For Jean-Georges Vongerichten, opening a restaurant in Venice comes with a particular question: how much should a global restaurant concept change when it arrives in a city with such a distinct relationship to food, seasonality and place? With the arrival of abc kitchens at Airelles Palladio, the chef answers through ingredients rather than imitation.
The opening marks Vongerichten’s first restaurant in Italy. Located on Giudecca, abc kitchens occupies part of Airelles Palladio, a new Venetian property set across historic buildings and gardens. The restaurant brings the relaxed, all-day format associated with abc kitchens to the city, with spaces extending into a shaded outdoor patio and a menu built around Mediterranean flavors and regional produce.
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Airelles Venice introduces its own conditions. Adriatic fish and seasonal vegetables give the menu a local vocabulary, while the practical reality of sourcing for an island changes the relationship between the kitchen and its suppliers. Vongerichten approaches those conditions without attempting to reproduce traditional Venetian cooking. Instead, familiar abc kitchens dishes shift according to what the region provides, from seafood and handmade pasta to burrata, pizza, veal Milanese and line-caught sea bass.
In conversation with DSCENE’s Katarina Doric, Vongerichten discusses what Venice brings to abc kitchens, why local guests ultimately determine whether a restaurant belongs to its location, the challenges of sourcing ingredients on an island, and the role architecture plays in shaping the dining experience. He also shares the simple dish that captures Venice for him.
abc kitchens already has a strong identity in New York and London. What did Venice make you rethink about the concept? – I wouldn’t say I had to rethink the concept, but as with all of my restaurants, I always rely on the local clientele and their feedback top help tweak the experience for local taste. Every abc kitchens reflects its location and regional ingredients, so while the concept remains the same, there will be menu items that differ from those at our New York and London locations.
I always rely on the local clientele and their feedback top help tweak the experience for local taste.
You describe this edition of abc kitchens through the lens of Venetian terroir. Which local ingredients or traditions became essential to understanding how the menu should feel here? – As we are going through the seasons, we are continuing to discover the traditions and ingredients that define Venice, especially as it relates to the seasonal vegetables. That’s what really drives the menu.
Venice has one of the most recognizable culinary identities in Italy. How do you work with that history without turning the menu into an interpretation of traditional Venetian cooking? – The goal for us is to respect the culinary traditions of Venice without trying to recreate them. The connection to Venice’s cultural identity really comes through the local ingredients. We take those ingredients that make Venetian cuisine so special, especially the local seafood, and approach them in a way that still feels like abc kitchens.
The goal for us is to respect the culinary traditions of Venice without trying to recreate them.
The menu moves from burrata and handmade pasta to pizza, veal milanese and line caught sea bass. What connects these dishes as one abc kitchens experience? – The quality of the ingredients and farm-to-table philosophy have always been the foundation of abc kitchens. We are very fortunate to have one of our chefs share the same passion for local farms.
How much does the rhythm of Venice influence the restaurant, especially with abc kitchens designed to work from breakfast through dinner? – Venice has a slow and relaxed feel to it, no cars, everyone traveling by foot and enjoying the outdoors. An all-day restaurant experience works perfectly with this. Breakfast flows naturally into Lunch and then Dinner. The nature of the hotel lends itself nicely to that with its indoor and outdoor spaces.
The restaurant occupies the historic Palladio building, with restored architectural details and a garden setting. Does the character of a dining room ever change the way you develop food for it? – Don’t forget the church! The character of the dining room does not change the way we develop the menu, but it definitely influences the tabletop – the glassware, plateware, silverware, and decorative accessories are always chosen in conjunction with the design.
Exceptional produce has always been central to your cooking. What have you discovered through sourcing in Italy that has surprised or challenged you? – I am amazed at the challenges getting things on and off the island, everything has to be boated in. It makes sourcing exceptional ingredients a unique challenge, but you gain a real appreciation for the local producers and suppliers who make it possible.
I am amazed at the challenges getting things on and off the island, everything has to be boated in.
abc kitchens shares Airelles Palladio with chefs including Nobu Matsuhisa, Norbert Niederkofler and Cedric Grolet. What does having so many distinct culinary voices in one destination create for you as a chef? – Some great neighbors! I think it makes Airelles a very unique destination, not just in Venice, but anywhere in the world. As a chef, it’s inspiring to be surrounded by so many different culinary perspectives. We all have our own style, but we share the same commitment to quality and hospitality. And the camaraderie is great, Nobu and I go way back, same with Cedric. I’m looking forward to getting to know Chef Norbert.
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After opening restaurants in very different cities around the world, what still tells you that a dish belongs specifically to a place rather than simply to your own culinary language? – I always make sure that my chefs and I cook for the customer, not for ourselves. The guests and the local ingredients inform you what belongs in that place.
I always make sure that my chefs and I cook for the customer, not for ourselves.
Could you share a simple recipe that, for you, captures the taste or feeling of Venice? – Chickpea fries with Calabrian Chili Aioli, it’s a perfect Cicchetti!
