1. The Yearly Bite
goodbye, sayonara, adeus to
2013
Happy New Year! In this special edition of the Bite, we’ve included a year in review
for 2013. Check out the highlights and milestones of SAMBA BRAND’S MANAGEMENT
over the past exciting, event-filled 12-months.
SBM Debuts!
S
AMBA BRANDS MANAGEMENT opened their seventh SUSHISAMBA location in Coral Gables, Florida in May. Located in The
Westin Colonnade Hotel, the 6,500-square-foot space designed by acclaimed architectural firm Cetra/Ruddy, features the
area’s first Robata grill and outdoor bar. Coral Gables is also the first SUSHISAMBA location to offer breakfast daily, from freshly
squeezed juices to Doce de Leite French Toast.
B
occe Bar – SBM’s newest concept – opened in Midtown Miami this past December to great critical acclaim and fanfare.
The Italian restaurant features a menu by Executive Chef Timon Balloo, artisanal cocktails by Head of Spirit & Cocktail
Development Richard Woods, an enomatic wine system, the city’s first traditional bocce court, and a market, where guests can
pick up an array of curated Italian and local products.
2. SUSHISAMBA NYC West
Village Renovation
S
USHISAMBA West Village unveiled striking
new design following two months of extensive
renovation in August of 2013. The restaurant's
transformation included everything from graffiti
painted walls to furniture, a brand new ceiling,
lighting fixtures and windows, which were stripped
of the iconic Mondrian design to create a fresh,
contemporary space. Cetra/Ruddy created two
distinct aesthetics in the space both of which
complement SUSHISAMBA's diverse cuisine.
T
he main dining room has been enlivened by
graffiti artist Seb Gorey, a Parisian designer,
who has created a one-of-a-kind ambience with
a fusion of Kanji, Brazilian urban life, medieval
architecture and tropical forests. The room's new
ceiling is lit by custom nature-inspired Canopy
Designs' chandeliers. The reimagined rooftop
has been transformed into a garden oasis with a
canopy of lush greens and vines, open skylights,
custom white Carrera marble tabletops and a
beautiful Walnut bar. It is the perfect escape from
City life!
SBM CARES
G
iving back is part of SBM’s philosophy. Each of SBM’s
restaurants is involved in charity work, demonstrating the
importance of community service.
M
ost notably, in New York, SUSHISAMBA is proud to
participate in City Harvest’s Chef Program for the 5th
consecutive year. In addition to supporting the program at
numerous events throughout the year, SUSHISAMBA donates
food to City Harvest every month, which is then transported to
food banks citywide and made available to New York’s hungry.
I
n Miami, SUGARCANE raw bar grill and SUSHISAMBA Coral
Gables participated in “Night on the RunWade,” a charity
fundraiser benefiting Dwyane Wade’s World Foundation.
SUSHISAMBA Miami Beach and SUSHISAMBA Chicago
continue to support Best Buddies International founded by
Anthony Shriver for those with intellectual and developmental
disabilities. In Chicago, SUSHISAMBA also attended the annual
MS Soirée in November, benefiting the National MS Society.
I
n London, Duck & Waffle participated in the Mince Pie Project
for the second year in a row, benefiting Food Cycle and
the Kids Company! Executive Chef Daniel Doherty’s Lemon
Meringue Mince Pie raised over £600! SUSHISAMBA London is a
supporter of MTV's Staying Alive Foundation, an HIV prevention
organization, as well as Benedict Cumberbatch's Macmillan
Cancer Foundation.
3. CELEBRATIONS
S
USHISAMBA Coral Gables celebrated its opening in style with a grand celebration sponsored by Ocean Drive, featuring
passed appetizers, signature cocktails, Samba dancers and Taiko drummers and more!
C
elebrating the success of its first year, SUSHISAMBA London hosted a grand fête on November 12. The evening kicked
off with a VIP dinner followed by a huge party for over 600 guests, where Nicole Scherzinger danced the night away with
designer Julien MacDonald; Mark and Sam Ronson partied with their family; Leona Lewis stepped on the dance floor to her
song Bleeding Love, and rapper Neneh Cherry and DJ Nick Grimshaw performed live.
