Greek Inspired Chef / Owner
Death Ave's chef and operator, Michael Tzezailidis takes a playful approach at fusing the American and Hellenic culinary experience. Being a born and raised New Yorker of Hellenic descent, Michael takes great pride in the taste and presentation of his traditionally inspired dishes. "We want our dishes to please the eye, intrigue the curious mind and to be outright addictive. Growing up in a 1st generation Greek household meant we spent way too much time in the kitchen. From watching, to helping, to cooking, to arguing about cooking; my mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins have an ongoing yet silent competition when it comes to the kitchen. These are the ongoing comical pleasures for my family and me. I love it and I associate cooking with some of my most memorable moments. As for the beer, it is literally nothing more than an extension of my kitchen, just another bowl of soup. So, expect the beer to be delicious!"
Mixology Bar NYC
Death Ave’ s Bar is at the helm of staff who have spent endless summers bartending in exotic locales including Santorini, Mykonos, Barcelona, Ibiza, and the French Riviera. "In my days of glory, I got the chance to work with some of the finest bartenders in the world. This unique experience provided me with the opportunity to taste, discover, digest, explore and hybrid ingredients way before the trendy phrase mixology existed. Back then, what we were doing, there was no term for what we were doing. We were just making calculated concoctions that either worked or didn't. Customer's responses made all of our decisions. Now that I am in my 40s, I can envision every taste, every scent and know exactly how it will blend without even tasting it. I’m pushing on 25,000 hours behind the bar and the Death Ave cocktail program is definitely my Michael Angelo. It is simple, Hellenic inspired, super fresh or cask aged, and infused wonderfully. There is no need for 10 ingredients in a cocktail, simplicity and proper balance is what works. I have witnessed this time and time again."
IN-HOUSE EVENT PLANNER
Death Ave's Events are carefully orchestrated and interwoven under the supervision of Melissa Molesphini. Melissa has over a decade of experience as an operator in the NYC hospitality industry and has spent numerous years prior to that working as a manager and customer satisfaction specialist. "The customer's experience is pinnacle to us and when it comes to planning an event, I oversee the entire process. Knowing the inner workings of our bar, kitchen and the front of the house allows me to timely prepare customized proposals for each event individually. I work closely with each party host to make sure the experience is as enjoyable and effortless as possible. My team and I have flawlessly executed weddings, corporate events, private parties, cocktail parties, group sit down dinners, surprise parties, etc. We are fanatics about detail and pride ourselves on over delivering. We look forward to hosting your next event."