About Us

Meet Chef Harold Moore

In a distinguished career spanning over 25 years, New York Chef Harold Moore has spent countless hours in the kitchens of renowned French culinary masters, leading him to several projects including Commerce, Bistro Pierre Lapin, Harold’s and now, Cafe Commerce.

Moore grew up in northern New Jersey, giving him unfettered access to Manhattan’s renowned restaurant scene before he eventually enrolled in and graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. Soon after, Moore honed his craft in some of Manhattan’s most celebrated kitchens, working for both Daniel Boulud and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Inspired by these US-based chefs, Moore took a year pilgrimage in France’s most influential kitchens.

Moore’s career accelerated when he was named Executive Chef of the famed New York City restaurant Montrachet in 2000. While there, Moore was nominated for “Rising Star Chef” by the James Beard Foundation and garnered praise from The New York Times, Food & Wine, USA Today, among others. Following Montrachet, Moore went on to earn a coveted Michelin star while working alongside Wayne Nish at March before opening his first restaurant Commerce, an American-style bistro in Manhattan’s West Village, in 2008. Much to the pleasure of gourmands across the city, Moore brought his own vision of elevated comfort food to life for several years at Commerce while garnering a number of accolades including Best New Restaurant, Best New Chef, Essential New York Restaurants, and a standing Michelin Guide recommendation every year it was open.

In 2016, Moore opened Harold’s Meat + Three, the first traditional Southern dining experience of its kind in the five boroughs. In Spring of 2018, he opened the lively, French-inspired Bistro Pierre Lapin. Combining French classics and nouveau creations touched with New York sensibilities. Following that, Moore served as Chief Culinary Officer of the Charlie Palmer Collective.

Today, Chef Moore continues to demonstrate a passion for cooking and a commitment to excellence at Cafe Commerce. His contributions to the New York City culinary scene have been invaluable, and he looks forward to serving you.

Meet Charles Pouchot

Charles is originally from the Haute Savoie region of France, which borders Switzerland and Italy, very close to Mont Blanc. He began his career in the restaurant business while in high school working at local bistros in the mountain ski resorts of Megeve, Flaine, and Les Saisies. It was a very natural fit and when he graduated, Charles continued his education the Formation Hotelière, CFTH in Chambery, France.  The diploma he earned there was followed by further certification from the Lycée Hotelier in Nice, France.  

Several years working for Michelin star “La Voile d’Or” in Saint Jean Cap Ferrat and two star La Chèvre d’Or in Eze Village followed and eventually he was promoted to Assistant Maitre d’Hotel as well as winning the distinctive Trophée Jacquart for “Best Chef de Rang of France” .

In the late 90s Charles moved to Orlando, Florida to work for Paul Bocuse, Roger Verge and Gaston Lenotre at the French Pavillon in Epcot Center. Soon after, he was recruited to work for Daniel Boulud in New York City where he stayed for ten years rising through the ranks to the position of Assistant Director of Operations.  In 2007, Charles then left to work for Charlie Palmer overseeing the grand reopening of Aureole, the flagship restaurant of the company. First East Coast Director of Operations overseeing eleven restaurants, Charles was later promoted to Chief Operating Officer for the entire collective of eighteen restaurants.

Charles and his wife Janet live with their two sons on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

The classic painting by renowned artist David Joel. Originally commissioned for Commerce in the West Village, it returns to us on the Upper East Side.

The shared garden tucked between 39 and 41 Commerce Street in New York City has long fascinated locals, thanks to neighborhood legend: In 1832 a sea captain built identical houses for his twin daughters, hoping a shared garden would mend their fierce and enduring rivalry. The houses are famously known as the ‘Two Sisters’, and are located directly across from 50 Commerce Street, the original location of Commerce. In building Commerce, Chef Harold Moore & Restauranteur Tony Zazula wanted to foster a new artistic legacy, drawing from West Village lore. Enter David Joel, a Manhattan-born artist, who was commissioned to create a series of new works celebrating the rich tradition of this story. Commerce: Common Ground for the Sisters’ Story (2008) is a piece of three works in oil & gold leaf.

Joel depicts the sisters,  Kate in red and Adel in blue, in portrait, hanging on opposite walls, nearly identical but resolutely individual.

In the centerpiece, 18’x4’, we see them meeting in the shared garden, a festive scene depicted in warm, rich reds and earth tones, accented by fertile ribbons of green. This hopeful resolution was imagined by Joel after hearing less cheerful versions of the tale, including a variant where the sisters killed each other. 

Joel’s fourth and final piece, Saint Sebastian & the Hunt for the Sisters: Drowning in the Rivers, (2012) presents a darker interpretation. Here Joel introduces Saint Sebastian, a 3rd century Christian martyr, depicted, as he most often is, riddled with arrows. Rich with symbolism, mystery and throbbing with violent energy, we see intoxicating grapes, a tray of spilled oysters and a hunting list with “Father” crossed out, all hinting at the tumultuous themes in the sister’s story. Kate & Adel are still featured in the tableau, where Joel’s palette favors silvery tones of green and blue. According to the myth, Saint Sebastian will be saved, tended to by Saint Irene.  We cannot be so sure of the sisters.

David Joel has his studio in Sag Harbor, NY and is a regular diner at Cafe Commerce. Learn more about David on his website.