A DECORATED CELEBRITY CHEF, RESTAURATEUR, AUTHOR, AND COOKING COMPETITION GOLD MEDALIST LAUNCHES THIS HIGH-ENERGY DINING CONCEPT, SERVING UP SPLASHY SOUTHERN-INFLUENCED EATS, CREATIVE COCKTAILS, AND FAMILY FUN

BY AMANDA McCOY PHOTOS BY ALEX BARRETO AND ROBERT NUZZIE

There’s no shortage of thrills at American Dream, the sprawling retail and entertainment mega-complex in East Rutherford. Adventure seekers craving fresh powder can slice through the slopes of Big Snow (the country’s only indoor, real-snow, year-round ski resort) before trading their skis for a swimsuit to take on the slides of North America’s largest indoor waterpark, DreamWorks. There are also the record dashing roller coasters of Nickelodeon Universe, neon-soaked putting courses of Blacklight Mini Golf, and sweeping panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline from the gondolas of the Dream Wheel. So when celebrity chef, restaurateur, and Top Chef Masters winner Marcus Samuelsson prepared to open a restaurant in American Dream, he knew the concept would need to make a splash.

“I love the fact that we are in an entertainment center,” noted Samuelsson of Marcus Live! Bar & Grille, which celebrated its grand opening last December. “We have to match the energy of everything that’s going on in the building, which is a lot. The idea behind Marcus Live! was to become a place where families could go after skiing, gliding down water slides, or playing games to enjoy great food while still being a part of that entertainment.”

Another milestone in the famed Ethiopian-Swedish chef’s vast culinary empire (Samuelsson operates 15 restaurants around the world, from the iconic Red Rooster in Harlem to Marcus Addis in Ethiopia and Norda in Sweden), Marcus Live! is housed in a bright, industrial-style space with exposed brick walls and modern accent lights. Wooden tables are accompanied by chairs of various shades, from deep lilac to fiery red, and an assortment of local artwork clings to the walls. One of the first things diners notice is the large open kitchen in the center of the room, offering an exclusive glimpse behind the scenes. The chef thinks of it as a culinary stage, designed to tear down the fourth wall. “We didn’t want to hide the kitchen from our guests, but rather invite them into the experience,” he added. “It’s like a show. Everyone gets to be a part of the action.”

Cooks whipping up heaping plates of Swedish meatballs and Old Bay crab cakes isn’t the only show. There’s also a stage for DJs and live music, plus bartenders slinging refreshing sippers like All the Smoke (an aromatic blend of mezcal, pineapple, jalapeño, lime, and orange) and the summertime stalwart, M’s Block Party Punch, made with light and dark rums, orange, pineapple, and grenadine.

But a lively atmosphere is only one part of the recipe, and the eight-time James Beard Foundation Award winner’s signature Southern-inspired fare with an African twist was a fast hit with the American Dream clientele.

“We wanted to bring in a menu that’s approachable but memorable,” said Samuelsson, who sharpened his chef’s knife in restaurants throughout Japan, France, and Switzerland before opening his first establishment in New York City in 2009. “That’s part of the fun of cooking, to create dishes that are familiar but have our own twist on them.”

The menu begins with a selection of comfort-style shareables, from M’s famous cornbread with a lightly whipped honey butter and fresh seasonal jam, to “Roller Skate” ribs dressed with peach BBQ sauce and accompanied by house-made cabbage slaw. Wings are a chef Samuelsson specialty, available in a variety of house-recipe sauces like brown sugar, buffalo, jerk island, and smoked BBQ. Grilled mains include a double-stacked burger with swiss and smoked mayo, grilled lamb chops with chimichurri and mint, and a juicy 12-oz rib-eye abetted by chimichurri, truffle butter, and charred broccolini.

There’s also a slate of Marcus classics, dishes that helped catapult the Ethiopian born chef to international stardom. The fried chicken and cornbread waffles, for example, has already nabbed a cult following among Live! loyalists, and the chef recommends every table placing at least one order to split. The crispy yardbird sando, featuring a juicy chunk of mild or hot fried chicken topped with ranch and house slaw and stuffed between two grilled buns, is another fan favorite.

Chef Samuelsson’s coastal upbringing bred a love for seafood, thus there are several ocean-foraged dishes on all his menus. At Marcus Live!, seafood devotees can dive into plates of fried calamari and snapper ceviche to start, followed by hot honey salmon or miso halibut. (“We start with a beautiful piece of fish, sear it and smother it with a miso glaze, then serve it with Little Neck clams, bok choy, blistered tomatoes, and mushrooms,” added the chef.)

Much of the seafood and meat is sourced from tri-state farms and purveyors to align with the chef’s commitment to supporting local communities whenever possible. “New Jersey has often been a bread basket for New York City restaurants, so it’s been fun to flip that,” added Samuelsson, who lives in NYC with his wife and two young kids. Samuelsson noted he is raising quite the thrill seeker in his son, and his family has become repeat visitors of American Dream themselves.

“We’ve had so many good memories here,” he continued. “I love that I can come here to teach my kids to swim and ski no matter the time of year, skills they will use for the rest of their lives. I think that’s special for all families who come here. Most of the time, when you’re at an amusement park, you wish you could get better food than the typical concession-style options. That’s what we wanted to offer at Live! It’s not fast food; it’s thoughtfully crafted food for everyone to enjoy after a day of family bonding.”

Marcus Live! Bar & Grille

1 American Dream Way, East Rutherford

201.340.0076 / marcuslivebarandgrille.com