Le Jardinier New York Pairs Food With Fashion At Seasonal Market Event

Forbes

16-05-2025

A selection of pastries from award-winning Pastry Chef Salvatore Martone
Earlier this week Le Jardinier in Midtown Manhattan hosted the second iteration of Le Marché de Printemps du Jardinier. The two-day fair brought together notable designers, cultural icons, and special programming from L'Alliance New York, all of it backdropped by complimentary canapé and cocktails from the restaurant's executive chef Andrew Ayala--along with an artful display of desserts from award-winning pastry chef Salvatore Martone.
Meanwhile, non-drinkers were treated to fresh pours of Bero, the new N/A beer brand owned by actor Tom Holland. And a portion of proceeds from the event helped support Amber Waves, a nonprofit farm in Amagansett on Long Island.
The French fine-dining institution, which exists as part of the Bastion Collection, initially launched the concept of its seasonal market last autumn with a stated mission of combining hospitality, design and storytelling. This time around, there was a common theme amongst featured participants; a special focus on female-founded brands. Key amongst them were the following:
The designers and founders remained on-site for the duration of the event. Guests were invited to connect directly with the creators, while shopping their collections. Given the sustained success of the concept, Bastion Collection owner Daria Daniel plans to continue the series in New York, while expanding it to other Le Jardinier locations in Miami, Houston and Geneva, Switzerland.
We caught up with Daniel, upon the conclusion of Le Marché, to see what inspires her and to learn more about else she has in store for her international fine-dining brand.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The Bastion Collection Proprietor Daria Daniel
Daria Daniel: 'We've always looked for ways to expand the definition of hospitality. The idea began as a way to create something more expansive than a traditional dining experience. We wanted to create a hospitality setting that differed from what is typically offered. That is, we wanted to offer a distinguished & jovial marketplace featuring a variety of brands, but within the context of really exceptional food.'
DD: 'Le Marché is intentionally designed to go far beyond a standard retail pop-up and pairing fine hospitality with fun brand discovery in a lightened atmosphere. That felt new and interesting to us.'
DD: 'Connecting female founders with each other was another important thought for us. Often, there are hybridities or collaborations that arise that no one would've contemplated beforehand, and they naturally unravel when founders share the same space for a few days. We love the spontaneity and authenticity in that, and then seeing how those relationships develop over time, and what projects they inspire. That was essential from the start. This season's lineup showcased founders who are not only incredibly talented, but who also represent the next generation of thoughtful, independent business leaders across fashion, design, and wellness. But it was also vital that this wasn't perceived as a women-for-women event. We wanted it to be an everyone-for-everyone event. Making sure the room is filled with an eclectic audience, that everyone in your life comes out to support, is incredibly meaningful and has a bigger, reverberating impact.'
DD: 'Community is a big one for us. We want to create exceptional hospitality, but we want it to be alive and fun and bustling with community. Dining at establishments that offer a certain level of culinary can often be rigid and isolating; how do you break down those walls? How do you bring a sense of togetherness and lightness back? In a lovely and full circle way--because many of our Bastion chefs were trained under his tutelage-- quite similar to what Joel Robuchon wanted to do when he first introduced his bar-seating concept in 2000. At the time, he wanted to do away with the rigidity fine-dining had come to signify. He brought people together around the counter. Well, in many ways, this is our 2025 humble attempt at that rationale. How do you maintain the culinary quality but forge fun and meaningful community experiences at the same time?'
DD: 'Sustainability is a core value at The Bastion Collection. Many of the featured brands are built around conscious production. That same ethos drives our culinary approach, where we prioritize local sourcing and low-waste practices. For example, Mon Coeur, our featured children's clothing line, uses sustainable materials spun from reclaimed organic cotton fiber; their slogan: 'kinder clothing for earth-loving kids.' Espelma, our featured candle company, is made from a healthy wax blend that contains no paraffin, and is reusable - their slogan: 'reusable luxury.' I know both of those brands started with the founders' children in mind… To create products that felt good, but also felt mindful. That's lovely & real & so relatable. Our partner Amber Waves Farm, a non profit teaching farm in Amagansett also provides educational opportunities for a younger generation. There are shared ethics in some of the brands we bring together, and we think that's pivotal.'
Guests browse with creators at the spring 2025 Le Marché de Printemps du Jardinier
DD: 'We hope guests take away that fine-dining and refined hospitality doesn't have to be stiff or intimidating. In a different package, such as this colorful marketplace, it can be inviting and fun and foster community and connection in an affecting way. We also want to foster a sense of connection. Whether it was discovering a new designer, engaging with a founder, or tasting something unexpected and beautiful—we hope guests left feeling creatively and culturally inspired, and more connected to the people and stories behind what they experienced.'
DD: "We're continuing to expand the concept—both here in New York and at our Le Jardinier locations in Miami, Houston and Geneva—with future markets shaped by seasonality and place. We're also considering how this pop-up might be a blueprint for a more permanent exploration between hospitality and new luxury brands. How can you create spaces that are a part of people's daily lives, that deliver a certain level of ingredient quality and culinary execution, but that also foster a warm and cool atmosphere to hang out for hours, to support friends' businesses, to forge ties in local communities. At Bastion, we believe in-person, cultural connection, live experiences, community spaces will stand the test of time, and we're now figuring out how to infuse the best of culinary into that, in an attainable, quotidian way."
Daria Daniel (right) poses with guests at Le Marché