OurStory
Justin Friedlich
Executive Chef
The Story
Executive Chef Justin Friedlich’s love of Italian cooking began early, drawn to its regional character, its precision, and its belief that great food does not need to be complicated. He spent nearly a decade at Buca, ultimately becoming Chef de Cuisine at Buca Yorkville, where his culinary perspective took shape and he came to appreciate a lesson that continues to guide his cooking: the simplest dish is often the hardest to get right.
In the years that followed, Justin worked as a private chef, an experience that gave him the freedom to travel, explore the traditions and ingredients that had influenced him growing up, and refine them into a philosophy distinctly his own.
Shay Ristorante is the expression of that philosophy. Named after his eldest daughter, the restaurant is rooted in the warmth, generosity, and sense of purpose that her name represents.
Luli Lavdari
Director of Operations
Rayana Dilawri
Creative Director & Private Dining
The Kitchen
Firmly rooted in Italian tradition, Shay’s kitchen is not confined to a single region. It draws inspiration from across Italy, guided by seasonality, provenance, and the ingredients at their finest.
The Tartare al Carrello is one of the restaurant’s signatures, with fish and beef tartares dressed and finished tableside. The pasta menu moves freely across Italy, from Lasagne alla Bolognese of Emilia-Romagna, to Tajarin al Pomodoro of Piedmont, and Spaghetti alla Carbonara of Rome.
The secondi follows the same ingredient-led philosophy, showcasing carefully selected meat and fish, complemented by sauces and accompaniments designed to bring balance, depth, and restraint to each dish.
The Wine
The collection has particular depth in Burgundy and Bordeaux, Barolo and Brunello, Champagne and the Rhône, bringing together benchmark producers, mature vintages, and highly sought-after limited allocations.
Curated by Adam Halpern, the cellar is built on longstanding relationships with winemaking families across Italy, France, and Spain—many cultivated over generations.
Complementing the cellar is an extensive wines-by-the-glass offering, allowing guests the opportunity to discover rare and sought-after wines by the glass, including selections rarely available outside the bottle.
The Olive Oil
Baglio Rocca is a family estate just outside Palermo, Sicily, where olive oil has been made for four generations. It was never produced for commercial sale; it was made exclusively for the family’s own table and to share with friends.
The oil came to Shay through Creative Director Rayana Dilawri. When the restaurant opened, the family made an extraordinary exception, allowing the oil to leave Italy for the first time. Today, Shay is the only restaurant in the world to serve it.
It is the first taste guests receive at the table, accompanied by a focaccia developed by the kitchen specifically to complement the oil.
