Latest news with #Zaytinya
Travel Weekly
24-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Jose Andres brings the tastes of the Mediterranean to Caesars Palace
Internationally renowned chef Jose Andres has added a seventh restaurant to his Las Vegas portfolio: the Mediterranean-themed Zaytinya in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. The menu explores the culinary traditions of Turkey, Greece and Lebanon. It includes classic spreads such as labneh (strained yogurt) and baba ghannougem (eggplant with tahini, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil). Signature dishes include Soujouk Pide (spicy sausage, cheese and a soft-cooked egg on flatbread) and Octopus Santorini (grilled and served with marinated onions, capers and yellow split pea puree). There are also vegetable-forward options such as spanakopita (spinach, feta cheese and seasonings baked in phyllo) and seasonal salads. Guests can share mezze with the table, pick their own main courses or a combination of both. One highlight is the grilled lamb chops, prepared with Tangier spice and paired with spring pea tzatziki. Design sets the mood Rockwell Group designed the 8,604-square-foot space. Guests enter through large oak doors adorned with trellises and plants into a vibrant bar and lounge with mosaic tile and soft lighting. Beams and pendant lamps help frame the dining area, which features a fireplace with a large hood. The back bar is built with a glass structure that is symbolic of the Greek evil eye. Drapery provides semiprivate dining areas for gatherings and celebrations. "At Zaytinya, we've focused on curating a vibrant cultural experience," said Sam Bakhshandehpour, Jose Andres Group's global CEO. "The vision was to craft a space where the soul of the Eastern Mediterranean comes alive through bold flavors, stunning design and connection. Ultimately, we believe that food is at its best when shared; it's all about bringing people together." • Cover story: Nobu's next course Since it launched in Washington in 2002, the flagship Zaytinya has been recognized by awards such as Bib Gourmand and the 2021 Michelin Guide. Hours for the Las Vegas location are from 5 to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The restaurant will also launch with Mezze Ora, which features specially priced and paired drinks and bites from 5 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Jose Andres Group's other Las Vegas restaurants are Bazaar Mar and Bar Centro (Shops at Crystals); Bazaar Meat (Sahara); and Jaleo, China Poblano and e by Jose Andres (Cosmopolitan).
Miami Herald
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Prince Harry resigned from his charity. Was this viral photo op in Florida to blame?
Prince Harry fans freaked when he popped up unexpectedly in South Florida back in April 2024. The first sighting was at upscale restaurant Zaytinya at the Ritz Carlton Miami Beach Hotel. The royal was attending a fundraiser for Sentebale, the charity he co-founded to help South Africa's next generation. 'Africa's in my heart, Africa's in my soul,' said the Duke at the event, whose guests included actress Mindy Kaling. 'The vast open space, the cultures, the communities, the people, the wildlife, just the freedom was a huge piece of why I loved [it] so much.' Fans wondered at the time where Harry's wife, 'Suits' alum Meghan Markle, was. Lo and behold, the duchess showed up the next day for the Royal Salute Polo Challenge at the Grand Champions Polo Club up in Wellington. Cameras were there, too. The match was filmed for a Netflix doc the royal couple was producing for their company Archewell. As if the Hollywood star showing up didn't cause enough of a stir, a strange thing happened during the step and repeat. When Sentebale chairwoman Dr. Sophie Chandauka stood next to Harry for a group picture, Markle is seen motioning for the woman to move away from him and get next to her. She complied. The awkward exchange quickly went viral, and ultimately spiraled into a disaster. A year later, Sentebale is in flux after Harry suddenly resigned — reportedly because his fractured relationship with Chandauka. 'It is devastating that the relationship between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation,' the California based Brit said in a statement. 'What's transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this...' The actual reason for the rift? According to widespread media reports, it was that cringy moment at the Wellington tournament. Harry apparently wasn't happy about the fallout and had his team fire off a text to Chandauka asking her to publicly defend Markle and say all was copacetic between the two women. The Zimbabwe born lawyer declined. 'I said no,' Chandauka told the Financial Times in a bombshell interview. 'We're not setting a precedent by which we become an extension of the Sussex PR machine.' In another sitdown with Sky's Sunday Morning News, Chandauka accused Harry of 'harassment and bullying at scale'. 'There are people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people, and then play the victim card and use the very press they disdain to harm people who have the courage to challenge their conduct,' she said. A source close to a handful of Sentable's former trustees and patrons — who also left the charity — blamed the breakdown on Chandauka, and called her interviews with the UK press a 'publicity stunt.' Still, we hear Chandauka has receipts, which could prove way embarrassing if leaked. 'Harry should be nervous,' an insider close to the situation told Page Six, 'especially when he has been so outspoken about his wife being bullied in the past.'
