Our Chef

“The true test of a chef is to make something special, to add your own creative energies. Every day, I’m surrounded by the beauty of Fort Tryon Park. With The Cloisters and Heather Garden only a short walk away, working at the New Leaf Restaurant & Bar is a truly inspiring experience.”

Scott Q. Campbell, Executive Chef

Executive Chef Scott Campbell brings his signature style of fresh American cuisine that combines international influences and locally grown, seasonal produce to the New Leaf Restaurant & Bar – not only creating a constantly changing and imaginative menu, but also supporting the New York Restoration Project’s (NYRP) ongoing mission to promote sustainable operating practices.

Chef Campbell takes inspiration from local green markets and gardens to create a constantly changing menu with a kaleidoscope of flavors for the New Leaf. Campbell’s American-based dishes demonstrate both a flair for the original and an appreciation of cultural diversity, much like the city of Manhattan, itself.

Born and raised in Grosse Point, MI, Campbell began his career at Detroit’s renowned London Chop House. He relocated to New York City in 1982 after securing a position as sous-chef at the world-famous Oak Room in the Plaza Hotel and, over the years, refined his culinary talents at several of Manhattan’s most noteworthy restaurants, including Union Square Cafè, Windows on the World, Sfuzzi and Le Cirque.

In 1992, Campbell poured his passion for fresh, seasonal ingredients and his creative approach to New American cooking – incorporating elements of Asia, the Mediterranean, classical French flavors and California Cuisine – into SQC Restaurant & Bar. Here, he became recognized for his creative off-menu specialties, including an exclusive line of organic baby food and his famously rich Valrhona hot chocolate.

In the summer of 2007, Chef Campbell brought his passion for freshness to the New Leaf, where net proceeds from the restaurant’s operations support NYRP’s efforts to revitalize and maintain New York City’s park, community gardens and open spaces.