L
ondon also hosted Esquire’s Big Black Book launch party with such guest as Mille Mackintosh, Bobby Gillespie and Tinie
Tempah. The restaurant also hosted a private dinner for the cast and creative team of Iron Man 3 and the official world
premiere after party for Man of Steel. In April, the restaurant was honored to host a special luncheon for the winners of
S. Pellegrino’s “World’s 50 Best Restaurants.”
Neneh Cherry
S. Pellegrino's "50 Best" Luncheon
4. SUSHISAMBA - here, there and everywhere
N
o one loves food and beverage events more than SUSHISAMBA!
We shared our unique blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian
cuisine at over two dozen events throughout the year all of which
benefited local and national charities, including Chicago’s First Bites
Bash, New York’s Kids Food Fest, Taste of Greenwich House,
Bubble-Licious, Sake Fever, The Epicurean Affair, Bon Appetit’s Vegas
Uncork’d, Taste of London, Taste of Gables, City Harvest Summer in
the City, Taste of the Nation, BLU at the Shedd Aquarium, Harvest in
the Square, Joy of Sake, Lexus’ Sabor De Lujo, Las Vegas Wine & Food
Festival, Chicago Gourmet, Culinary Clash, Carnival of Cuisine and
Lucky Rice.
S
USHISAMBA also participated in the South Beach Wine & Food
Festival and the New York Wine & Food Festival! At both events,
excited guests and celebrity chefs alike showed their enthusiasm for
SUSHISAMBA. At the NYWFF, Corporate Sushi Chef Koji Kagawa wowed
guests at Masaharu Mormioto’s Rockin’ Dumplings and Rollin’ Sushi
with a special Yellowtail Tartar Roll. During the SOBEWFF, SUSHISAMBA
Miami Beach treated guests to signatures bites at the Thrillist BBQ &
the Blues and the Red Hot Night event hosted by Ingrid Hoffmman at
the Ritz-Carlton South Beach.
I
n the UK, SUSHISAMBA London and Duck & Waffle Head of
Spirit & Cocktail Development Richard Woods held a tutorial for
SUSHISAMBA’s artisanal cocktail menu at The Lab festival, an incredible
3-day event of expert-led, interactive experiences, where he discussed
the importance of aroma mixology and how it can affect the perception
of taste. SUSHISAMBA London also attended Taste of London and
hosted the acclaimed S. Pellegrino's World's 50 Best Luncheon.
D
edicated foodies who were unable to attend the various events
we participated in, satisfied their taste for SUSHISAMBA during
Chicago, New York and Coral Gables Restaurant Weeks and Miami Spice.
5. SUSHISAMBA HEATS UP THE COMPETITION
F
ollowing a Grey Goose competition
win, Head of Spirit & Cocktail
Development Richard Woods kicked off
2013 with his award-winning cocktail
“Smoke Screen,” (inspired by Zero Dark
Thirty) which was served at the Weinstein
Company Oscar party in Los Angeles,
California.
I
n London, SUSHISAMBA was also
named one of the city’s “hottest”
restaurants by Tatler’s Restaurant Guide
for 2013. What’s more, the restaurant
earned two Rosettes in the AA Restaurant
Guide for 2014!
O
n the States’ side, SUSHISAMBA
Miami Beach and SUSHISAMBA Las
Vegas landed spots on Open Table’s list
of top 100 dining hot spots.
T
he Miami New Times’ editorial team
awarded SUSHISAMBA Miami Beach
“Best Mojito” for 2013.
I
n the Yelp Pours it On competition,
SUSHISAMBA Coral Gables Juan
Gonzalez won first prize with the
inventive Inca Swizzle defeating The
Social Club and SUGARCANE raw bar
grill.
O
n TV, SUSHISAMBA Miami Beach
was crowned supreme on Chopped
while SUSHISAMBA Las Vegas was
featured on Bravo's Top Chef Masters.
