Anthony Bourdain’s Market Won’t Resemble ‘a Todd English Product’

The $60 million international food hall that Anthony Bourdain and his partners are planning to open at Pier 57 is, without a doubt, one of the most-anticipated restaurant projects of the decade. And like most new NYC dining establishments, this one is facing some delays. The projected opening was recently pushed back from 2017 to 2019. But in a new Vogue profile, Bourdain sounds confident that he will be able to bring many of his favorite vendors from around the world to the SuperPier for the opening of the market. Tony B explains: "You bring the people in who know what they’re doing and you let them do it. You bring in the guy who’s the best chicken-and-rice guy in Singapore and just let him do his thing." The cinematic design gurus at Roman + Williams are in charge of the space, but Bourdain wants the chicken and rice guy to bring in his own signage, instead of having the team create "some arty fucking thing."

Previously, Bourdain and his posse announced plans to host the vendors from Singapore’s 649 Geylang Claypot and La Guerrerense in Ensenada, Mexico. He also dropped a long list of dream collaborators in February, and the Bourdain Market Instagram account is full of photos of people that his crew would love to work with. In terms of the logistics of bringing all these people to NYC, Bourdain tells Oliver Strand: "We’re on it, man....Housing and visas, that’s day one."

It’s truly an ambitious project that will likely evolve over the next few years. But Bourdain knows the fate that he wants to avoid: "If it feels like a Todd English product...then we can all just go home and throw a noose over the fucking shower stall."

Anthony Bourdain on Authenticity, Expectations, and Opening the Country’s Most Ambitious Food Hall [Vogue]

All Coverage of Bourdain Market [ENY]

Anthony Bourdain Really Loves In-N-Out Burger