The Most Polarizing Restaurant in Washington Is About to Open
Chef Masaaki Uchino and owner Alessandro Borgognone.
Photographer: Deb Lindsey for Bloomberg Businessweek
The most famous address in Washington is 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. But starting in late April the Trump International Hotel just down the street will be the most polarizing—at least for foodies.
The hotel was supposed to open with a Spanish-Japanese-themed restaurant from chef José Andrés, but after candidate Donald Trump denigrated Mexican immigrants as “rapists” while announcing his run for the presidency, Andrés, an immigrant himself, pulled out of the deal. Food Network star Geoffrey Zakarian, who’d been planning a bistro inside the lobby, followed suit. Since then, restaurateurs Stephen Starr, Tom Colicchio, and Bryan Voltaggio have all passed on the chance to open a spot in the historic Romanesque building.