C
hallenging the team’s physical
fitness and determination,
SUSHISAMBA Las Vegas, London, New
York and corporate locations and Duck
& Waffle participated in Tough Mudder,
“the toughest competition on the planet,”
taking on a challenging 12 mile obstacle
course with sub-zero water tanks and an
electric eel mud pit. The teams showed
true Samba spirit, dominating Tough
Mudder!
Richard Woods and the Smoke
Screen Cocktail
Juan Gonzalez with the
Yelp Pours It On trophy
New York
Las Vegas
London
6. 10-Year Anniversaries
S
ince opening its doors on Park Avenue South in
1999, SUSHISAMBA’s team has been central to
SBM’s success. We would like to take this opportunity
to celebrate employees, who have been part of the
company for ten years! 2013 marked the decade
anniversary of Corporate Marketing & PR Director
Joanna Cisowska, SUSHISAMBA Miami Beach’s Eduardo
Silva, Diego Ruzzo and Carlos Peralta Vergaray,
SUSHISAMBA Gramercy's Nicolas Calixto, SUSHISAMBA
Chicago’s Alfredo Rodriquez, Clever Gonzalez, and
Agustin Gonzalez, and SUSHISAMBA West Village’s
Ismael Juarez, Zhang Geng Lin, Macario Tepo. Your hard
work and dedication are an inspiration to us all!
SUSHISAMBA - LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
B
ringing their personality and
knowledge of Japanese, Brazilian and
Peruvian cuisine to local and national
television shows the SUSHISAMBA
culinary team and corporate team
captured the attention of viewers with
their SUSHISAMBA spirit and delicious
demos. SUSHISAMBA Gramercy
Executive Chef Pedro Duarte appeared
on Fox News, where he prepared the
refreshing Seviche De Mariscos and a
Pisco Sour cocktail. PopSugar filmed
Head of Spirit & Cocktail Development
Richard Woods as he demonstrated
how to make the perfect Kaffirinhia.
SUSHISAMBA London’s gorgeous
exterior and tree bar were featured on
the TV show, The Apprentice! Other
noteworthy appearances include Coral
Gables Now TV, WGN TV’s “Lunchbreak”,
WSVN’s “Bites with Belkys’”, Style File,
Univision and CBS’ morning show!
S
USHISAMBA garnered an
unprecedented amount of press
throughout 2013. Most importantly,
Wine Spectator Magazine's amazing
feature in its May issue on all things
sushi, including a 15-page spread
on Japanese Cuisine in which they
called SUSHISAMBA's unique blend of
Japan, Brazil and Peru "iconoclastic."
Interviewing CEO & Founder Shimon
Bokovza on his inspiration for the brand,
the magazine showcases the story
behind SUSHISAMBA, naming it one of
the top seven sushi restaurants in the
nation.
O
ther notable mentions include Elle,
Vogue, The Daily Telegraph, The
New York Times, Zagat, Harper’s Bazaar,
Miami New Times, Ocean Drive, Time
Out, Square Meal, Nation’s Restaurant
News, Life & Style, Condé Nast Traveler,
Esquire’s Big Black Book, Forbes,
Restaurant Hospitality Magazine, NBC
Miami, CNN Travel, Esquire Magazine,
The New York Post, The Independent,
The Huffington Post, Glamour Magazine,
People Magazine, Grazia, Wire, Where,
Women’s Health, Food & Travel, Harden’s
and London Evening Standard.
7. SUSHISAMBA THINKS OUTSIDE
OF THE BENTO BOX
S
USHISAMBA Coral Gables launched the first ever breakfast
menu, featuring morning favorites such as Doce de Leite
French Toast and a classic American breakfast.
I
n 2013, SUSHISAMBA locations worldwide launched nutrition
menus to accommodate diners with gluten allergies or
vegan/vegetarian dietary preferences. SUSHISAMBA also
introduced new menu formats featuring beautiful foil stamped
logos and decorative artwork.
H
ead of Spirit & Cocktail Development Richard Woods
launched a new beverage program at all the SUSHISAMBA
locations, featuring modern takes on classic cocktails.
