Extra Serving: A restaurant industry podcast · February 27, 2026 · 25 min

Moving to the 'burbs: Why BondSt chef Marc Spitzer opened a new spot in Roslyn, NY

After commuting from Long Island for decades as a partner and longtime chef at BondSt in New York City, Marc Spitzer was considering opening a restaurant in Long Island near where he grew up and lived. He teamed up with Noam Shemel, a real estate investor and Long Island native who had a deep understanding of the area, particularly the affluent North Shore. Their first venture is Okaru, a sophisticated Japanese spot housed in a large historic home in Roslyn, which aims to meet the expectations of a new generation of suburban diners. While the pandemic pushed many city dwellers and chefs across the country to decamp for the suburbs, they brought their dining expectations with them, Spitzer and Shemel said. Through Okaru and their hospitality firm, Northern & Main, Spitzer and Shemel aim to meet and exceed those expectations. Okaru and Spitzer discuss the changing Long Island dining scene and why chefs are planting a flag in the suburbs, with guest host Gloria Dawson, another Long Island native.