Market 57, New York City’s newest food hall, opened at the beginning of April with 15 local eateries plus Good to Go, launched by the James Beard Foundation (JBF) as an incubator for fast-casual concepts.
The food vendors are at the hub of the 16,000-square-foot Pier 57, built out by real estate developer Jamestown with support from Google. JBF partnered with both companies to curate the eateries and design Platform, the Foundation’s state-of-the-art show kitchen, event space and educational center.
“This is the next chapter to bring JBF’s ‘Good Food for Good’ mission to life,” said Kris Moon, president and COO of the foundation.
The foundation was involved with the project since its inception about four years ago, pinpointing operators who were committed to America’s food culture, equity and sustainability. “We curated a list of people doing incredible work in New York City … who also make delicious food,” said Moon. “We tried to piece together the right mix of cuisines and business types.”
The 15 food kiosks reflect the culinary melting pot of NYC and its neighborhoods. There’s Harlem Hops, a craft beer concept; Nom Wah, an iconic Chinatown dim sum spot; LoLo’s on the Water, a Caribbean seafood mashup; oyster-centric Mothershuckers; and a selection of Indian, South Asian, Japanese and Thai eateries, rounded out by bakeries, coffee shop and plant-based kiosks. Most have signed three-year leases and each is an independent business.
Ben Harney started Mothershuckers selling oysters from a cart in Brooklyn. He now operates one of the kiosks in Market 57 and teaches classes at Platform./Eric Vitale Photography.
JBF’s lease on Good to Go is longer, said Moon. Right now the kisok is serving 20 rotating dishes created by James Beard fellows, but it will transition in September into an incubator for operators so they can flesh out a fast-casual concept. Applications are now being accepted through May 1 for two 6-month residencies.
Applicants have to submit a business plan and, once accepted, JBF assumes all the capital investment. The foundation pays rent, purchases food, staffs the kiosk and provides a stipend to the operator to put away and use when they are ready to start up. “It’s a financially de-risked space,” said Moon.
“We’re removing the barriers to entry,” he added. “If a line cook or restaurant manager has a good idea, this is their chance to try it out.” The applicants shouldn’t be too well established but they can be pop-ups or brick-and-mortar concepts that wish to evolve and grow.
Market 57 has 15 food vendors plus Good to Go, a fast-casual incubator. /Photo by Colin Miller.
Platform was also designed to be less exclusive—a complaint often associated with the James Beard House, where chefs are invited to cook dinners for guests who pay up to $250 each. Some of the events at this venue will be free, including culinary demos and kids cooking classes, while hands-on adult classes may run about $65 to $75. Panel discussions and dinners are pricier, $125 to $200, with the grand opening dinner starring Jacques Pepin going for $500 per person. But the range of price points makes the programming more accessible to all.
Through a weekly rotating chef-in-residence program and the schedule of events, the work of more than 30 “mission-aligned” chefs will be showcased, including some of Google’s chefs. Platform is an extension of the Foundation’s multi-cultural approach and push for diversity—goals also embodied in the 2023 Chef and Restaurant Awards.
Pier 57 is the same space Anthony Bourdain was originally trying to develop as a giant Hawker Center before his death. He had partnered with Singapore street food celebrity KF Seetoh to set up a food hall filled with authentic Asian street foods. The project was mammoth and required more power and HVAC than was sustainable. Seetoh subsequently downsized the idea to help create New York City’s Urban Hawker food hall, bringing over 11 of the 17 vendors directly from Singapore. It launched in September.
Unlike many food halls, Market 57 has space for plenty of seating, including a rooftop park stewarded by the Hudson River Park Trust. Pier 57 also includes several classrooms open to nonprofits for free educational programs.