Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Spice Market To Open In The W London

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

London is getting a Valentine from chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. February 14th, 2011 marks the premiere of Spice Market London in the new W London - Leicester Square hotel. This South East Asian-inspired restaurant will be the sister restaurant of the iconic Spice Market in New York's Meatpacking District.

This opening will reunite Vongerichten with members of his original team from his past London restaurant Vong. Chef de Cuisine Tim Tolley was Head Chef at Vong for four years and General Manager Bertrand Pierson was at the helm from 2000-2003. "I'm thrilled to be returning to London and opening Spice Market in the heart of London, Leicester Square. London is such a diverse and vibrant city that I think it will be the perfect place for the European flagship Spice Market," said Jean-Georges.

Spice Market London will serve a larger range of Asian foods and other dishes not served in New York. The restaurant will be open for breakfast ,lunch and dinner. Signature dishes will include: Spiced Chicken Samosa with Coriander Yogurt, Cod with Malaysian Chilli Sauce and Thai Basil and Ovaltine Kulfi, Caramelized Banana and Spiced Milk Chocolate. The cocktail menu features a variety of exotic drinks such as Ginger Margarita, Lychee Raspberry Bellini and a Pineapple Mojito.

The restaurant is set over two floors, with interiors done in warming shades of gold, copper, chrome and wood. The restaurant will have a stunning 'birdcage' gold spiral staircase and 600 custom-designed shimmering wok lamps covering almost every part of the ceiling giving out an attractive low light. The rear wall will host a wall of spices. There will be 70 seats downstairs available for dining, a cocktail lounge and sushi bar. Upstairs hosts 100 seats with an open kitchen and a private room accommodating up to 30 covers.

Tags: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, london restaurants, spice market, w hotel, w london

The Classicist: St. Regis Bahia Beach Brings True Luxury to Puerto Rico

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, The Classicist

Last spring we previewed the luxe private residences at the St. Regis' beautiful new Bahia Beach property in Puerto Rico. Now the accompanying exclusive resort, the prestigious brand's first Caribbean hotel, is officially open bringing world-class luxury to the island. The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico brings St. Regis' signature bespoke services to the stunning 483-acre beachfront enclave, located on a former coconut plantation nestled between the majestic El Yunque rainforest and the Espiritu Santo River. The property's ultra-luxe amenities include St. Regis' legendary Butler Service, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's restaurant Fern, a 10,000 square foot Remède Spa, and an ocean-front golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. as well as the Caribbean's first certified Gold Audubon Signature Sanctuary.

Designed by acclaimed architecture firm Hill Glazier in a graceful plantation style that harmoniously blends in with the glorious landscape of towering palms and tropical flowers, the resort boasts 139 luxuriously appointed guest rooms including 35 suites with private terraces offering spectacular ocean views, as well as 25 private St. Regis Estate Homes. The elegant, inviting interiors feature custom-designed furniture and spacious marble baths in addition to Pratesi linens and high-tech amenities such as high-speed wireless internet, 40-inch LCD televisions, additional TVs ingeniously integrated into the bathroom mirrors and an iPod docking station. The resort's signature Butler and Private Dining services ensure you'll never want for anything. The beachside swimming pool compound features Seagrapes, a casual bar and restaurant, private cabanas and more incredible ocean views.

Gallery: St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico

Tags: Audubon, Bahia Beach, beach, Caribbean, golf, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, library, luxury hotels, Puerto Rico, resort, restaurants, Spa, St. Regis, St. Regis Bahia Beach, suites

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Brooke Shields Celebrates New St. Regis Resort

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events, Celebrity Shopping

Brooke Shields, pictured above with St. Regis Global Brand Leader Paul James, toasted the opening of the famed brand's 21st hotel, the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort in Puerto Rico, at a cocktail party at the legendary St. Regis New York Wednesday night. The glamorous fête also celebrated the unveiling of the St. Regis Collection by Alexis Bittar, a collection of jewelry created exclusively for St. Regis in honor of the brand's latest luxe destination. Each piece in the St. Regis Collection pays homage to St. Regis' founding patroness Caroline Astor, mother of John Jacob Astor who opened The St. Regis New York in 1904, and her famed jewels which she displayed at New York's premier social events. For the celebration, hosted by stylish socialites Olivia Chantecaille and Ren Grady, Zani Gugelmann, Mary Alice Stephenson, and Lucy Sykes and Euan Rellie, the St. Regis New York's second floor was transformed into a warm, inviting salon where guests discovered the storied hotel's enchanting rooms.

