From our friends at The Watergate Hotel...
The Watergate Hotel Salutes Jean-Louis Palladin with All-Star Chef Dinner Timed to 50th Anniversary of Iconic Property
Hotel’s Executive Chef Michael Santoro convenes locally and nationally revered chefs Michael Laiskonis, Paul Liebrandt, Brian McBride and Robert Wiedmaier to develop special menu for July 25 commemorative dinner
The Watergate Hotel will honor the legendary French chef Jean-Louis Palladin, who helmed the hotel’s Jean-Louis Restaurant, with a ticketed dinner on July 25 at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Kingbird. The five-course dinner is timed to the 50th anniversary of Washington, DC’s most iconic hotel and designed by a team of locally and nationally renowned chefs, including Michael Laiskonis (NYC), Paul Liebrandt (NYC), Brian McBride (Washington, DC) and Robert Wiedmaier (Washington, DC), convened by Executive Chef Michael Santoro. Tickets to The Watergate Hotel 50th Anniversary Jean-Louis Tribute Dinner can be purchased here, with reservations beginning at 6:00 PM, subject to availability.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate The Watergate’s 50th anniversary with a tribute dinner to the chef who put this hotel’s restaurant scene on the map - Jean-Louis Palladin,” said Michael Santoro, Executive Chef of The Watergate Hotel. “It is extremely humbling and exciting to carry on the culinary legacy of this property, today.”
The $250 prix-fixe dinner will salute Jean-Louis’ famous French cuisine with curated wine pairings. Highlights of the five courses include:
• Glidden Point Oyster, Avocado Mousse, Shassetra Caviar, Kalamansi Lime - Chef Brian McBride
• Mosaic of Madai, Smoked Peach, Coconut - Chef Paul Liebrandt
• Variations of the Maine Lobster, Tomato verrine, Charcoal grilled tail, Demitasse of claw with tandoori spices - Chef Michael Santoro
• Gateau of Foie Gras, California squab, Bordelaise sauce - Chef Robert Wiedmaier
• Vanilla Parfait, Raspberry Coulant, Pistachio Cake, Lime Cream - Chef Michael Laiskonis
Chef Santoro assembled a team of chefs who have a deep connection to Jean-Louis and worked closely together to curate a French-inspired menu that will be prepared by the all-star group at Kingbird. Leading D.C. restaurateurs and business partners Brian McBride and Robert Wiedmaier, Robert Wiedmaier Restaurant Group of the famed Marcel’s and touted newcomer, Siren, were delighted to celebrate the memory of their late friend and the iconic property. Chef Wiedmaier followed in Jean-Louis’ footsteps as Executive Chef of The Watergate Hotel in 1996.
“Jean-Louis Palladin was one of the first chefs I met when I moved to DC in 1986, we were scheduled to cook a dinner together at the Building of American States. He invited me to his restaurant in the middle of the day, made me a cappuccino and proceeded to write our menu in calligraphy while we shared ideas at a dining room table in the beautiful Watergate Hotel. On that day his hospitality and talent inspired me as it still does today,” said Chef Brian McBride.
Chef Robert Wiedmaier added, “In 1996, I received a call from the Watergate Hotel asking if I was interested in the executive chef position... I made sure I had Jean-Louis’ blessing before accepting, and even threw him a going away party.” He continued, “It was an honor to be the executive chef of the Watergate Hotel, and opening Aquarelle. Ask anyone in the world where the Watergate Hotel is and they know it’s in DC!”
The significance of The Watergate’s 50th anniversary and impact of Jean-Louis extends far beyond Washington, DC. New York based chefs Paul Liebrandt, who in 2000 at the age of 24 earned the distinction of youngest chef ever awarded three stars by the New York Times while at Atlas restaurant, and Michael Laiskonis, the James Beard Award-Winning pastry chef most recognized for a critically acclaimed tenure at Le Bernardin, echoed sentiments that they’re privileged to commemorate the DC landmark and legendary chef Jean-Louis Palladin. Chef Laiskonis continued, “his influence on American cooking has informed a generation of chefs.”
In celebration of this anniversary, The Watergate Hotel blends a sophisticated past with an elegant future through an extravagant anniversary package, the commemorative dinner experience at Kingbird and themed spa treatments from Argentta Spa. The Watergate Hotel reopened in June 2016 with new vibrant spaces such as The Next Whisky Bar, Kingbird, Top of the Gate, and Argentta Spa. The hotel’s current design, following a $200 million-dollar renovation by its current owners, Euro Capital Properties, captures the essence of the property’s retro roots, paying homage to its past while simultaneously paving the way for a new chapter to be written.
The Watergate Hotel is located at 2650 Virginia Avenue, NW in Washington, DC. For more information about the hotel, or to learn more about other experiences tied to the 50th anniversary, please visit TheWatergateHotel.com.
About The Watergate Hotel:
Following an extensive $200 million renovation, The Watergate Hotel has once again opened its doors to guests. Leisure and business travelers alike can experience the revitalized bold mid-century modern design, which blends classic elegance with the extravagance and warmth of a true luxury lifestyle hotel. Under the ownership of international real estate developer, Euro Capital Properties, the distinguished hotel features select interiors by illustrious designer Ron Arad along with intriguing sculptural furnishings from Italian designer Moroso. The Watergate Hotel boasts 336 stylish guestrooms, including six exquisite Diplomat Suites, 24 premier suites and two stately Presidential Suites, as well as 27,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, including a brand new ballroom and 10,000 square feet of outdoor terraces overlooking the Potomac River. Hotel guests and residents alike can enjoy access to dining at Kingbird restaurant and its energetic bar, The Next Whisky Bar, and spectacular Top of the Gate rooftop bar and lounge with 360-degree views, in addition to the exclusive Argentta Spa and fitness facility, complete with a lavish indoor pool. The hotel is conveniently located near many of Washington, DC's most popular destinations including The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a mere one mile walk to The White House and National Mall, and in the near vicinity to Georgetown shopping, George Washington University, Embassy Row and the picturesque Dupont Circle. For more information, please visit www.thewatergatehotel.com.
About Euro Capital Properties:
Euro Capital Properties is an international real estate developer and hospitality management company, bringing design-forward properties such as The Watergate Hotel to major cities around the world. Headquartered in New York, the company's principal has developed and managed iconic properties in Paris such as L'Hotel du Collectionneur with Euro Capital Properties' sister company, The Gate Collection. A strategic partnership remains with the Paris properties.