A
dditions to the dessert menu sent everyone's sweet tooth
aflutter, namely, the Yuzu Tart Cheesecake with a beautiful
sugar sphere, crispy yuzu, strawberry gelée, yuzu-basil granité
and orange zest and the reinvented Samba Split, which is
quickly becoming a fan favorite.
S
everal locations offered unique culinary promotions
throughout the year. SUSHISAMBA Chicago launched an
Omakase Series made up of regional dinners, highlighting
the sake and food traditions from a different region in Japan:
Akita, Nagano, Niigata and Chūgoku. Embracing tradition, the
evenings kicked off with a kagami biraki, followed by a whole
fish carving demonstration and a traditional tea ceremony.
A
s always, SUSHISAMBA NYC West Village and SUSHISAMBA
Chicago hosted Sushi & Sake 101 courses throughout the
year, entertaining and educating participants! All locations
offered limited edition spring nama sake specials in celebration
of the new season.
S
USHISAMBA wouldn’t exist without the dedication and
talent of our culinary team. New promotions in 2013,
included Cesar Vega to SUSHISAMBA Miami Beach Chef de
Cuisine, Michelle Duran to SUSHISAMBA West Village Chef
de Cuisine and Alyssa Travi to Reigional Pastry Chef for Las
Vegas and Miami. This past year, we welcomed SUSHISAMBA
Gramercy Executive Chef Pedro Duarte and Executive Sushi
Chef Toshihiro Moroe, SUSHISAMBA Chicago Chef de Cuisine
Jason Mousseau, SUSHISAMBA Las Vegas Executive Chef Joel
Versola, SUSHISAMBA Coral Gables Executive Chef David
Sears and SUSHISAMBA London Executive Chef Cláudio
Cardoso!
S
tay up to date with the culinary team! Subscribe
to Ingredient Blog and go behind the burners with
SUSHISAMBA’s master chefs.
8. Cochon555 2013
Toasting to Bon Appetit's
Grub Crawl
Chef Timon with Vanessa Williams
on The Today Show
Chef Timon cooking with youth at
Food & Wine's Test Kitchen
SUGARCANE RAW BAR GRILL
S
ince opening in 2010, SUGARCANE raw bar grill has remained one of the hottest restaurants in Miami! Over the course of
2013, the restaurant continued to garner awards and acclaim, accolades that stand as a testament to its incredible menu and
dedicated staff. The restaurant landed a spot on OpenTable’s top 100 dining hottest restaurants! What’s more, the restaurant won
“Best Mojito” for 2013 in the Best of Miami New Times’ Readers’ Choice Awards!
K
icking off of the year, SUGARCANE was honored with a AAA Four Diamond Restaurant Award. Only 2.6% of the 29,000
restaurants approved by AAA make the Four Diamond list so this was quite an accomplishment. Travel & Leisure magazine
named SUGARCANE raw bar grill the best place to dine al fresco in the outdoor garden space. What’s more, Executive Chef Timon
Balloo was nominated by his peers to be included in the Best Chefs America guide; he was named one of South Florida’s “Fifty
Most Powerful Professionals in Business for 2013” in The Miami Herald’s Legacy edition; and he earned the title of “Star Chef” by
Food & Wine magazine. Among Chef Balloo's dishes that got recognition was the Ropa Vieja Grilled Cheese, which was rated one
of the best sandwiches by Esquire magazine!
T
hroughout 2013, SUGARCANE raw bar grill participated in numerous events, including the South Beach Wine & Food Festival,
where Executive Chef Timon Balloo treated guests to bites at Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best and Guy Fieri’s Reggae Jam
with Ziggy Marley. In April, Chef Balloo showcased his creativity at the annual Cochon555, where he prepared a whole hog. Going
on a culinary adventure, Chef Balloo spent a weekend in Louisville, Kentucky at the James Beard Foundation’s “Chefs Boot Camp
for Policy and Change,” where top chefs discussed challenges facing the food world. In the fall, Chef Balloo traveled north to
the acclaimed New York Wine & Food Festival, where he attended Tacos & Tequlia hosted by Bobby Flay. Other events included
the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, Taste of the Nation, Miami Spice, the kickoff of Bon Appetit’s Grub Crawl, Yelp Pours it On, Palm
Beach Food & Wine Festival and Food & Wine's Test Kitchen, where Chef Balloo cooked with local kids.
