RFR Holding today announced it has appointed world renowned Chef Joël Robuchon to helm the gourmet marketplace and world class fine dining restaurant at One Hundred East Fifty Third Street. RFR's new luxury residential tower is being developed by Aby Rosen, co-founder of RFR, in partnership with Vanke and designed by British architecture firm Foster + Partners. Joseph Dirand, the award winning architect and interior designer who has built a career on incorporating a quintessentially French style of design into otherwise modern interiors, will be designing the ground-floor food market and second level restaurant. With the opening of this elevated new marketplace and dining concept at One Hundred East Fifty Third Street, Midtown's Cultural District will become even more vibrant as a destination for residents, New Yorkers, and visitors.

"We have assembled a best-in-class team for One Hundred East Fifty Third Street. Each of our partners was carefully selected to create an iconic tower that creates a wonderful home and enriches the lifestyle of those who choose to live there," said Aby Rosen, co-founder of RFR.

Joël Robuchon has accumulated 28 Michelin stars, more than any other chef in the world. He was titled "Chef of the Century" by the guide Guilt Millau in 1989 and also awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (France's Best Craftsman) in cuisine in 1976. One Hundred East Fifty Third Street will welcome the legendary chef and restauranteur to oversee the innovative world-class culinary experience when the building opens in 2017.

Spanning two levels, the Joseph Dirand-designed multi-concept space will feature a gourmet marketplace on the ground level, and a fine dining restaurant on the second level, which will join Chef Robuchon's acclaimed eponymous restaurants in Las Vegas, Macao, Singapore and Tokyo. The Joël Robuchon Restaurants have been awarded the highest rating of Three Stars in cities where the Michelin Guide is represented.

Joseph Dirand is an award winning architect and interior design. He combines minimalism and classic elegance to many of his designs. He has received Wallpaper's Design Award for the best new restaurant for Monsieur Bleu in Paris and the best hotel for Habita Monterrey Hotel in Mexico. In addition, Maison & Objet named him Interior Designer of the Year in 2013.

ABOUT JOËL ROBUCHON

Joël Robuchon is a French chef—the most decorated in the world with a total of 24 Michelin stars among his restaurants worldwide including the Ateliers and the Fine Dining Establishments in Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, Macau, Tokyo, Singapore and soon to open Bordeaux. He was awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (France's Best Craftsman) in cuisine and titled "Chef of the Century" by the guide Gault Millau. His Parisian restaurant was awarded Best Restaurant in the world by the International Herald Tribune. 

ABOUT INVEST HOSPITALITY (IH)

INVEST HOSPITALITY (IH) is a socially responsible investment firm and management company, specializing in the acquisition, development and growth of hospitality brands and assets. IH invests and or manages assets in the U.S. Joël Robuchon restaurants, La Table in Houston, Texas and TORC in Napa, California. 

ABOUT RFR – OWNER AND DEVELOPER

RFR is a fully integrated real estate investment firm based in New York City with a core focus on high quality assets in select urban markets in the United States and Germany.  Founded by Aby Rosen and Michael Fuchs in the early 1990's, the firm has been an active force in the New York City real estate market for much of the past two decades. RFR's portfolio has grown to include more than 100 properties located in select domestic and international markets.  While its property portfolio is anchored in Manhattan, RFR also has significant commercial, residential, hotel, and retail holdings.  RFR has a proven track record of adding significant value to the properties it acquires through property-level repositioning and strategic financial engineering.  RFR has created an organization with deep experience in all phases of the property life cycle and is positioned to take advantage of market opportunities.

ABOUT VANKE – OWNER

Founded in 1984,China Vanke Co., Ltd. began to engage in real estate in 1988, and was the second listed company on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 1991. Through the development of more than two decades, Vanke has become the largest residential developer in China, whose business covers 53 large and medium-sized cities in the Pearl River Delta region, the Yangtze River Delta region and the Bohai Economic Rim, as well as central and western parts of China. In the past three years, the average number of homes sold annually has exceeded 60,000. In 2011, sold floor space totaled 10.75 million square meters and sales reached RMB 121.5 billion. In 2012,sales exceeded RMB 140 billion, once again the largest in the global real estate industry.

ABOUT FOSTER + PARTNERS – ARCHITECT

Foster+ Partners is one of the most innovative architecture and integrated design practices in the world. Over the past four decades the practice has pioneered a sustainable approach to architecture through a strikingly wide range of work, from urban masterplans, public infrastructure, airports, civic and cultural buildings, offices and workplaces to private houses and product design. Based in London, with offices worldwide, the practice has an international reputation, with buildings on six continents. Since its inception in 1967 it has received more than 620 awards for excellence and won over 100 national and international competitions. 

William T. Georgis – Interior Designer

William T. Georgis Architect has designed and completed numerous residential, institutional, and commercial projects in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. These include new houses in Southampton, New York, the Bahamas, Montana, La Jolla, California, many New York City townhouses, a pied-a-terre for a South American couple at the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan, the Tiffany Gallery at the Museum of the City of New York, Casa Lever restaurant in Manhattan, the interiors of a Gulfstream G650 jet, and the renovation of the public spaces of the landmarked Lever House in New York City. In addition he has completed the design of Manhattan condominium projects at 350 West Broadway and 530 Park Avenue, and completed designs for the Gramercy Park Hotel.  In 1999, 2007, 2010, and 2013 he was included in the AD 100, Architectural Digest's international guide to the top one hundred architects and interior designers.  A monograph of his work    Make It Fabulous: The Architecture and Designs of William T. Georgis was published by The Monacelli Press in 2013.

Compass—Sales and Marketing

Compass is a technology-driven real estate platform dedicated to creating a seamless and intelligent home buying, selling, and renting experience. Combining the country's top agents, proprietary market insights, and integrated mobile and web technologies, Compass is developing the future of real estate decision making. Compass has locations in New York City, Washington DC, Boston, Miami, and the Hamptons, and has raised $125 million in investor capital.

Classic Marketing – Sales and Marketing

Classic Marketing LLC is a Manhattan based residential brokerage and marketing organization representing the most prestigious developers and owners of luxury condominium, cooperative and rental properties in the New York metropolitan area. Their team of experienced real estate professionals is dedicated to providing the highest level of personalized service in the industry. The exclusive listings offered through Classic Marketing feature the finest luxury residential properties in the most desirable locations.