One of the world’s best chefs opened his new dining concept in Dubai, and he brought with him the best jet set crowd.
Critically-acclaimed Jean-Georges Vongerichten joined by the likes David Hasselhoff and Nargis Fakhri, as well as a bevy of ‘international supermodels’ when he opens the door to JG Dining Room and JG Kitchen under the same roof on June 4.
The two new outlets at Four Seasons Resort, Jumeirah Beach, will launch to much fanfare before settling into life at one the most popular new hotels in Dubai.
JG Dining Room is a fine dining restaurant and will be joined to a more casual outlet via a terrace lounge. Diners can expect a full range of Mediterranean-inspired dishes on the menu, combing traditional cooking techniques with the modern scientific elements that have made Jean-Georges so universally popular.
His opening in the region follows staggering success in New York (ABC Kitchen, The Mark and The Mercer Kitchen), Tokyo, Las Vegas, Shanghai and many more.
It seems fitting then that the 58-year-old Frenchman would be able to call on some famous faces on the special night.
Hasselhoff, famous for his starring role in Knightrider and Baywatch more than 20 years ago, is one the most recognisable people in showbiz.
Fakhri, meanwhile, is one of Hollywood’s hottest properties right now having transitioned along the rarely-trodden path from Bollywood to the mainstream. The star appears in upcoming release Spy, an action comedy alongside Melissa McCarthy.
World-famous chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has three Michelin stars under his belt. But the French culinary extraordinaire is collecting stars of a different variety to attend the launch of his new restaurant in Dubai. David Hasslehoff is amongst celebrity guests in to the invite only event. On the red carpet there was Bollywood actress, Nargis Fakhri, and a string of supermodels.
Jean-Georges’ restaurant, JG Dining Room and JG Kitchen, is taking a coveted spot in the Four Seasons Resort Dubai. Although under one venue, the different names reflect two different spaces within the restaurant, connected by an outside lounge. Although Mediterranean classics are his signature, JG Dining Room will be the fine-dining option, while JG Kitchen offers a slightly more casual atmosphere.
Dubai is just one of multiple cities that Jean-Georges is taking over – the Frenchman already has restaurants in Las Vegas, Paris, Shanghai and many more. But far from being an instant success, the 58-year-old cut his teeth at the bottom first. He once said: “For my 16th birthday, my parents took me to Auberge de L’ill, a three-star Michelin restaurant in Alsace. I loved the ballet of the waiters and the food. When the chef came to the table, my father said, ‘My son is good for nothing. Do you need anybody to wash dishes?’ The chef said, ‘Come in next week.’ That was the first restaurant I worked in.”
We were at a special invite-only red carpet event at Four Seasons on June 4.