S
UGARCANE raw bar grill was featured in countless publications, namely, Southern Living, Elle, US Magazine, CNN Eatocracy
and Esquire. People magazine featured Executive Chef Timon Balloo's Robata flank steak in their Labor Day recipe
recommendations. On the small screen, Chef Balloo appeared on NBC’s Today show with Al Roker, where he prepared Caribbean
Snapper Stew alongside actress Vanessa Williams. WSVN’s Deco Drive filmed a behind the scenes preview for Cochon555 at
SUGARCANE raw bar grill with Executive Chef Timon Balloo. Additionally, award-winning production company The Reel Miami
Project filmed a portion of their six shorts at SUGARCANE raw bar grill. On the airwaves, Atlanta Living interviewed Timon Balloo
about his participation in the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival.
9. Head Chef Daniel Doherty at Meatopia
DUCK & WAFFLE
F
rom its amazing views to its inventive menu by Executive Chef Dan Doherty, Duck & Waffle is just as popular as when it
first opened in 2012. As a testament to the ongoing success of the brand, the restaurant received an incredible amount of
press coverage with mentions in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Virgin Atlantic, Financial Times, Caterer & Hotelkeeper, Restaurant
Magazine, Olive magazine, Zagat, Hot Dinners, Nation’s Restaurant News, The Huffington Post, Time Out, Stylist, London Times,
Cosmopolitan, Food & Wine, The New York Post, CNN Travel an more. In January, Channel 4 featured Duck & Waffle’s Spicy Ox
Cheek Doughnut on their Sunday Brunch segment on gourmet morning goodies. The Spicy Ox Cheek Doughnut wasn't the only
menu item to send the press abuzz. Another culinary revolution of 2013 was the dosant craze, when Executive Chef Doherty sent
the Twittersphere into overdrive with the launch of his limited edition pastry.
O
n the beverage side, Head of Spirit & Cocktail Development Richard Woods launched a new Bar Menu, featuring D&W's
signature serves and a list of classic cocktails. The menu has been a huge hit with both guests and critics, especially the
Roasted Cosmopolitan and the Salted Caramel Manhattan, recieving notable mentions in Financial Times and Food & Wine.
D
uck & Waffle's inventive approach to cuisine was recognized by food critics. Tatler’s Restaurant Guide named Executive
Chef Dan Doherty “2013 Rising Star Chef” at their annual awards event. What’s more the acclaimed magazine included Duck
& Waffle in their list of top restaurants to dine at with a view! Later in the year, Restaurant magazine honored Duck & Waffle
with the 81st spot on the list of “top 100 restaurants in the UK” and The Michelin Guide for 2014 included Duck & Waffle in their
recommendations. While Time Out awarded Duck & Waffle one of the best breakfast places in the city.
T
hroughout the year, Duck & Waffle attended some of the biggest foodie events the city had to offer, including Meatopia, The
Slider Decider Competition, Taste of London and Jamie Oliver’s anniversary celebration, where Chef Doherty treated guests
to the restaurant’s signature dishes. Duck & Waffle Executive Chef Daniel Doherty represented the brand by landing a spot in the
top 5 at the annual Scotch Egg Challenge. Executive Chef Doherty also brought his knowledge to The Lab, an interactive foodie
experience spearheaded by the creators of Taste of Noma and Taste of London. Here, Chef Doherty showcased his forwardthinking and creative approach to cuisine at the AEG Experiment stage headlined by Brazilian master chef Alex Atala.
E
xecutive Chef Dan Doherty became a weekly contributor to The Independent’s blog spot, “Dish of the Day.” Stay tuned for
Duck & Waffle's very own cookbook of signature recipes slated to hit shelves in the fall of 2014.
