Anna Polonsky found herself back in New York in 2009 to organize an event, having previously spent a year in the city during her studies at Sciences Po. “We threw a party at MoMA PS1 in Queens to celebrate Le Fooding’s tenth anniversary. We invited French and American chefs, and it worked so well that we decided to open a branch in the United States. I stayed in New York to oversee everything.” Just like in France, the idea was to combine editorial content with events. But while Le Fooding nights were a huge hit in the Big Apple, drawing in stars such as David Chang, Daniel Boulud, and Daniel Patterson, the U.S. version of the guide never materialized.
Anna Polonsky left the venture in 2014, but remained in New York. “I started out helping my chef friends develop their marketing strategies,” she says. “I realized that there were no studios bringing together storytelling, decoration, and design in the restaurant sector. Some chefs are very talented in the kitchen, but their logos have no connection to their cuisine.” She teamed up with a friend, Amy Morris, to launch the MP Shift agency. Their concept took off instantly, and they received the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Restaurant Design in 2018 for the café De Maria in Manhattan. “We were in the right place at the right time. Back then, all interior designers were producing dark, hyper-masculine spaces, and we went in the opposite direction by using white and lots of pop-inspired colors. What’s more, our aesthetic coincided with the rise of Instagram.”
Buoyed by their award, the duo received a series of orders from real estate developers and the elegant fast-casual restaurant chain Sweetgreen. Yet something was missing for Anna Polonsky. “I wanted to stop because we were coming in as consultants on projects that had less and less to do with food. We were losing the storytelling aspect and I was feeling demotivated. I had the impression that I was working on places I wouldn’t want to visit.” In 2019, Amy and Anna’s paths parted, and the latter launched Polonsky & Friends. “I thought about stopping interior design completely, as graphic design is what speaks to me the most, but I still do a little bit for some of my favorite clients.” The studio cultivates a transatlantic image and has kept a handful of French clients, although the young mother of one cannot imagine working outside of New York – a city she loves for its openness, energy, and diversity. “The things I really like in Paris are also the things that annoy me. I enjoy French elegance and good taste. I appreciate respect for history and places. But at the same time, I find that everything is more static in France; people rarely talk about money or ambition.”
To share her foodie favorites and love of New York City, Anna Polonsky started The Deligram, a newsletter she runs with photographer Teddy Wolff. Each week, in words and images, she showcases small-scale, local artisans creating global delicacies such as pastries, sauces, cheeses, kimchi, and cocktails, sometimes straight out of their apartments. Two years after it launched, this chic, sophisticated service has 13,000 subscribers and Anna Polonsky is considering expanding the concept to include events. “That was one of the main things I took from Le Fooding,” she says. “I’m always alert and on the lookout for something new.”