August, 2023
Celebrated Chef’s Sensory Adventure Begins at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad
NEW YORK, New York (August 8, 2023) – A sensory adventure of sophisticated cuisine, artful service and unbridled creativity begins today with the opening of The Bazaar by José Andrés at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, developed by New York-based Flag Luxury Group. The Bazaar is an extraordinary epicurean experience born of José’s Spanish roots, both traditional and avant-garde, where each location leads to a bespoke and ever-evolving world.
In New York, the Michelin-starred Chef and culinary team have been guided by the legendary voyage of Hasekura Tsunenaga, the 17th century samurai and first Japanese ambassador in the Americas and in Spain. From the menu to design, The Bazaar New York offers José’s interpretation of the cultural interaction between Japan and his native Spain.
“Let me take you on a voyage! This restaurant is a story 400 years in the making…it begins when a group of samurai, led by Hasekura Tsunenaga, sailed from Japan to Spain for an audience with the king. They brought with them their history, their culture, their traditions. Both Spain and Japan share a deep respect for ingredients and dedication to technique. What you are about to experience is a journey between these two worlds…navigated with imagination and wonder by our team,” shared José Andrés. “To introduce The Bazaar to New York City we had to create an unrivaled and totally unique destination that unfolds as you enter and captivates the imagination,” added Sam Bakhshandehpour, President of José Andrés Group.
“The completion of The Bazaar fully realizes the dream of bringing together the most compelling and distinctive designers and culinary offerings under one roof, all here at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad,” said Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, President of Flag Luxury Group. “The creative vision brought to life by Lázaro Rosa-Violán is simply stunning and true to the spirit of The Bazaar.”
The culinary journey of The Bazaar pays homage to José’s Spanish roots and inventive style led by a respect for both Spanish and Japanese techniques and flavors. To bring to life the kindred and disparate cooking traditions, the menu offers side-by-side preparations showcasing the Japanese Robata grill (“konro”) and the Spanish Josper oven grill with Ibérico pork cooked over the Robata and Japanese wagyu cooked using the Josper. Similarly, the menu features Spanish Frituras alongside Japanese Tempura with dishes like Puntillitas, baby Spanish squid coated with Japanese tempura batter and fried crispy, served with squid ink alioli, a variation on the Spanish sauce. In other areas of the menu, technique and ingredients intermingle, such as the Madai (Red Seabream) Crudo, which is served with an umami-rich sauce made of tomato water, beloved by Spanish chefs, and Irizake, a reduction of sake, salted plum and kombu that was used as a dipping sauce in Japan around the time Hasekura lived.
The beverage program takes Japan through the Iberian Peninsula with a robust offering of shōchū and sake, Japanese spirits such as whisky and gin, as well as a focus on Spanish wines, and Japanese winemakers from around the world. The cocktail program, led by Miguel Lancha, José Andrés Group’s Cocktail Innovator, features both spirit-forward and spirit-free drinks that honor Japanese ingredients and technical influence such as the Divine Wind made with Chrysanthemum-infused shochu, triple sec, clarified lime, butterfly pea tea, and citrus perfume and a Sake Sangria made with Japanese gin, vermouth, Buddha’s hand and grapefruit citrus oils, and topped with cava and Junmai Sparkling Sake. To conclude a meal, fine Japanese loose-leaf teas brewed to precision are featured from Kettl, a distinguished tea company that sources directly from partner growers and producers in Japan on a weekly basis.
Designed by Spain’s Lázaro Rosa-Violán Studio, the atmosphere is warm and theatrical, rooted in natural hues of rust and indigo with golden touches and natural wood. Taking inspiration from Hasekura’s travels, guests first enter The Bazaar Bar downstairs where backlit sketches of sailing vessels line the bookshelves and a central, round table evokes the star maps used by sailors to guide their voyages. A vibrant floral tiled staircase invites guests upstairs to The Bazaar dining room where the journey continues. Inside, shades of deep orange and blended blues beckon, and an intimate tapas bar features Spanish custom millwork and fabric-backlit spheres reminiscent of Japanese lanterns with Andalusian fringe. Throughout the dining room, deep blues recall the blue of European royalty while indigo evokes Japanese arts and dyed fabrics. The table lamps fuse a Manises-inspired ceramic base with a Japanese-inspired shade. At the center of the room, a mixology bar offers a sophisticated reinterpretation of Castilian bookshelves with amber glass, mirrors and a brass bottle display built on top of a custom service bar that is only the second of its kind in the country.
Since its inception in 2008, The Bazaar has since grown to have locations in Miami’s South Beach, New York City and Washington DC, as well as inspired the creation of Bazaar Meat, a wild and wonderful celebration of the carnivorous, with outposts in Las Vegas, Chicago, and to come at The Grand LA, downtown Los Angeles’ newest cultural corridor.
For more information: https://www.thebazaar.com/new-york-city/
Media Contacts
For additional information, please contact: JAGNY@baltzco.com