With glowing candlelight and beautiful flower arrangements situated amongst rich wood tables, elegant sofas and leather club chairs gracing the rooms, the setting suggested an intimate home harkening back to the days of the private residences found in the iconic hotel during John Jacob Astor's time. Throughout the festive evening, guests enjoyed live music from Kat Edmonson as she crooned classic jazz numbers while accompanied by a five piece band, paying tribute to the St. Regis New York's jazz history; the hotel has played host to some of the finest jazz musicians since its opening over a century ago. Party-goers were also treated to a special menu of hors d'oeuvres created by celebrated chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Vongerichten is the Chef of Fern, the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort's highly anticipated and recently opened signature restaurant.

Tags: Alexis Bittar, Bahia Beach, Brooke Shields, celebrity, events, jazz, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, John Jacob Astor, Kat Edmonson, luxury hotels, Olivia Chantecaille, party, Paul James, Puerto Rico, St. Regis, St. Regis Bahia Beach

RSVIP: Hugh Jackman and Wife Launch 1.4 Billion Reasons DVD

by Jeffrey Slonim (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Events, Charity, Big Givers

Decorating an event meant to combat world poverty presents issues that only a seasoned expert such as Yale educated party planner Bronson Van Wyck, who volunteered his time, would be prepared to tackle. Fabulous hors d'oeuvres and expensive lighting wouldn't have been the right message for Wednesday's event at the Museum of Modern Art in New York to benefit the Global Poverty Project, Aussie Hugh Evans' fast-track plan to end extreme poverty.

"I met Hugh Evans at the Australia 2020 Summit, which was a conference about ideas that the Prime Minister held," Hugh Jackman, far right, who hosted the fete with his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, told RSVIP.

"He was so young I thought he was one of the waiters," continued Jackman, who said he had waved Evans over, hoping to get a drink. "Two hours later, he was still telling me all of these ideas. This young guy was so switched on. . . ."

"The look tonight," explained Van Wyck, while scruffy actor Gerard Butler wandered in wearing frayed jeans and a biker jacket, "is pared-down chic."

"It's really about the message," says Van Wyck, who hails from Arkansas. "It's about the cause. Everything went toward getting the people here. I'm donating my time and even the red carpet. I believe in what they're doing."

Several of Jackman's famous friends pitched in unique auction items, including a lunch with Rupert Murdoch, which was already going for $7,000 on http://www.charitybuzz.com/gpp. And it wasn't just a friendly lunch; the winner of this lot is invited to pitch the billionaire media mogul business ideas at the table. Murdoch's wife, Wendi, explained that not even she has full access to her husband's hectic lunch agenda.

"He's always busy," she said. In fact, the couple rarely meet for lunch, "as I also have no time," she indicated with a laugh.

Tags: Deborra-Lee Furness, gerard butler, global poverty project, hugh jackman, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, rsvip, rupert murdoch

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Chefs Offer Amazing Meals To Tempt LeBron James

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Sports

They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Certainly some culinary-minded sports fans are hoping that is the case. While money and the possibility of an NBA title are probably paramount in LeBron James' mind as he considers where to play next, chefs are adding some incentives to sweeten the deal. Cleveland restaurateur and Food Network Iron Chef Michael Symon has said he will go to James' house once a month and cook a meal for his family and friends if James will stay in Cleveland with the Cavaliers. Sounds like a good offer but New York also wants him and among the luminaries tempting LeBron with incentives is chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten who promised free dinners as long as he wants if he moves to the Knicks. In NY Magazine he said "I'll feed him whatever he likes-double chickens." Double chickens? Sounds like LeBron James has some serious thinking to do.