10. BOCCE BAR
W
hile it's only been open for a month, Bocce Bar already has publications and foodies everywhere abuzz, including Food
Republic, Zagat, Tasting Table, City Eats, Eater, Miami New Times, Miami Living, Miami Herald, Digest Miami, Urban Daddy,
WSVN Channel 7 News, Style File and more! The location is now open daily for lunch and dinner, featuring a Mediterranean-style
menu created by Executive Chef Timon Balloo, who traveled on a culinary journey with Beverage Manager Pietro Riccobono
throughout Italy for inspiration. Head of Spirit & Cocktail Development Richard Woods designed a cocktail menu to complement
the food with house-made liqueurs, artisanal cocktails, Italian beer and wine and more! Guest are invited to eat, drink and play
bocce on Miami's first traditional court.
Stay tuned for Bocce Bar's newly designed website slated to launch by the end of January 2014!
Chef TImon with La Nonna in Sicilly
Pietro Riccobono in Italy
11. FAMOUS FACES WHO DINED WITH US IN 2013
A
mong the celebrities spotted at SBM locations throughout the past year are Jimmy Fallon,
Will Smith, Vince Neil, Michael Caine, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Princess Beatrice,
Eva Longoria, Brad Green, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin, Simon Harris, Keira Knightly,
Victoria Beckham, Billy Joel, Chris Bosh, Paula Abdul, Venus Williams, Oscar De La Hoya,
Tyson Beckdford, Ric Ocasek, Paulina Porizkova, Coco Rocha, Sean Penn, Idris Elba, Derek
Jeter, Mohamed Diamé, Hugh Grant, Alyssa Milano, Sean Paul, Kenan Thompson, will.i.am,
Karolina Kurkova, Garcele Beauvais, Vanessa White, Cheryl Cole, Kimberly Walsh, Gok Wan,
Jimmy Carr, John Goodman, Pauly Shore, Jason “Mayhem” Miller, José Bosingwa, Sidney
Rice, Michelle Williams, Ray Winstone, Swedish House Mafia, Edie Falco, Allan Pineda, Taraji
P. Henson, Gabourey Sidibe, Paul Wall, Dot Jones, Carlton Cole, Martina Navratilova, Joakim
Noah, Antonio Brown, Chad Johnson, Dita Von Tesse, Mario Lopez, Wilmer Valderrama, Juwan
Howard, Ross Matthews, Luke Evans, Landon Donovan, Seth Cohen, Fernando Torres, Kris
Humphries, Douglas Booth, Thomas Sørensen, Anthony Anderson, Lenox Lewis, Benedict
Cumberbatch, Fabolous, Shane Battier, Alex Rodriguez, Nathan Sykes, Ariana Grande, Apolo
Ohno, Mark Teixeira, Leonardo DiCaprio, Miranda Kerr, Vanessa Hudgens, Antoine Walker and
Lewis Hamilton.
Will Smith
Billy Joel
Gwyneth and Chris
Keira Knightley
Idris Elba
Jimmy and Nancy Fallon
Michael Caine
Leonardo DiCaprio
Mario Lopez
12. TECH MILESTONES
T
his year marked the launch of redesigned websites for SUSHISAMBA and
SUGARCANE raw bar grill. Both domains are aesthetically pleasing and
user-friendly, attracting tens of thousands of online visitors. SUSHISAMBA and
Duck & Waffle have the most visitors per month, drawing in 150,000 and 80,000,
respectively. SBM’s website unifies all concepts and is the new home to the
SHOP, where guests can purchase gift cards for all locations and other fun
goodies. In addition to the websites, SUSHISAMBA, Duck & Waffle, SUGARCANE
raw bar grill and Bocce Bar are all active on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
Pinterest interacting with diners, posting mouthwatering pictures and sharing
the latest SBM news! Stay tuned for Bocce Bar’s website slated to launch by
the end of January 2014.
WHAT’S COOKING FOR 2014
B
S
e on the lookout for SUSHISAMBA’s very own sake label slated to launch this year. Kanpai!
USHISAMBA has World Cup fever! Stay tuned for special events, entertainment and promotions
in celebration of the 2014 World Cup, which kicks off June 12 in Brazil!
Thank you for making 2013 so memorable!
We look forward to the year ahead and many more exciting endeavors!
