RockCreek makes significant investment to grow hospitality
and media company.
Famed Chef José Andrés, who has a diverse group of hotel
partners, including The Ritz-Carlton, Andaz, Conrad, Waldorf-Astoria, The
Cosmopolitan, Sahara and more, has named Sam Bakhshandehpour as global CEO of
José Andrés Group (JAG).
The move reflects a new stage of domestic and international
expansion for the hospitality and media company, coupled with a growth
investment by investment firm RockCreek. In addition, EagleBank is leading
a debt refinancing for JAG.
Newly joining the Board of Directors will be Justin Heyman,
managing director at RockCreek, and Carlota Andrés, senior associate of
Partnerships at the fast-growing food tech start-up Wonder.
“RockCreek is excited to partner with José, Sam, and the
rest of the JAG team to support this next phase of the company’s growth,”
Heyman said. “JAG is a model of how the food and hospitality industry can both
be a great business and change the world for the better, and we are looking
forward to working with the company to help it grow.”
Bakhshandehpour, CEO and managing partner of Silverstone, a vertically integrated
hospitality and lifestyle investment firm, and one-time CEO of sbe Lifestyle Hospitality,
will work closely with Ron Parker as president and COO and CFO Nestor Nova to
run daily operations.
Sam understands the power of restaurants to transport us, for food to be the language of connection, and how we can be a part of communities in a meaningful way, all over the world.
José Andrés
Andrés continues to serve as the founder and executive
chairman of JAG.
With almost 40 restaurant concepts across the country and
internationally, José Andrés Group began 2024 unveiling significant expansion
in key markets with strategic partnerships brokered by JAG business development
partner, Cultivate Hospitality.
JAG recently announced its first development project with
Hyatt Hotels by managing all of the food & beverage at the Andaz brand in
Miami Beach, Florida.
Additionally, JAG newly revealed plans to partner on its
first luxury waterfront residential development project in West Palm Beach at
Olara managing all of the food & beverage.
This summer will bring the first in a series of openings
with Simon Property Group, starting with the debut of Bazaar Mar and Bar Centro
at The Shops at Crystals on the Las Vegas Strip, later at The Forum Shops at
Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and then Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto.
JAG will continue to expand its wide-ranging concepts
from its Signature Collection (The Bazaar by José Andrés and barmini) to Small
Plates Collection (Jaleo, Zaytinya, China Poblano, Oyamel and China Chilcano)
to JAG fast casual division, FastGood (Beefsteak, Butterfly Tacos, Pepe and
more).
In the last two years, JAG has significantly broadened its
footprint by opening restaurants and bars in partnership with hotels. including
Conrad Los Angeles, Waldorf-Astoria Washington DC, The Ritz-Carlton New York,
NoMad, and The Ritz-Carlton South Beach.
“Sam understands the power of restaurants to transport us,
for food to be the language of connection, and how we can be a part of
communities in a meaningful way, all over the world,” Andrés said.
“José’s vision of food as an agent of change has had an
undeniable impact globally,” Bakhshandehpour said. “Staying true to our higher
purpose is crucial at this inflection point in our growth trajectory, which is
what unites our talented team and attracts like-minded partners.”
Long-standing JAG culinary leaders Chef Rick Billings will
become chief culinary officer and Chef Carles Tejedor will be chief creative officer.