Tags: Cleveland Cavaliers, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, lebron james, Michael Symon, New York Knicks

Fine Dining After Hours: The Late Night Menu At The Mark

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

There's nothing worse than being ravenously hungry late at night and having nowhere to go. Those in New York City have a new late-night option to save them from diner plates and fast food. The late night menu offered by The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges in the recently re-imagined Mark Hotel offers deluxe fare for night owls. The dishes will include the Mark's signature sweet pea soup, the Mark cheeseburger with brie and black truffle dressing, foie gras marble with green bean salad, a mozzarella, tomato and basil pizza as well as salmon, beef tenderloin and pasta entrees. The menu offers summer cocktails such as the lychee raspberry bellini, ginger margarita, Hemingway daiquiri and the grapefruit gimlet. The restaurant will be serving the new late night menu in the lounge area of the restaurant between 11pm and 1am.

Tags: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, late night dining, new york city, the mark nyc

The Classicist: A Puerto Rican Renaissance at St. Regis Bahia Beach Residences

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports, The Classicist, Real Estate Developments

One of the Caribbean's finest residential and vacation enclaves is taking shape on 483 pristine beachfront acres in Puerto Rico, at the foot of the only tropical rain forest in the U.S. National Forest System. At the vanguard of what promises to be a true Puerto Rican renaissance is the stunning Bahia Beach community with a St. Regis resort and residences as its centerpiece. Located within 25 minutes driving distance of San Juan, Bahia Beach boasts a magnificent two-mile crescent of sandy beach, a challenging 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., golf and beach clubhouses, and a charming seaside village. St. Regis Hotels & Resorts will operate the intimate St. Regis Resort, Bahía Beach, which will include an ultra-luxurious hotel and spa slated to open this fall. As any visitor to Bahia Beach can attest, its naturally perfect setting inspires dreams of permanent residence. Bahia Beach offers a number of ways to make the dream a reality, with a variety of homes including St. Regis Residences, Las Estancias estate homes, resort residences, golf and ocean view villas, and beachfront townhomes available in advance of the resort's official opening.

The resort will feature the signature St. Regis Butler and St. Regis Concierge service, a world-class Remède Spa and Fitness Center, a 120-seat Jean-Georges Vongerichten signature restaurant as well as a 90-seat St. Regis restaurant, retail shops and beachfront pool facilities. The tropical, unspoiled splendor of Bahia Beach, located on Puerto Rico's northeast coast at the foot of the El Yunque rain forest and bounded by two scenic rivers, can easily lead you to imagine a remote idyll, yet part of its appeal lies in the community's convenience and accessibility. U.S. residents don't need to bother with passports or worry about currency exchange, while the distance from New York for example is not all that much more than Miami. Once a coconut plantation, Bahía Beach is richly populated with 100-foot palms and other tropical trees, inhabited by myriad species of birds and the vivid green iguanas native to the coast. Over 65% of the property has been preserved as green areas, sanctuaries and nature trails; the Bahía Beach Resort & Golf Club is Puerto Rico's first resort community to become a Certified Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary.

Gallery: St. Regis Bahia Beach Residences

All residences sold within Bahía Beach include social membership in the community's private club, providing members with special dining and recreational privileges and services. Upgrades to full golf club memberships are also available. The signature St. Regis Residences, Las Estancias, will offer 25 majestic estate homes introducing an unrivaled dimension of luxury and hospitality to Puerto Rico. Located on a private island within the Bahía community and designed in a tropical plantation architectural style on spacious lots, these residences are available in six different models with floor plans offering large verandas, three-car garages, infinity edge swimming pools and separate maid's quarters. Homes are sized from 6,000 to 9,000 square feet and built on half acre to 1.5 acre lots with stunning ocean and golf course views. The first homes have already been delivered and one well-known major league baseball player has already taken up residence. Owners of Las Estancias will enjoy full access to St. Regis Resort amenities including the signature St. Regis Butler and St. Regis Concierge. Read on for details of the rest of the residences, and check out the gallery for stunning images.

Tags: Audubon, Bahia Beach, beach, Caribbean, El Yunque, golf, golf club, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, nature sanctuary, Puerto Rico, rain forest, residences, resort, San Juan, spa, St. Regis, St. Regis Bahia Beach

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St. Regis Deer Crest Open in Park City

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports

The lavish new St. Regis Deer Crest Resort in Park City, Utah, which we first mentioned last year, recently opened its doors in time for the upcoming Sundance film festival. Located slope-side in the exclusive Deer Valley Resort, the 12-acre property is nestled in the elite enclave of Deer Crest and is designed to be an elegant reflection of its dramatic mountain locale. The exclusive resort introduces some of the iconic St. Regis luxury amenities including the St. Regis Ski Butler Service; signature Remède Spa; and a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant, Utah's first. It also features North America's only hotel funicular and a European style Ski Beach. Known for its exceptional skiing conditions, Deer Valley is easily accessible from both the east and west coasts, with frequent flights directly into Salt Lake City.

