Election Eats

Which Candidates Did Your Favorite Restaurateurs Contribute to?

Crumbs cupcakes
Crumbs cupcakes Photo: Courtesy of The City Cook

Forget those noncommittal Election Day promotions publicists keep pitching us — what we really want to know is, whose side are local restaurateurs on? And for that, we once again turn to the Huffington Post’s Fundrace 2008 search engine, which allows us to see just how much money Danny Meyer, caterer of the RNC, gave to Democrats! As far as the Congressional races go, records show he gave $4,600 to Republican Norm Coleman, $2,000 to Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, $2,300 to Democrat Mark Udall, and $1,000 to Democrat Jay Rockefeller. But who was his pick for president? And what did other chefs and restaurateurs give in the primaries and the generals?

Barack Obama
Stephen Starr (Buddakan) – $2,300
Fabio Granato (Serafina) – $1,400
Keith McNally (Balthazar etc.) – $1,500
Stratis Morfogen (Phillippe) – $1,000
Amy Rubenstein (Peter Luger) – $1,000
Sheldon Fireman (owner, Fireman Group) – $1,000
Luigi Iasilli (Max and In Vino) – $600
Danny Abrams (Mermaid Inn, etc.) – $500
Nathaniel Rubin (The Moxie Spot) – $400
Beatrice Tosti Di Valminuta (Il Bagatto) – $250
Ron Silver (Bubby’s) – $250

Hillary Clinton
Danny Meyer (Union Square Café, etc.) – $4,600
Fabio Granato (Serafina) – $4,600
Amy Rubenstein (Peter Luger) – $4,600
Jonathan Fireman (Fireman Group) – $4,600
Drew Nieporent (Nobu etc.) – $2,300
Deborah Gavito (Counter) – $2,650
Kerry Heffernan (South Gate) – $2,300
Kim Kaufman (Homers World Famous Malts) – $2,000
Michael Eberstadt (owner, Slice of Harlem and Bayou) – $1,500
L Maioglio (Barbetta) – $1,000
Bruce Bozzi (the Palm) – $1,000
Irene Lore (Aunt Suzie’s) – $1,000
Dija Amer (Falafel Chula) – $250

Joe Biden
Joseph Monaco (Veniero’s) – $2,300

Christopher Dodd
Stephen Hanson (BR Guest) – $2,300 twice
Josh Lebowitz (Brother Jimmy’s) – $1,000

John Edwards
Mario Batali (Babbo etc.) – $1,000

Rudy Giuliani
Joseph Bastianich (Babbo etc.) – $2,300
Sirio Maccioni (Le Cirque) – $2,300
Ken Aretsky (Patroon) – $2,300
Joseph Smith (Bobby Van’s) – $2,300
Amy Rubenstein (Peter Luger) – $1,200

Couple things to note: We couldn’t dig up any local chefs or restaurateurs who opened their checkbooks for McCain (any care to come forward?). Also: Big-time restaurateurs were obviously generous, but we didn’t find contributions from a lot of the small-business chefs and owners — the kinds you’d find in Starchef.com’s Chefs to Know.

Earlier: Batali, Bastianich Dip From the Same Cookie Jar for Different Candidates

Which Candidates Did Your Favorite Restaurateurs Contribute to?