Behind the Scenes at The Musket Room

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Photo Essays

Behind the Scenes at The Musket Room

Restaurants are high-pressure environments, full of tension — and not just the metaphorical kind. This explains, at least partially, why so many of them recently have been exposed as incubators for bad behavior, especially fine-dining kitchens.

But one exception is The Musket Room, an under-the-radar, which first opened in 2013, but rebooted during the pandemic thanks to owner Jennifer Vitagliano, with a new kitchen team led by Mary Attea. They want to not only maintain and grow the level of cooking that earned the restaurant a Michelin star, but also to demonstrate that tier of dining can succeed in a more equitable, less fraught environment.

Bartender Melissa Derfler pouring a Negroni con Cafeina, "a Negroni/Espresso Martini love child."

Photo by OK McCausland for Resy

The Musket Room

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Pastry chef Camari Mick points to the following dishes, clockwise from top left: Vegan apple tartine with cider ice cream and oat crumble; Pekin duck with cherry sumac sauce, Tokyo turnips, labne, and za'atar; red endive salad with pecorino Toscano, pistachio, and plum; and caramelized parsnip mousse in a white chocolate shell.

Photo by OK McCausland for Resy

The Musket Room

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Server Sean Palmer chats with a couple celebrating their anniversary on the Musket Room's patio.

Photo by OK McCausland for Resy

The Musket Room

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Executive chef Mary Attea, center, in the kitchen during service. Kitchen staffer Khamen Bynoe is on the left.

Photo by OK McCausland for Resy

The Musket Room

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Sommelier Ramon Manglano, left, and general manager Anastasia Soldano sample dishes from the kitchen before before service.

Photo by OK McCausland for Resy

The Musket Room

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Preparing dishes for dinner service.

Photo by OK McCausland for Resy

The Musket Room

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Grabbing bites of the evening's dishes in a pre-service tasting.

Photo by OK McCausland for Resy

The Musket Room

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The Musket Room's back bar.

Photo by OK McCausland for Resy

The Musket Room

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The team, left to right: owner Jennifer Vitagliano, executive chef Mary Attea, pastry chef Camari Mick, and general manager Anastasia Soldano, on the Musket Room's patio.

Photo by OK McCausland for Resy

The Musket Room

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Photo Essays

Behind the Scenes at The Musket Room

The Musket Room

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