Tags: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Jean-georgesVongerichten, resort, skiing, spa, St. Regis, St.Regis, Sundance, Utah

St. Regis Bora Bora Couples Retreat Package

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Couples Retreat, the new Vince Vaughn - Jon Favreau comedy that's big at the box office, stars a number of talented actors but they had to work hard not to be upstaged by the beautiful location - the St. Regis Bora Bora in the South Pacific. The lush resort, a favorite celebrity getaway since it opened in 2006 - Nicole Kidman and Keith honeymooned there while Eva Longoria and Tony Parker and others have enjoyed its tropical splendors - is offering an exclusive Couples Retreat package celebrating the film's opening and continuing through May 31, 2010. The package offers guests a four or five night stay in a Premiere Overwater Villa where Vaughn, Favreau, Malin Akerman, Kristen Davis, Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell's characters stay in the movie, as well as other experiences seen on the big screen including couples yoga on the lush 44-acre property's pristine beaches, massages at its world class Spa Miri Miri, outrigger canoe lessons, a jet ski tour in the lagoon's pristine crystal waters, and dinner at Lagoon, the St. Regis Bora Bora's Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: Bora Bora, BoraBora, Couple Retreat, CoupleRetreat, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Jean-georgesVongerichten, movie, Nicole Kidman, NicoleKidman, South Pacific, SouthPacific, St. Regis, St. Regis Bora Bora, St.Regis, St.RegisBoraBora

Kaua'i Grill To Open In Hawaii

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Culinary Concepts by Jean-Georges, the global restaurant company by the renowned chef and his business partner Phil Suarez, has announced their first restaurant in Hawaii. The Kaua'i Grill will open at The St. Regis Resort Princeville at the start of November. The grill is the resort's signature restaurant and has stunning views of Hanalei Bay through panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows. Chef Vongerichten and his team have created a menu that will utilize the freshest fish and ingredients indigenous to the islands while adapting recipes and culinary techniques to showcase the chef's unique approach.

The interior will be done in shades of cocoa, ruby, and bronze with zebra wood. The spiraling lit fabric ceiling evokes the shape of a nautilus shell. Cascading from the center of the ceiling is a hand-crafted fiber optic and ruby glass hibiscus chandelier. The restaurant will be open for dinner nightly from 6 to 10 p.m. for resort guests as well as the public.

Source

Tags: fine dining, FineDining, hawaii, hotel restaurant, HotelRestaurant, jean-georges vongerichten, Jean-georgesVongerichten, kauai, st regis, StRegis

Jean-Georges Steakhouse Opening In Washington DC

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Starting this month, Washington DC denizens will have an new place to enjoy a steak. The new W Hotel in Washington DC opens on July 8th and it will be home to the J&G Steakhouse by Culinary Concepts by Jean-Georges, the brand created by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

The J&G Steakhouse will offer steakhouse classics using premium meats and a global selection of fresh fish with side dishes of vegetables, potatoes and grains/pasta and sauces. The restaurant will work with local organic farms to source sustainable products. The dining room has 20-foot ceiling with arched windows providing views of the White House Gardens and the Washington Monument. The interiors designed by Dianna Wong include murals of cherry blossoms and coins by San Francisco artist Julie Chang.

This is Culinary Concepts by Jean-Georges' fourth restaurant opening this year and the 10th property in Culinary Concepts' restaurant portfolio, which includes Spice Markets in Atlanta, Doha, New York and Istanbul, Market by Jean-Georges at the new Shangri-La Vancouver, the One & Only in Palmilla and the W Buckhead, and J&G Steakhouse at the Phoenician Scottsdale. Next to debut will be the J&G Steakhouse at the St. Regis Mexico City opening in September.

