Last Updated on August 23, 2023
The James Beard Foundation welcomes HoneyBunny Chicken and Biscuits from chef Jared Howard—the creative mind behind the highly popular HoneyBunny’s Kitchen pop-up—as the first incubator concept to launch at Good To Go by JBF (Good To Go) in New York City. Beginning September 1, 2023, visitors to the Market 57 food hall at Pier 57 can experience chef Howard’s beloved Maryland-style comfort food during a six-month residency at the Good To Go kiosk—a fast-casual retail incubator, launched earlier this year, for operators who embody the Foundation’s mission and values.
Presented in partnership with PEPSI® Dig In—an initiative designed to drive access, business growth, and awareness to Black-owned restaurants and chefs—chef Howard’s menu will showcase dishes inspired by the cuisine, food, culture, and nostalgia of the Chesapeake Bay. Expect mouthwatering fried chicken with pillowy garlic-butter biscuits in addition to fresh seafood, shared sides, and decadent desserts.
“We developed Good To Go with a goal of championing mission and values-aligned operators who have incredible talent, but who may need additional exposure, resources, and support to fully bring their vision to life,” Kris Moon, COO and President of The James Beard Foundation, said. “HoneyBunny was a natural choice for our first resident as chef Jared has built a successful, delicious concept whose values—belonging, culture, collaboration, community—closely align with our mantra of Good Food for Good.”
Named after his daughter, who he nicknamed HoneyBunny, chef Howard’s concept is rooted in family, love, community, and comfort. Following stints at some of New York’s finest kitchens, such as The Cecil Steakhouse, Gotham Bar and Grill, and Per Se—chef Howard drew on his Baltimore childhood and his tight-knit family’s love of good food to create the HoneyBunny concept. Through this project, his mission is to provide visitors with welcoming service, quality products, and delicious food that meets the needs of the local community and beyond.
As the HoneyBunny concept progresses, chef Howard plans to continue working toward a number of sustainability goals he has set for himself, including reducing food waste, increasing energy efficiency, and sourcing organic, fresh ingredients.
The menu—inspired by the unique flavors of the Chesapeake Bay, Appalachia, and American South—will feature an assortment of signature items including:
· Maryland Fried Chicken: Biscuit Sandwich: Boneless Chicken Thigh with Pickled Green Tomatoes and Shiitake Bechamel Sauce on a Garlic Butter Biscuit;
· Chesapeake Seafood Burger:Crab Shrimp Patty with HB Special Sauce on Toasted Potato Roll;
· Maryland Fried Chicken Platter: 2 Jumbo Chicken Strips with Garlic Butter Biscuit and HB Special Sauce;
· HB Buttermilk Caesar Salad: Kale-Romaine Mix with Biscuit Croutons and Parmesan (Add On: Crispy Chicken or Seafood Burger Patty);
“Following many years of hard work developing this concept and dedicating much time to making it a success, it is validating to have the support of both the James Beard Foundation and Pepsi Dig In, and an honor that HoneyBunny Chicken and Biscuits will be the first residency at Good To Go,” Howard said. “My goal is to apply contemporary culinary techniques to create delicious classic Mid-Atlantic recipes in an approachable environment—while sharing our values of diversity, community, and creativity in all forms.”
Good To Go—a six-month retail incubator for fast-casual concepts located at the newly launched Market 57 food hall at New York City’s Pier 57—is a place where creative innovation from exciting talent meets sustainable, ethically sourced, and delicious food. The initiative aims to nurture emerging chefs and food entrepreneurs by providing them with the space, guidance, and resources needed to turn their culinary concepts into reality.
The Foundation and its operational partner, Great Performances, supports participants throughout the cycle of their involvement—refining their menu, reviewing their projected profits and losses, providing guidance on branding and communications, prepping for launch, and more. The program will feature a selection of first-time brick-and-mortar outposts from beloved pop-ups, as well as seasoned operators looking to grow and evolve their businesses within a financially de-risked setting, with the support of the James Beard Foundation.
Each creator receives a monthly stipend while in residence. The next application, for concepts launching fall 2024 and spring 2025, will open in spring 2024 at platformbyjbf.org/good-to-go.
Good To Go is open during Market 57 hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:00am–8:00pm; Friday-Saturday 11:00am–10:00pm, and located at 25 11th Avenue at 15th Street, just north of Little Island and steps from the Whitney Museum in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood.
About Chef Jared Howard
Chef Jared Howard moved from Washington D.C. to New York City where he discovered his passion for cooking. After eating his way through different restaurants and cuisines, chef Howard saw food as a means of exploring different cultures and communities.
Years later, he finally decided to take the plunge, pivoting to a career in hospitality. After six years in some of New York’s best kitchens, including The Cecil Steakhouse, Gotham Bar and Grill, and Per Se, it was time to bring it back home to the Chesapeake Bay.
About the James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation (JBF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that celebrates and supports the people behind America’s food culture, while pushing for new standards in the restaurant industry to create a future where all have the opportunity to thrive. Established over 30 years ago, the Foundation has highlighted the centrality of food culture in our daily lives and is committed to supporting a resilient and flourishing industry that honors its diverse communities.
About Pier 57
Located within Hudson River Park at West 15th Street, Pier 57 is a year-round community destination that celebrates New York City’s culinary and cultural diversity. It includes plentiful public open and community spaces, both indoors and outdoors, where visitors can gather for a waterfront experience filled with food, art, culture, nature, and more. Its public open and community spaces include a new rooftop park stewarded by Hudson River Park Trust, bookable community classrooms, and public gathering place called the Living Room.
The ground floor is home to Market 57, a food hall with 15 vendors, as well as a mission-centered showcase kitchen called PLATFORM by JBF and a rotating chef residency program called Good To Go by JBF, all curated by culinary nonprofit the James Beard Foundation.
Originally built in 1907 as a shipping and storage terminal and reconstructed by the NYC Department of Marine and Aviation in 1952, Pier 57 has become a significant part of NYC’s history and earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. Thanks to the joint efforts between Hudson River Park Trust, Google, Jamestown, James Beard Foundation, RXR, Youngwoo & Associates, and The Baupost Group, Pier 57 was thoughtfully redeveloped as a community destination with public spaces and a rooftop park, community events and a market hall while adaptively reusing the historic building.
For more information please visit: https://pier57nyc.com and follow along on Instagram @pier57.nyc and Facebook @pier57nyc.
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