targeting special areas of the market. We want to market to the correct people, and quality of the product is always going to drive business, regardless of the economy. Value for money is key. People will say, “If I spend $50, what am I gonna get?”

Now, the money question: what will the food be like?
The food is modern French with bold Asian flavors. I have classical training, but coming from Australia, I have influences from Asia.