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Turns out the Hudson Yards project from flagship chef Thomas Keller’s is not opening to the public this week along with the rest of the restaurants — though it has been hosting the rich and famous for private parties.
Keller’s people did not say why the throwback restaurant TAK Room isn’t opening on Friday, but it’s a change from previous messaging from the Hudson Yards developer Related.
The real estate company has been talking a big game about all the restaurants in the high-profile Shops building opening along with other splashy aspects of the high-profile, multibillion project. Keller in particular has been an integral part of the property’s marketing; the Per Se chef helped pick out which restaurants would get spots in the mall. The Keller team claims that it was always going to open to the public later in the month.
Though TAK Room won’t be ready for public consumption by Friday, the space has been functional, at least according to Instagram and the tabloids. Page Six reported that celebrities such as Martha Stewart and Christine Baranski attended a party there on Saturday night, and on Tuesday night, the luxe restaurant hosted a charity party, sponsored by Cartier and InStyle magazine for Robin Hood Foundation. Hors d’oeuvre such as smoked salmon mousse puffs and prime rib dip sandwiches were served.
TAK Room will be a 200-seat space with “glamour of a bygone era,” according to the restaurant. Food is Mad Men-era continental cuisine; live music and Champagne carts are slated to liven up the restaurant. It’s on the fifth and sixth floor of the Shops at Hudson Yards, the centerpiece retail space of the development with more than 100 restaurants and stores.
It’s Keller’s first New York restaurant in close to a decade, and many eyes will be on the the influential fine-dining chef. Per Se has not fared so well in its most recent reviews.
Stay tuned for more.