Courtesy / Akhtar Nawab
Chef Akhtar Nawab and New York-based Hospitality HQ will oversee operations and management of the food hall planned for the Rock Row complex in Westbrook.
Updated: July 15, 2021
Rock Row names chef, hospitality food consultant as food hall operator
Courtesy / Waterstone Properties
A rendering of the Rock Row mixed-use development in Westbrook.
By Staff
Chef Akhtar Nawab and his New York-based firm, Hospitality HQ, will oversee operations and management of the food hall planned for the Rock Row complex in Westbrook.
The 550-seat, 26,000-square-foot food hall has been touted by developer Waterstone Properties as the heart of the retail village at the 110-acre complex, which will have 1.3 million square feet of retail, office and residential space.
Waterstone in May launched the retail phase with the announcement of plans for a 200,000-square-foot office and retail building. Phase 1 was construction of a Market Basket supermarket and its surrounding stores, and further phases include the medical office campus, residential development and recreational features around the quarry on the site.
"The Rock Row Food Hall will be the only destination of its kind in the area, honoring the progressive and authentic ‘comfort based’ dining palette of the region along with Maine’s artisan craft-brew culture," according to a Waterstone news release announcing Nawab's role. The hall will feature 15 offerings and seven spirit tasting rooms, as well as have live music and other events.
Waterstone is also looking for small fast-casual restaurants and food operators to locate in the food hall, calling it an opportunity "to open a brick-and-mortar location with significantly lower overhead than a full restaurant — all while being part of the area’s newest food ideas and experiences." Special consideration will be given to minority-owned and women-owned business candidates, the release said.
The oversight of Nawab and Hospitality HQ will include design and culinary development of the hall, as well as day-to-day logistics and customer service. "Thoughtful consideration will be given to menu planning in order to showcase the area’s strong tradition of independently minded, locally owned, chef-driven flavors, cuisines and experiences," the release said.
“What excites me most about the Rock Row Food Hall is the eccentric and eclectic group of vendors that we will curate for all to enjoy,” Nawab said. "Greater Portland has a rich culinary offering and local food culture that is world-renowned. We want Rock Row’s Food Hall to be a foundation of that culture and a showcase for the many rising stars in the local culinary scene to grow and shine.”
Hospitality HQ manages restaurant and communal dining projects in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Alta Calidad); Omaha, Neb. (Inner Rail Food Hall); New Orleans (Otra Vez); Chicago (Dr. Murphy's Food Hall); and Washington, D.C. (Prather’s on the Alley). Projects are also planned for Knoxville, Tenn. (Marble City Market), to be completed in August, and for Houston (Lyric Market), to be completed in December.
“Chef Nawab’s extraordinary culinary and design talents will come to life in a food hall experience that will be unlike any other in America,” said Josh Levy, founding partner of Waterstone Properties. “We are honoring food and the joy it brings to lives. From an exclusive chef-inspired dish to the best pastry you’ve ever tasted, Chef Nawab’s ‘less is more’ philosophy will create a destination that you can savor every day, in a different way — all in a fun, eclectic environment that’s as enjoyable as the food.”
The developer's overall plan also includes:
- More than 20 restaurants;
- 600,000 square feet of Class A office space, as well as the medical campus;
- 300,000 square feet of open-air retail, cinema and services;
- The 26-acre quarry with four-season activities, a boardwalk and light shows;
- 750 one, two and three-bedroom residences;
- 70 miles of recreation trails.
Rock Row tenants that have opened or will open soon near the 80,000-square-foot Market Basket, at the corner of Larrabee Road and Main Street, include The Paper Store, Firehouse Subs, Big Fin Poke, Chase Bank, Starbucks and Chick-fil-A. Sporting goods retailer REI will also open in space next to Market Basket, Waterstone announced in May.
A 122-room boutique Element Hotel by Westin is planned to break ground shortly.
Earlier this year, developers announced that the the medical campus, with 200,000 square feet of office and research space, will be anchored by New England Cancer Specialists/Dana Farber Cancer Institute. That space is slated to open in late 2023.
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Anonymous
July 15, 2021
Couldn’t find a Maine based company?
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