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Tags: hotel, jean-georges vongerichten, Jean-georgesVongerichten, steakhouse, w washington dc, WWashingtonDc

Catching A Cocktail At Spice Market NYC

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Hopefully you aren't at your desk right now but if you are and you are in New York City over the Fourth of July weekend Spice Market would like to suggest their outdoor patio in the Meatpacking district of NYC as a place to grab a bit of weekend enjoyment. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has added new dishes including Peeky Toe Crab Dumplings and Steamed Red Snapper with Shiitake Mushrooms exude the types of bold spices and flavors he is famous for. For dessert the Thai Jewels with Crushed Coconut Ice offer that a refreshing and sweet treat for a hot summer night. This weekend Spice Market NYC is debuting carafes of the signature Ginger Margarita or Sangria cocktails. They also serve non-alcoholic drinks including the new Ginger-Lime Soda, Jasmine Lemonade and Cherry Yuzu Soda. Spice Market's Tasting Menu is $48 per person and includes samplings of 10 flavors in five courses.

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Tags: cocktails, dining, food, jean-georges vongerichten, Jean-georgesVongerichten, new york city, NewYorkCity, spice market, SpiceMarket

Spice Market Opens In Doha

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Jean-Georges Vongericthen has become the latest high-profile chef to take restaurants to the Middle East. Culinary Concepts by Jean-Georges has announced the opening of Spice Market and Market by Jean-Georges at the new W Hotel Doha. The restaurants are part of a partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts and represent the chef's first foray into the Middle East. "Doha is a region full of exotic spices and rich delicacies and I'm eager to infuse some of the signature dishes found at Spice Market and Market with the indigenous flavors of the region and a wealth of new ingredients," said Vongerichten. He also blogged about the experience last week.

Vongerichten is famous for eschewing the use of meat stocks and using vegetable juices and fruit essences for a light and fresh flavor. His most recent cookbook focuses on his love of Asian flavors. The decor for Spice Market at W Hotel Doha includes handcrafted screens and a series of clustered bespoke lanterns. Jean-Georges Vongericthen will be in good celebrity chef company, Nobu is also opening up a restaurant in Doha at the Four Seasons next year.

Gallery: Qatar On The Rise

Tags: doha, fine dining, FineDining, jean-georges vongerichten, Jean-georgesVongerichten, qatar

Nobu Slated to Open in Qatar

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Luxe sushi empire Nobu, backed by Robert De Niro, plans to open an eatery in Doha, Qatar's capital city. Planning is in the early stages and the exact location is unknown, but the odds-on favorite is the landmark Four Seasons Doha in West Bay on the Arabian Gulf, the Qatari Penisula reports. This will be Nobu's second Middle Eastern outpost, following the branch at the newly-opened Atlantis in Dubai's Palm Jumeirah. Qatar, which has the highest per capita income in the world, is also the site of upcoming restaurants from famed chefs Gordon Ramsay and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, part of the country's growing luxeification. Nobu currently has has 21 restaurants in 16 cities around the world.

Tags: Doha, Dubai, Four Seasons, Four Seasons Doha, FourSeasons, FourSeasonsDoha, Gordon Ramsay, GordonRamsay, jean-georges vongerichten, Jean-georgesVongerichten, Nobu, Qatar, Restaurants, Robert De Niro, RobertDeNiro, Sushi

Take a Tour of the New W Istanbul

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

As my colleague Deidre Woollard noted the other day, Istanbul has become something of a hotspot for foriegn brands. In addition to the Christian Dior boutique she wrote about, Marc Jacobs, Chloé, Bottega Veneta and Jimmy Choo have all recently opened shops in the Besiktas district, aka the SoHo of Istanbul. The centerpiece of the neighborhood is undoubtedly Starwood's new W Istanbul (which she mentioned as well). This is the first European outpost for W, the fastest growing luxury hotel brand in the world with 22 properties and 18 more in development. Here's a tour of the hip new hotel which W constructed out of a row of beautiful 1870s townhouses. The W Istanbul features 134 luxurious guest rooms including 26 suites -- many with their own private gardens, terraces and cabanas -- a branch of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's New York hotspot Spice Market, a sexy Sip Lounge bar, and a signature spa. It also boasts spectacular views of the Bosphorus, the renowned waterway between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara.

[via UrbanDaddy]

Gallery: The W Istanbul