“The most indispensable ingredient of all great home cooking is the love for those you are cooking for.”
Sophia Loren
Families That Cook Together, Stay Together.
Growing up in a food-centric household, Nicolas and Gabrielle were recruited into the kitchen as soon as they could stand. It seemed there was always an occasion to be cooking and preparing for, and the house was never without company for long. When guests came over, rather than escaping to their room to play, these siblings were expected to act as co-hosts. While their mother glided between the kitchen and living room, arms brimming with meticulously prepared hors d’oeuvres, their father ensured guests were comfortable and their glasses always full. Their parents’ gracious hospitality was influential, and over time, Nicolas and Gabrielle mastered the art of playing host. When the family wasn’t entertaining friends and relatives, they were constantly experimenting with cuisines from all over the world, preparing gourmet meals nightly for their own enjoyment.
Naturally, as adults, Nicolas and Gabrielle went on to pursue food-focused career paths, gaining exposure to different industries including hospitality, food magazine publishing, event management, and even real estate development for restaurants and hotels.
Taking a page from his childhood, Nicolas founded NDC Hospitality with the conviction that food has the power to bring people together. Now, as partners, Nicolas and Gabrielle combine their experiences in various food-related industries, their business degrees, and their impressive contacts that include some of the world’s top chefs, sommeliers, food writers and hospitality professionals. In crafting unforgettable private dining experiences right in their clients' homes, and offering a variety of other elevated epicurean services, they are hoping to share a bit of their family with yours, through food.
Our People
Nicolas D. Corrao
Founder + CEO
nicolas@ndchospitality.com
A first-generation American, Nicolas grew up in the kitchen helping his mother, whose passion for cooking and feeding others sparked his love for food and hospitality. Nicolas’ convivial family gatherings instilled in him a natural ability to bring people together around a table.
Nicolas moved to New York City in 2012 to study Economics and Finance at The City College of New York. While in school, he worked in some of the city’s top kitchens and dining rooms under the guidance of celebrated chefs such as Missy Robbins, Cesare Casella and Jean-Georges.
In addition to overseeing NDC Hospitality, Nicolas serves as a Food + Beverage Advisor to some of the country’s top landlords, hotel developers and restaurateurs, playing an integral role in shaping some of New York’s largest restaurant deals.
Nicolas’ vision and philosophy for NDC Hospitality takes inspiration from the grand dining rooms and iconic kitchens of New York’s storied restaurants and delivers them to your dining room.
Gabrielle S. Corrao
Partner + COO
gabrielle@ndchospitality.com
Food has shaped Gabrielle’s life in a major way. Born into a large, European family, she was influenced early on by their culinary traditions.
As a teenager, Gabrielle began traveling to Europe, and her experiences overseas cemented her passion for world cuisines. When she graduated from high school, she followed her dream of moving out from her small town suburb to New York City, where she enrolled in the Lubin School of Business at Pace University.
Gabrielle completed a dual degree program in International Management and Marketing, with a minor in Italian Studies, studying abroad for a semester in Italy. She worked in New York restaurants all through her college years, gaining invaluable hospitality experience.
Upon graduating, Gabrielle went right for her dream job, working for a top food and travel magazine in Manhattan. There, she helped organize large scale culinary events, calling on her contacts from the restaurant world. Later on, she moved into luxury residential real estate, using her event planning experience to host elegant soirées at the firm's multi-million dollar listings.
In partnering with Nicolas at NDC Hospitality, Gabrielle has come full circle. Drawing on her years of experience in hospitality and event planning, her business and marketing education, her industry connections, and her undying passion for gastronomy, she promises our clients a truly elevated experience.
Karin W. Corrao
Director, NDC Mercato
karin@ndchospitality.com
Born to European immigrant parents, Karin was raised in a quaint farming town in northern Westchester County, NY where she literally “lived off the land”. At a young age, Karin learned how to garden, and was responsible for planting, harvesting, and preserving the family’s crops. She foraged for wild mushrooms, gathered black walnuts and turned wild berries into jams and jellies. She began honing her baking skills as a child, eventually taking over the task of making all the elaborate holiday cookies so that her mother could focus on the beloved traditional German Christmas specialties.
Having grown up in a culture-rich family, Karin developed a deep curiosity and appreciation for people of all walks of life. She has always loved learning about different lifestyles, languages, and of course, culinary traditions. She easily loses herself wandering the aisles of ethnic markets, searching for the right ingredients to recreate authentic dishes from her global travels.
Now, newly retired from a corporate career spanning over 45 years in real estate sales and marketing, Karin is ready to focus on doing what she loves most – feeding people.
Teaming up with NDC Hospitality and her equally talented (and charming!) children, Karin will finally be able to share her epicurean passions with those beyond her close circle of friends and family. From selecting the best fruits at local orchards for her seasonal baked goods, to preparing sauces and condiments from treasured family recipes, to assembling tins of handmade cookies for holiday gifting, Karin adds her special touch that is the true essence of NDC Hospitality.