Meet the Team
Dan Kluger - Chef/Owner
Born and raised in NYC, Dan grew up in a family where cooking always played a major role. Dan attended Syracuse University where he majored in Nutrition and Hospitality Management. He spent his externship in the dining room of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Cafe and after graduation returned to work in the front of house until he was offered his first kitchen position as a prep cook. It was USC that opened his eyes to the wonders of seasonal cooking and he spent the next two and a half years working his way through every station.
In 1999, Dan was asked to be a part of the opening team of Tabla Restaurant and spent the next seven years working his way up, becoming Tabla’s first Chef de Cuisine. Under Chef Floyd Cardoz’s direction, Dan was able to fine-tune his cooking techniques, the balance of flavors and textures in his dishes, and the use of Indian spices. Upon leaving Tabla, Dan was hired by Tom Colicchio as the Executive Chef for a project he was consulting on called The Core Club. Dan spent the next four years as the clubs culinary leader transforming the way a "members-only" dining room was experienced.
Kluger joined Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s team in 2008 where he helped open restaurants in Arizona, Utah, DC and New York before opening ABC Kitchen and ABC Cocina as the executive chef winning multiple awards including the 2011 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant as well as being honored as Food & Wine Best New Chef in 2012 and receiving the 2014 James Beard Nomination for Best Chef New York City.
Dan’s highly anticipated first solo venture, Loring Place, opened in 2016 fulfilling a lifelong dream and showcasing the skills he had become known for throughout his career. In Fall 2020, he released his debut cookbook Chasing Flavor followed by the launch of the to-go only grandma pizza concept, Washington Squares, in December 2020 which also launched on Goldbelly in September 2022. Kluger opened Greywind, a new restaurant with adjacent bakery and cocktail bar (Spygold) in Hudson Yards, Winter 2023. When he isn’t cooking, he spends time with his wife and two daughters.
Caitlin Giamario - Executive Chef
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Caitlin Giamario spent years getting to know the restaurant industry there before ultimately deciding to upgrade to a larger venue – New York City. She worked at Chef Daniel Boulud’s Mediterranean outpost, Boulud Sud before trailing at Loring Place where Caitlin was instantly drawn to the wood fire grill/pizza oven as well as Chef Dan Kluger's approach to food. Over the last five years, Caitlin has worked her way up the ranks at LP and eventually became the opening Chef de Cuisine at Chef Dan’s previous restaurant Penny Bridge in Long Island City and is currently the Executive Chef at Greywind, located in Hudson Yards.
Jake Novick-Finder - Pastry Chef
Growing up in Brooklyn and the Hudson Valley, Jake was introduced to good food and quality ingredients at an early age. At 12 years old Jake landed an internship in the pastry kitchen at the now-shuttered four-star Chanterelle in New York City. Jake’s interest in chocolate turned entrepreneurial in 2004 when at age 14, he launched The Jakery, a line of handmade chocolate truffles sold via special order and to local businesses in the Hudson Valley. In 2005, he apprenticed with Jean Charles-Rochoux, and from 2006-2011 Jake worked as a pastry cook within the Union Square Hospitality Group, starting at Gramercy Tavern and then next at Hudson Yards Catering and finally at Union Square Café. Turning his attention to bread, Jake moved to Boston in 2011 to work as a bread baker at Clear Flour Bread. It was here that he caught the attention of Tim Maslow, the former Chef de Cuisine at Momofuku Ssam Bar and took on his first managerial role, as Executive Pastry Chef at Ribelle (and Strip T’s). Jake was lauded by Zagat Boston in its 2013 “30 Under 30” and received four stars and Best New Restaurant from The Boston Globe. Jake returned to New York City to open his own restaurant called Gristmill, with a large emphasis on locally milled grains, wood-fired cooking, and sourdough breads of all kinds. Gristmill closed after three years, and Jake set off to focus his knowledge and experience by consulting for others. While consulting for Loring Place and Penny Bridge, he soon joined the team fulltime to open Greywind.
Richmond Cruz - Sous Chef
Richmond's passion for cooking started in his grandmother’s kitchen, having a taste of the delights of home-cooked Filipino food. After completing his culinary studies in the Philippines, Richmond interned at Enchantment Resort in Arizona, and eventually at Chef Dan Kluger's flagship restaurant, Loring Place. Following his stint in the US, he went home to learn more about Filipino food culture and to join Manila’s food scene. Richmond handled and consulted for several restaurants, applying the techniques and skills he learned in foreign kitchens. This included Hapag Manila, where he was part of the opening team and served as Chef de Partie. While he enjoyed the company of family and the familiarity of being back home, Richmond kept the hunger for knowledge and learning. This led him back to Loring Place, and then later becoming part of the opening team for Greywind.
Jared Hunt - Sous Chef
Jared’s love for cooking began in early childhood. Growing up in New York’s Hudson Valley, he was brought into a family and community that exposed him to gardening, fishing, hunting, and foraging ingredients. He’s held onto those core values in his work, with a focus on local ingredients and building relationships with his community. Jared has helped build food programs for various restaurants in the Hudson Valley, Long Island, & NYC areas and is happy to bring his experience and knowledge to the Greywind team.
Kendra Cusack - Chief of Staff & Business Operations
Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Kendra Cusack’s career began at The Little Giant in the Lower East Side where she was first introduced to the New York City restaurant industry in 2006. She then joined Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s opening team at ABC Kitchen in 2010 where she had the great opportunity to work with Chef Dan Kluger. While at ABC Kitchen, she was also part of the opening of ABC Cocina in 2013 before joining the opening team at Loring Place in 2016 and opening Greywind in 2023.
Grace Walker - Director of Sales
Growing up on the California Central Coast and Greater Bay Area (with a passion for fresh, sustainable, local, and organic food), Grace hosted small catered gatherings in High School, slowly graduating to working with other catering groups ‘In Wine Country’ willing to show her the ropes. Staging in kitchens in the US, Israel, and London, Grace progressed through Culinary School both in California’s East Bay, and Connecticut refining her skills and developing her pallet. Taking a break between culinary schools, Grace took a job as an Assistant Manager of a small restaurant in Marin County and fell in-love with both flow of service and the interaction with guests. After finishing Culinary School in Connecticut, and working in NYC as a Pastry Chef and Chocolatier, Grace turned back to her love of events and hasn’t looked back! From working for Lello Arpaia at his last restaurant Fiorini, to the top of The Ritz Carlton in White Plains, to running events for all three locations of CorkBuzz, and most recently for the Cafeteria Group, Grace is excited to marry her love of the Californian approach to food with the New York sensibilities of Loring Place and Greywind!
Nick McDonough - Assistant General Manager
Born and raised in New York, Nick fell in love with the New York City restaurant scene at a young age. Working his way through various pubs in the Bronx, he got his first taste of fine dining at the historic Four Seasons Restaurant in mid-town where he worked for six years. He then joined the opening team at the new Union Square Cafe. During his two and a half years there, he honed in on his cocktail skills before joining the Loring Place bar team in 2018 and eventually became a manager before joining the Greywind Team as the Assistant General Manager.