Hav och Mar opens in Chelsea From chef Marcus Samuelsson
Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson is opening his first new restaurant in New York City in nearly a decade. The 5,000 square meter, 125 seats Sea & Sea is now open at 245 11th Avenue at West 26th Street, in Chelsea.
Like Red Rooster, which opened in 2010 in Harlem, Hav & Mar is designed to be a neighborhood restaurant. “Chelsea is such an iconic neighborhood,” says Samuelsson, who points to clubbing in his youth and its vibrant art scene that incubated many artists’ careers.
The restaurant takes its name from the countries that have shaped his identity, with “hav” translating to sea in Swedish and “mar” meaning honey in Amharic, Ethiopia’s official language. In that spirit, Samuelsson says he encourages the staff to highlight their own heritage through food and drink. “Our hope is that Sea and Mar,” he says in a press release, “is a reflection of black joy and excellence.”
Chef Rose Noël of Brooklyn, who had run Maialino Mare (now closed) in Washington, DC, oversees a menu of small plates, larger plates, family plates and side dishes, showcasing seafood in dishes like the Swediopian ($21), a Berber -cured salmon with mustard seed and sea buckthorn, or Addis York ($21), doro wat with ayib (cheese) and a soft-boiled egg. A bread basket includes lentil roti, an oat crisp, a cornmeal puff, a teff cracker and an assortment of dips and butters ($15).
Noël is joined by head chef Fariyal Abdullahi, head baker Farheen Jafarey and general manager Franshelis Montalvo. Beverage Director Rafa Garcia Febles has put together a drink menu that emphasizes women and color producers who embrace progressive, sustainable practices.
Nestled in the Starrett-Lehigh building in Chelsea which is also home to the recently opened Olly Olly MarketSamuelsson displays works by black artists, works commissioned by multidisciplinary artist Derrick Adams and work with Thelma Golden, director from the Studio Museum in Harlem. One of Adam’s pieces in the restaurant is called “We Are From The Water Too”, which is a series of black mermaids and vibrant patterns throughout the restaurant.
Samuelsson says he is drawn to the craftsmanship and collaboration around the space. “How can this be a place of joy? In the pandemic, the joy was gone, he says. The mental health of the staff is a priority at this restaurant. “I don’t want my team to burn out. There is a joy among the team and I want to keep it here.”
Dinner service starts on Tuesday, November 15; hours are seven days a week, 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Lunch service will follow in a few weeks, a spokesman confirms.