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beyond Bazaar: José Andrés Feeds Los Angeles and the World
With two Michelin stars, a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, recognition as one of Time magazine's '100 Most Influential People' and several James Beard awards, José Andrés is a well-recognized visionary in the food world. On Jan. 4, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor, in recognition of his humanitarian work with his organization World Central Kitchen, which provides meals to people during times of disaster and war. Of course, that was under the Biden administration and just a few weeks later newly-elected President Trump included Andrés on his social media post about "fired" presidential council heads, suggesting he'd removed his title helming the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. Andrés responded soon after that he had submitted his resignation weeks before as his two year term in the position has already matter what honors he receives or side projects he may take on moving forward, when it comes to feeding people, the Spain-born chef continues to push himself. Feeding those in need is always top of mind, but his passion and innovation for upscale restaurant environments continues to captivate. His inventive dishes and eclectic atmospheres have made his restaurants hits all around the country, in cities including Washington, D.C.; Las Vegas; Miami; New York; Chicago; and L.A.; as well as international destinations like Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Mexico revered restaurateur is continuing to expand his empire and set to make an even bigger impact here with two new concepts at The Shay hotel in Culver City: Zaytinya, opened in December with Butterfly following soon after. Bazaar Meat is set to open later this year at Downtown's mixed-use development The Grand LA, where they'll be serving fresh takes on Andrés famed tapas-inspired first became familiar with the chef from The Bazaar, his Beverly Hills restaurant known for its wild and whimsical menu featuring flavor fusions, unique presentations and displays of molecular gastronomy. Opened in 2008, it was the JAG restaurant group's first project outside of D.C. and a popular special occasion locale at the SLS Hotel until it closed in 2020. In 2022, he made his return to L.A. with San Laurel at the new Conrad Los Angeles, where he also helms the food and beverage program at the hotel's Airlight pool, Alto (formerly Agua Viva) rooftop and The Beaudry Room lounge. 'I remember being there with Frank Gehry the first time he showed me that space,' Andrés recalls of the Conrad, set within The Grand complex that the famed architect designed. 'He said, 'I make buildings that will be better buildings if they have a heart. And I need you, José, to become the heart.'' He describes the still-thriving San Laurel as 'a little bit of Spain meets California — good food that travelers and locals alike can come to have.''We're doing Bazaar Meat because we wanted to do something different. I didn't want to clone what we did in L.A. before,' says Andrés, who has outposts of the high-end steakhouse in Las Vegas and Chicago. 'It's going to be a hybrid of what people used to love from the old Bazaar and not just meat, but we'll be doing grills [with] vegetables.' Zaytinya brings his soulful cooking and innovation to a more Mediterranean menu — with Turkish, Greek and Lebanese influences — and it already boasts locations in New York, South Beach and D.C. '[It's] a concept that I believe will do very well here and it's a brand that has done very well for me from the day I created it,' Andrés from his native Spain will always infuse Andrés' cuisine and he strives to bring fun, creative elements to every dish. Case in point: his buttery jamón ibérico de bellota cinco jotas ('hand-cut from the famous acorn-fed, black-footed Spanish pig'), which is served at San Laurel on a plate adorned with a small portrait of the pig's likeness.'I think there's creativity from the eyes of a chef that began his career in Spain, right?' says Andrés, who has upcoming openings in Palo Alto, Arizona and Vegas. He'll make his first foray into residential luxury developments in West Palm Beach, debut a hotel in Georgetown and publish his next cookbook, Change the Recipe: Because You Can't Build a Better World Without Breaking Some Eggs) in April 2025 — all while continuing his humanitarian work. About how that work might be impacted by the new president, Andrés told Los Angeles in an interview before Trump re-entered office, "Even in my own family, we disagree. You know, I've had my own personal issues with President Trump about immigrants and division of immigrants to America," he explains. "I hold my ground in the same way he holds his. I will say that during the pandemic, the first thing I did was go to the Department of Agriculture to meet with all the top team there to see how World Central Kitchen could help take care of people. The same week, I ended up in the White House speaking to President Trump about ideas and steps to take care of Americans that were going to be going through hardships. At the end of the day, I put country over personal thoughts or politics or anything. I've met with Republican and Democratic presidents. I've fed both.""You don't run a country when you go for the vote. You run a country when every single citizen, in one way or another, involves himself in development of your community, development of your country, that's what we all should do," he adds. "Respecting each other or respecting each other's views without trashing or bringing down anybody else because he has different ideas than you. In this case, if you respect me, I will respect you. If you respect others, I will respect you. That's my mantra." Respect may be the key to his success — in the culinary community and beyond, but the chef's gift for combining flavors is what's made his restaurants so popular. 'Food is about ingredients — about fruits, vegetables, meat and spices,' he says. 'I think the main thing is, 'let's make food that's good,' and everything else just rights itself."In addition to Bazaar Meat, Andrés is also looking forward to restaurant openings in Palo Alto and Arizona this year. He just opened Bazaar Mar in Las Vegas, In 2027 he'll make his first foray into residential luxury developments in West Palm Beach and a hotel to be called The Bazaar House in this while he continues his humanitarian work. In addition to helping during the L.A. fires, WCK is also currently in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza. He's also preparing to release his new book, Change the Recipe: Because You Can't Build a Better World Without Breaking Some Eggs in April, which he describes as stories about how to manage and adapt when things don't go as we plan in life, 'just change the recipe and you'll be ok.' More info on José Andrés new concepts at Culver City's The Shay Hotel, Downtown's The Grand L.A., and much more at A shorter version of this story first appeared in the January 2025 issue of Los Angeles magazine, on newsstands now; click here to subscribe today. _
