About Us

Back in 1997, armed with a passion for great food, a master’s degree in English literature, and a ridiculously affordable lease in Long Island City, Leslie Levin Nilsson began the Sage story. The original Sage American Kitchen was an homage to The Silver Palate, New York’s first gourmet take-out shop. The gals and guys at HBO’s “Sex & The City” and “The Sopranos” discovered the tiny lunch spot and a culinary star was born. With reverence for regional American cooking, sustainable food, and emerging flavors and techniques from around the globe, Nilsson grew the catering branch of Sage into its own distinct event planning company, Bartleby & Sage.

It’s not just about thoughtful food – our mission statement hasn’t changed since those early days, and we continue to seek out local, family-owned farms and businesses, compost our waste, use only biodegradable paper goods and pay the staff far above industry standards to assure they too have sustainable lives. 10% of profits go back to the communities that have supported us, from the Chocolate Factory Theater and Socrates Sculpture Garden in LIC, the Food Bank and the Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger in Brooklyn, to the International Refugee Committee and St. Jude’s Hospital. Who is Bartleby? He is our tribute to America’s greatest writer, Herman Melville. There is no more astute observer of American culture, no wiser satirist of our uniquely American mix of religion, capitalism and immigrant hopefulness. Bartleby & Sage represents that mix in our dedication to delicious food, loyalty to clients and staff, and whimsical humor when you need a good laugh after a stressful event. We are partners with our clients and cultivate long-lasting relationships that go beyond the catering and into the many aspects of event planning.

Our Team

Leslie Levin Nilsson

Leslie Levin Nilsson

Founder & Creative Director

Leslie Levin Nilsson grew up in the Midwest obsessed with food, so obsessed that in 1997 she left a career as an English professor and Glamour editor to start the Sage brand. The original Sage American Kitchen shop led to a boutique catering company focused on handmade foods and sustainable business practices. Leslie has guided the company, featured on the Today Show, The Food Network, ABC, The New York Times, Martha Stewart Weddings, and New York magazine, to name a few. She is on the board of local organizations, part of her commitment to community, staff and education.

Ramon Lara

Ramon Lara

Executive Chef

Ramon Lara hails from the Dominican Republic, graduated from the Culinary Institute of Miami, and worked for very respected institutions, from the Delano Hotel to Great Performances, before joining Bartleby & Sage in 2012. His instinct for the cuisines of the Caribbean, Italy and the Americas, along with his experience cooking for high-end events like the Grammys and award dinners for Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Walters, fashion clients, and NYC mayors, make Ramon the perfect chef for our vast array of clients, from the farm-obsessed to the fashion-focused.

Jorge Cuzco

Jorge Cuzco

Chef de Cuisine

Jorge Cuzco grew up in Ecuador and came to New York to work as a cook at Café Society, where he met Leslie back in 1995. She recognized Jorge had that rare talent—a great palate—and they have worked together ever since. He is now the chief flavor creator at Bartleby & Sage and oversees the recipes and execution of events alongside Ramon and Leslie. Jorge creatively melds South American flavors with contemporary trends. His favorite pastime is cooking for friends and family on a wood fire when he goes home to Ecuador.

Hans Baang

Hans Baang

Pastry Chef/Creative Food Development

Hans Baang graduated from the New England Culinary Institute, then started working with Bartleby & Sage creating chic minimalist pastries and cakes, along with savory items developed specifically for our clients. Having grown up in the Philippines, Hans has developed a knack for recipes that merge the flavors of Asia and the Americas, not to mention those hand-iced wedding cakes and completely innovative flavor combinations. His food blog, “The Sugar Hippie” (www.thesugarhippie.com), is dedicated to the art of food, flavors and design.

Rachael Livingston

Rachael Livingston-Meko

V.P. Marketing and Sales/Event Planner

Livingston-Meko spent three years developing the sales and corporate partnerships for a tech company that devises applications for corporate event planners. Her non-stop energy, tech savvy and sales smarts have taken B&S into the 21 Century. She has a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising and completed a culinary entrepreneurship program at the International Culinary Institute. Rachael is as passionate about baking as she is about sales growth and is developing many new projects for Bartleby & Sage.

Stacey Cervellino Thorp

SENIOR EVENT PLANNER

Stacey became an event planner after planning her own wedding at Floating Farmhouse in Eldred, NY. Through her partnership with Floating Farmhouse, she honed her skills, event coordinating in the Catskills, Hudson Valley and New York City. With a background as a writer, director, educator, and a producer, Stacey has orchestrated weddings, dinners, performances, and parties, bringing people and communities together, for as long as she can remember.

Paul Moreno

Paul Moreno

Senior Designer & Planner

Paul Moreno came to Bartleby & Sage as a freelance stylist who has worked on projects for The Martha Stewart Show, and MSLO, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, T magazine, The New York Times Magazine, Best Made, Estee Lauder, David’s Bridal and others. He brings a calm, creative beauty to the weddings and events he has produced with Bartleby & Sage. He works with clients to develop a stunning visual design then pulls together all the elements from florals to lighting to build-out. He knows his way around philosophy too, as he studied at the Gallatin School at NYU.

Monica Wolyniec

Director of Marketing

Monica Wolyniec is a digital liaison and connector with a knack for networking, both online and offline. She has worked in marketing and hospitality for nearly two decades for multiple brands and services, including event tech unicorn, Hopin, Monica is a 2018 Bartleby & Sage bride and has supported the company’s marketing initiatives and growth since then. One of her favorite Bartleby & Sage moments was assisting in the production of an authentic Argentine asado in Rye, NY, with Chef Francis Mallmann’s team.

José Martínez

Production Manager

boasts over 25 years in the hospitality and events industry, handling event operations between NYC and Texas for top-rated kitchens and clientele, with flawlessly-executed events reaching over 12,000 guests.

Fabian Quintero

Senior Captain of Catering and Events

Fabian Quintero is a long-time member of our service team. He has managed food service operations for Deloitte and Bloomberg.

Stephen Solomon

Cafe Manager

Stephen Solomon manages the staff and daily operations of Bartleby’s Cafe, which also services our corporate drop-offs.

Our Photographers

Maggie Marguerite
Warm Up Labs
Our very own Hans Baang
Kathi Littwin Photography
Marisa and John at Redfield Photo
LISEO & CO.
Juergen Dahlen
Kate Edwards Weddings