Hav & Mar, the acclaimed seafood restaurant from the Marcus Samuelsson Restaurant Group, will host a singular culinary occasion, “Fariyal & Pals,” to rejoice Jamaican Independence Day on Aug. 6.
This occasion, led by Government Chef Fariyal Abdullahi, goals to highlight the underrepresented expertise within the superb eating business, significantly girls of shade.
The “Fariyal & Friends” sequence started as an extension of the restaurant’s dedication to variety and inclusion. “When Marcus Samuelsson wished to open Hav & Mar in Chelsea, he was decided to handle the dearth of illustration of ladies of shade in upscale superb eating,” defined Chef Fariyal throughout an interview with Caribbean Life. “He contacted me to run the restaurant with this mission, and I instantly stated sure. We now have been vocal about this problem from the beginning, and now that we’ve gained traction and success, I wish to do for others what Marcus did for me,” she added.
The upcoming occasion options visitor chef Brittany Williams, who will curate a particular one-night-only menu to rejoice Jamaican delicacies. “Brittany is a longtime good friend, and bringing her in to rejoice Jamaican Independence Day was a no brainer,” stated Chef Fariyal. “It’s all about extending my kitchen to different cooks who don’t have a restaurant and showcasing their expertise.”
Chef Brittany said, “collaborating within the Independence of tradition and heritage that I’ve been raised in, there are not any phrases to really delve in or describe the immense emotions of affection and honor. I’m a proud first-generation American of Jamaican descent. I’ve been given the items and keenness to voice the narration of superb eating Jamaican delicacies in a manner and on a platform like no different, with individuals who really love and care concerning the true story. I get to cook dinner with an incredible, gifted, and down-to-earth bad-ass Chef (Sure, you, Fariyal) whom I take into account a superb good friend. How might I not be stoked for the mash-up of Jamaican and Ethiopian delicacies? When there’s a lot historical past and comradery between these two nations! My coronary heart is full and able to showcase some wonderful eats with phenomenal individuals by my aspect.”
Hav & Mar isn’t just about culinary excellence but in addition sustainability. “We now have carried out quite a few packages to make sure none of our meals waste results in landfills. We accomplice with corporations that use our waste to develop extra meals, going past conventional composting,” defined Chef Fariyal. This dedication to sustainability is one other pillar of the restaurant’s ethos.
The “Fariyal & Pals” sequence is greater than only a eating expertise; it’s a motion to unite communities via meals. By inviting feminine leaders worldwide, Hav & Mar offers a platform for these cooks to share their distinctive culinary abilities and cultural backgrounds. “It’s a solution to present that expertise exists inside this business past the everyday white male-led narrative,” stated Tani Horton, advertising and marketing supervisor at Marcus Samuels Restaurant Group.
The occasion guarantees a tasty menu crafted by Chef Brittany and an unforgettable ambiance. “Visitors can count on a vibrant night with a fastidiously curated playlist and a way of neighborhood that appears like a household dinner,” stated Horton. “It’s about making a heat and alluring setting the place everybody comes along with the identical intention…we could have jerk prawns, pimento leaf espuma, scallion oil, callaloo & crab, stuffed squid, ackee remoulade, octopus, fried cassava & scotch bonnet aioli, sorrel granita, pineapple & coconut,” she added.

The “Fariyal & Pals” occasion will happen on the historic Starrett-Lehigh Constructing, dwelling to Hav & Mar. The constructing, recognized for internet hosting occasions resembling New York Trend Week, provides a layer of significance to the event. Reservations can be found via OpenTable.
“Fariyal & Pals” is greater than a eating occasion; it celebrates variety, neighborhood, and culinary innovation. By bringing collectively gifted cooks from numerous backgrounds, Hav & Mar is paving the way in which for a extra inclusive and consultant superb eating business.
Hav & Mar prides itself on sustainability and transparency. The restaurant’s open kitchen idea permits visitors to witness the culinary magic firsthand, emphasizing its dedication to decreasing meals waste and supporting the planet.
Marcus Samuelsson is the famend chef behind many eating places worldwide, together with Crimson Rooster in Harlem (NYC) and Overtown (Miami), Hav & Mar in Chelsea (NYC), Metropolis at PAC-NYC, Marcus Bar & Grille in Atlanta, and its Dwell! Flagship at American Dream (NJ); and several other MARCUS areas, together with the Bahamas, Montreal, and most lately, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Samuelsson was the youngest to ever obtain a three-star evaluation from The New York Occasions and lately gained a 2023 Emmy Award for the Quick Kind Program “My Mark.”