Comfort food of the highest order, with staying power: That’s the long and short of it, as Creamline is in the midst of celebratig its 10-year presence in Chelsea Market. In partnership with the beloved Ronnybrook Farm, Creamline’s chef/owner Harris Mayer and his partner Nick Contess have recently refined their chef-driven menu of elevated casual favorites. Additionally, they tell us, “Creamline has undergone a full redesign with a 58-seat space that has a nostalgic farmhouse feel with a wall made of actual reclaimed barn wood, inviting communal seating and warm lighting.” Chelsea Community News posed a few questions to Mayer ans Contess, yielding the below Q&A.

Scott Stiffler, for Chelsea Community News (CCNews): Harris and Nick, congratulations on 10 years. What are some of the most surprising, interesting, and/or important things you’ve learned about the business over the years?

Harris & Nick, for Creamline (H&N): Thank you! One thing that has surprised us over the years is the power of word of mouth and how many people have told us somebody they know recommended Creamline to them. We love to hear when our guests share their great experience with friends and family and is why we aim to treat every guest like a VIP.

CCNews: How has being a part of Chelsea Market contributed to what Creamline has become, over time?

H&N: With so many great businesses under one roof, we’ve done a lot of collaborations with our neighbors including Economy Candy, Seed & Mill, and Fat Witch Bakery.

CCNews: How did the idea for the new look come about? Has it changed the mood, the vibe…customer appetites?

H&N: We worked with the design team from Jamestown to give our space a refresh that would blend well with the market aesthetic and as well as improve on some of the operational challenges that we discovered over the years while creating a more concise look and feel. The changes we made allowed us to add more seating for our guests, centralize where all of the food comes from, and created a concise message of supporting local farms.

CCNews: We’ll talk about what’s new in a moment–but what menu items are still here from the early years, and why?

H&N: What we are most known for is our burgers and chicken sandwiches, of course, but we always wanted to be a place where everyone can find something to eat. From day 1 our vegetarian options has been grilled cheese and tomato soup; which vegetarians and carnivores alike enjoy and share the childhood memory of having a grilled cheese and tomato soup on a brisk day. This is still our option for vegetarians and continue to sell a lot of them year-round.

CCNews: What is your comfort food (or drink) of choice–the thing that conjures fond memories or tastes so good you just keep going back to it?

H&N (attribution [deliberately?] unclear): Milkshakes aren’t something I have too often, but every time I do I’m reminded how delicious they are. Ours delivers on two levels: Flavor,  and also knowing if you’re going to indulge in something like ice cream, it should be made with the best quality ingredients.

CCNews: What distinguishes a Creamline “Melt” from what you’d get elsewhere–and why do I want my tuna to be “line-caught?”

H&N: What distinguishes our melts are the quality of the ingredients and the technique we use to toast our bread: Hand-spreading Ronnybrook Farm Dairy butter from crust to crust, creating even browning and delicious buttery taste for all of our melt options. The reason you want line-caught tuna is because it is better for the environment; drag net fishing is bad for the ocean floors.

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