In Good Company at Nura
The harmonious relationship between Chef Jackie Carnesi and Co-Owner Michelle Lobo breeds creative freedom and a positive working environment at Nura.
Chef JACKIE CARNESI AND CO-OWNER MiCHELLE LOBO OF NURA | photos: raeann serra and Will Blunt
Visiting Nura, you can understand why the quaint Greenpoint spot has become both a neighborhood hub and dining destination. The cozy, Indian-inspired decor and large windows, coupled with the comforting, well-executed cuisine, adds to the space’s welcoming atmosphere. This sense of approachability extends to the core of the restaurant, which is a reflection of the close bond between Nura’s executive chef, Jackie Carnesi, and its co-owner, Michelle Lobo.
“Nura came about because I wanted to do something that reflected my heritage,” Lobo explains. When envisioning their new venture, Lobo and her business partner, Scott Hawley, intended to serve Indian cuisine, a nod to Lobo’s background, but their plans soon changed when they met Carnesi. “Her personality and her vision energetically matched the space. I can’t explain it,” Lobo says.
Although the beautiful open concept space was a huge draw for Carnesi, she admits that she was a little uncertain. “At the time, I had very little experience with Indian food,” Carnesi says, but Lobo and Hawley, sure that she was the right fit, were willing to give the chef full control of the menu. “It’s a pretty unique opportunity as a chef that I’ve had so much creative freedom,” Carnesi says. She took their support in stride and taught herself all she could about Indian food while she began developing what she refers to as their “New American” menu—a true melting pot of cuisines. While still channeling the dishes through an Indian lens, Carnesi seamlessly incorporates flavors and techniques from around the world, including ingredients from the Mexican food she grew up eating while living in Texas, like her grilled little gem lettuce with queso fresco and tahini dressing, or her roasted sweet potatoes with muhammara and pickled Jimmy Nardello peppers. “I think that if you look at any place in the world closely enough, nothing is purely its own thing. Everything is influenced by something else,” Lobo says. “When you see the different ideas that Jackie comes up with, it's hard to articulate what the cohesive elements are–they just fit together.”
Roasted Sweet Potato, Muhammara, Pickled Jimmy Nardello Peppers, Goat Butter, Pine Nut, Parsley
Grilled Figs, Whipped Paneer, Fermented Garlic Honey, Pomegranate Molasses, Garlic Naan
In addition to creating an approachable, dynamic menu, Carnesi, with the support from Lobo and Hawley, has worked to foster an equally accessible and fun workplace for her team. With their “don’t be a jerk” mentality, the trio has created a work environment where mental health is prioritized and the people come first, ensuring team members are comfortable with their work stations and offering fair wages. “We are just a restaurant, and once you take away all the ego and the seriousness and the intensity, I think it allows people to make good products and do it with joy in their hearts–and that changes the entire script,” says Carnesi. In many ways, Nura’s success is an example of what can come from open, honest communication and collaboration between owner and chef. “Knowing that you have the support of someone whose number one priority is people’s happiness is something I have never experienced,”Carnesi says. “It is far too rare. It just allows everyone to be the best version of themselves.”
