Chef José Andrés To Enter Hotel Sector With Branded D.C. Project
Culinary giant José Andrés is launching into the hospitality world, putting his brand on a 67-room hotel planned for Georgetown’s main drag in Washington, D.C.
Andrés is partnering with developer Thor Equities on The Bazaar House, planned to open in 2027 at 3000 M St. NW.
The Bazaar House will include multiple Andrés-curated food and beverage options, event space, a wellness center and retail. A membership club will be a “focal point” of the project, according to a news release, and will include a penthouse-level restaurant called The Bazaar Club.
José Andrés Group has more than 30 restaurant concepts worldwide, including at least seven in the D.C. area, where it is based. He has Spanish-inspired restaurants with The Bazaar brand in several cities, including D.C., where it opened in early 2023 in the Waldorf Astoria.
The Michelin-starred chef is also the founder of the nonprofit World Central Kitchen, which provides meals to victims of natural disasters and humanitarian crises and was named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential companies this year.
“Thirty years ago when I came to Washington DC as a young chef, I knew that this city was a perfect place to bring people together over food,” Andrés said in a release Wednesday. “It’s one of the beating hearts of our country, a place where I knew I could meet anyone and do anything, starting with a great meal. Well, today I’m so happy to start a new chapter with The Bazaar House in Georgetown, an amazing opportunity to welcome people to my city in an entirely new way.”
Thor Equities, a New York-based real estate firm with a $20B global portfolio, has had plans in the works for nearly a decade to build a hotel at the site at 3000 M St. NW but has left it to languish. The 20K SF lot was home to the Latham Hotel, which closed in 2012. Thor purchased the property in 2015 and started demolition work, which hasn't yet finished.
The plans for The Bazaar House are a change from Thor’s vision in its most recent planned unit development application in 2022. The D.C. Zoning Commission approved a 97-room hotel with 10K SF of commercial space fronting M Street.
“We are thrilled to be involved in a project that honors Georgetown's rich history and also establishes an exciting new destination for the local community and visitors from around the world,” Thor Equities Group Chairman and CEO Joe Sitt said in the release.
“The private membership club aspect is particularly compelling, as it is designed to connect thought leaders and foster a sense of community curated by José Andrés Group, where local and global guests will be able enjoy exclusive experiences, entertainment venues, and more,” Sitt said.
