Designer Simone Rocha Brings the Iconic Café Cecilia to New York City
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Designer Simone Rocha may be known for her dreamy, ultra-feminine designs, but in London, she's also beloved for her family’s delicious Café Cecilia, which is run by her chef brother, Max Rocha.
"I'm delighted I could invite my brother, Max, and his Café Cecilia to New York, especially within such an iconic New York store. I have always loved Bergdorf Goodman from their windows to their clientele, how inspirational and historical they are," Simone told BAZAAR.com.
Last night, the siblings brought their restaurant to New York City for a one-night-only dining experience at Bergdorf Goodman. Attendees included Chloë Sevigny, Laila Gohar, Cassi Namoda, Faye Wei Wei, Quil Lemons, Nadia Gohar, Colin Dodgson, Precious Okoyomon, Lynn Yaeger, and Bianca Jebbia. They were joined by Bergdorf's Linda Fargo, as well as other stylish guests dressed in Simone's romantic, vaporous dresses and oversized hair bows.
The high fashion paired well with Max's homemade bread lathered with the hand-churned butter he made that morning, as well as with the cafe's luxurious olive oil. "Bread can change your life," Max told guests, explaining that when he started off as a chef, battling with anxiety, he used bread making as a sort of therapy and perfected it into an art. Today, at Café Cecilia, homemade bread is always treated as a central dish because of what it means to him and their family.
"I think tonight is special, as we'll be breaking bread with family and friends and inspirational collaborators," Simone said.
Bergdorf's seventh-floor dining table was adorned with purple floral arrangements for the event, plump tomatoes from the Union Square farmers' market, and crunchy baguettes from Brooklyn's She Wolf Bakery. Between sides of ricotta-stuffed courgette flowers topped with honey and Max's creamy lobster tagliatelle with purple basil, Fargo read a poem in honor of Simone.
"Simone Rocha, Simone Rocha / Are you a song or a poem or an artist who inspires us to 'ooshs' and 'aahs'? / Are you that rare creature with the magical horn? That mythical being we all call a unicorn? / Are you the one who tells stories through clothes? Stories of romance and depth through all your shows / Are you that sorceress who transports us to worlds away using tulle and curls and all the materials that attract us hard-to-please girls? / Are you really, really here with us tonight, or are you an apparition of beauty and delight? / Oh, my God, yes, it's really you Simone Rocha, Simone Rocha / And, yes, you really are all of the above, and a most welcome sight," she read.
Yumi Shin, the chief merchant of Bergdorf Goodman, told BAZAAR that the "fantasy and poeticism" of Simone's designs are things Bergdorf's clientele today truly respond to and crave in fashion.
And to be able to host an event with the Rocha siblings and share great food with industry creatives and longtime friends "was an opportunity unlike anything we've done before."
"Everything from the food to the ambiance has been envisioned by the duo. Their careful eye and masterful palette are representative of their unwavering commitment to creating something fresh and inventive with nods to family and the past," she said.
The night ended with a poached pear desert by Max, who praised his sister for her success and thanked her for helping him bring his edible creations to New York City.
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