Why top NYC restaurants are bringing in famed chefs from around the world

Top New York City restaurants are increasingly turning to collaborations with renowned chefs from around the globe to boost business and stand out from high-end rivals, Side Dish has learned.

The collabs, while not a new phenomenon, have taken on added importance as President Trump’s tariffs create challenges for chefs to source some of their favorite ingredients.

However, importing talent from all corners of the globe – which at popular Tribeca haunt l’abeille means bringing in chefs from England, France, Belgium, Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand – remains tax-free.

“Global residences help everyone grow and learn — from the guests to the staff. They keep the restaurant interesting,” said Howard Chang, co-owner of Kuma Hospitality Group’s l’abeille with partners Rahul Saito and executive chef Mitsunobu Nagae.

The dinners these top chefs serve up at ticketed events aren’t cheap.

At a recent, prix-fixe collab dinner at l’abeille, Nagae worked with London-based chef Chet Sharma, who studied physics at Oxford and now helms the standout Indian-themed restaurant BiBi in London’s swanky Mayfair neighborhood. The meal cost $325, with an additional $295 for wine pairings.

The exclusive events, however, often don’t bring in more money than regular a la carte dinners, restaurateurs told Side Dish. 

That’s because the higher prices are offset by the cost of flying in the foreign-based chefs, along with some of their team members, and putting them all up in hotels. 

The upside, they say, is that global collabs raise the restaurants’ profiles, bring in new diners and offer educational benefits for staff.

On the Upper East Side, Sushi Noz’s executive chef Nozomu Abe is bringing in Michelin-starred Chef Endo Kazutoshi, a third-generation sushi master who trained in Japan before opening his namesake restaurant, Endo, at the Rotunda in London. 

Last week, the pair offered a rare collaborative omakase where they presented their culinary visions through the use of local fish and other influences. 

“We started the Japan series in 2019,” said Hannah Wyatt, Sushi Noz’s operations manager. “Our goal was to showcase top chefs from Japan through collaborative dinners with chef Noz, with a focus on sushi and kaiseki chefs at the top of their respective fields.”

In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the owners of Layla’s began bringing in chefs during COVID and continue to have pop-ups for “brand exposure.”

The most recent international collab involved chef Kyle Garry and chef Whyte Rushen of Whyte’s in London, who is now on a  “worldwide” tour. 

“We did it once, and it was really successful and fun and now it’s something we try to do as often as we can,” Samuel Lynch, one of Layla’s co-owners along with Stefano D’Orsogna and David Lacey, told Side Dish. 

The trend has even extended to the Hamptons, where Mavericks Montauk will welcome the crew from Michelin-starred Parisian restaurant Contraste on July 31. 

The collaboration was made possible by the deep-rooted friendship between Mavericks’ pastry chef Remy Ertaud and Contraste’s Louis De Vicari.

We hear … that celeb chef Scott Conant is opening a posh new Italian  restaurant, Leola,  in the Bahamas at Baha Mar this fall. Leola will be on the casino level of Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, joining hotspots including Jon Batiste’s Jazz Club, Marcus Samuelsson’s Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House, Daniel Boulud’s Cafe Boulud, and Dario Cecchini’s Carna. The 8,800 square foot space comes with 106 seats in the main dining room and 130 seats outside.

“Bringing Leola to life at Baha Mar is something I’ve dreamed about for a long time,” Conant said. “I’ve always been inspired by the beauty and spirit of the Bahamas, and it felt like the perfect place to create a restaurant that’s both personal and inviting. With Leola, we’re blending the kind of food and hospitality I love—warm, soulful, and rooted in connection.”

Conant will also participate in the Fourth Annual Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival, which runs from Oct. 22-26.