The pop-up restaurant trend, a short-term restaurant that literally “pops up,” remains open for a 
short time and is usually gone as quickly as it came, has proven successful in LA, London and Paris over the past few years. In the current unsteady economy, the concept is the perfect way for chefs to flex their creative muscles in an experimental setting while appeasing diners who are easily bored by mundane cuisine. Several new pop-ups have arrived in New York City as of late. Former Dovetail chef John Fraser brings What Happens When to Nolita for 9 months and brunch-only spot Maharlika will make its temporary residence in the East Village.
As pop-up restaurants are now growing in popularity in New York City, who better to bring one to Chelsea Market than the self-proclaimed inventors of pop-up restaurants themselves: The James Beard Foundation (JBF). The Foundation, which began in 1986, has been inviting chefs from around the globe to cook at the James Beard House in Greenwich Village ever since, thus creating the concept of very first pop-up restaurant.
On April 12, the Foundation will launch JBF LTD, a temporary restaurant and food pavilion in Chelsea Market that will offer a rotating calendar of food-related events titled Nightly Dinners, Daily Specials and Side Dishes until May 14, 2011 at Chelsea Market located at 75 Ninth Avenue in New York City. Tickets are on sale today.
Nightly Dinners will feature prix-fix dinners prepared by celebrity chefs that include Michelle Bernstein of Michy’s (Miami) and David Chang of Momofuku (NYC). These dinners will generally be offered five week nights (excluding Sundays and Mondays) with four seatings — 6:30, 7:00, 7:30 and 8:00pm.
Daily Specials — an interactive café, retail shop and lounge open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 am through 4 pm — will offer tastings, book readings and culinary demonstrations with guests such as Gail Simmons of Top Chef: Just Desserts and Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics. In addition, the café will serve lunch and snack items.
Side Dishes will offer interactive food-themed experiences such as a “Who Was James Beard?” exhibit, related contests and giveaways and several retail displays that will sell James Beard’s books, JBF t-shirts and more.
For more information or tickets, click here.
– Rachel Barbarotta, Bite of the Best special correspondent
We’ve been enjoying once-monthly, pop-up dinners at Heirloom at the Study Hotel in New Haven. Started in January of this year by Chef Carey Savona – it’s been fantastic – the food and wine pairings are spectacular! 5 plates and 5 wines for $55 – and you have no idea what you’re eating or drinking until it is served. Fun and educational too! Nice to see the trend is continuing!