It has taken Meyer 26 years to go from the owner-manager of a single place to C.E.O. of a company β Union Square Hospitality Group β that employs 2,200 people and oversees the operations of all his restaurants. His mother calls the company βhis business family.β Its core is a tight-knit group of five general partners whom Meyer has known for an aggregate of 102 years. Together they oversee three places that are in the Zagat Guideβs Top 5 (Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, Union Square Cafe), plus the Modern, Maialino, Blue Smoke, the two cafes at the Museum of Modern Art, the newly opened restaurant at the Whitney, a jazz club, a handful of seasonal stands including one at Citi Field and a catering and events company.
