1 Hotel & Homes South Beach embodies socially and environmentally conscious luxury living that honors, protects and preserves the beauty of nature. Capitalizing on this philosophy, the property will host James Beard Foundation Award nominee Chef Bun Lai and infuse his sustainable seafood, plant and nonnative species-based sushi style into The 1 Rooftop as one of its latest offerings to create the eco-conscience pop-up restaurant PREY. Lai currently owns his family’s 35-year-old restaurant Miya’s in New Haven, Conn., which was founded by his nutritionist mother and is the first sustainable sushi restaurant in the world. For Lai’s first foray into Miami, PREY will open February 24 for one month ideally timed to the celebrated South Beach Wine and Food Festival.
“My oldest son would rave about Miya’s in New Haven and insist that I go with him. After my first dining experience at the family owned restaurant, I was astonished – not only is Bun himself living the sustainable mantra of his cuisine, but his food is exciting, unique, inspiring, and really good,” said Barry Sternlicht, founder of 1 Hotels and Chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group. “Bun is perfectly aligned with our Brand mission—to live luxuriously in an eco-conscious manner and protect this ‘1’ world we all share. What he is bringing to Miami is something that has never been done before. We are ecstatic to welcome him to the 1 Hotel South Beach Roof Top and look forward to introducing his brilliance to our guests and visitors during Miami’s most exciting culinary week.”
Chef Bun Lai added, “It’s not enough to make food that is tasty and beautiful. Food must also nourish and revitalize our bodies and souls, while helping restore balance to our profoundly suffering planet. I am fortunate to have partners for this pop-up that share in my culinary vision.”
PREY pays homage to the predator and prey interconnections of the food chain. Climate change, habitat destruction, nonnative species, pollution, over-crowding of the planet with humans, overfishing and over-harvesting of wild animals are all ways that humans have damaged the predator and prey relationships. By featuring local sustainable seafood, wild and nonnative species, and organically farmed produce, PREY transforms consumption in a manner that helps restore and rehabilitate human and planetary health.
Many of the items found on the menu are indigenous to Florida and Chef Bun will hunt, dive and forage for all himself. Guests will enjoy dishes such as Finger lickin’ Carp Ribs, Roasted Feral Pig and Tempura Weed Che paired with foraged berry and plant sake or signature cocktails, while overlooking the beach and Miami skyline. To complement the existing vibe of The 1 Rooftop, the 1 Hotel design team has brought PREY’s culinary approach to life through large scale murals, custom furniture and table tops, and nature inspired art pieces and video projection. The 1 Rooftop will also see the addition of more dining seats and a stand-alone sushi bar.
PREY on The 1 Rooftop will be open during the entire South Beach Wine & Food Festival, beginning February 24 through March 25. Reservations can be made by emailing rooftop@1hotels.com. The signature menu will be available:
· Wednesday – Saturday // Dinner 6:00pm – 11:00pm // Lounge Service & Late Night Sushi 11:00pm – 2:00am
· Sunday & Tuesday // Dinner 6:00pm – 10:00pm // Lounge Service & Late Night Sushi 10:00pm – 12:00am
To celebrate the pop-up, 1 Hotel South Beach has created a three-night package inviting travelers to immerse themselves into Chef Bun Lai’s culinary world while enjoying some of the festival’s events and the property’s other amenities. The PREY package includes:
· Three (3) night minimum stay
· Champagne, caviar and tater tots upon arrival at Tom on Collins
· Two tickets to the festival’s grand tasting
· Meal for two at PREY
· Meal for two at Beachcraft
· Meet & Greet with Chef Tom Colicchio and Chef Bun Lai
· Complimentary pass for two to SoulCycle
· Daily late night snack curated by Tom Colicchio via room service
Rates for the package begin at $3,399 for an entry-level king room and reservations may be made via www.1hotels.com/south-beach or by calling 1.866.615.1111.