Chef José Andrés Lands in Dubai with a New Jaleo Restaurant

This year, the well-known Spanish Chef José Andrés has opened a new Jaleo restaurant in Dubai (UAE). This establishment is his fifth outside Spain, after the launch of those in Washington DC, Las Vegas, Disney Spring and Chicago in the USA.  The interior design of the restaurant has been created by the Capella García Arquitectura studio, in collaboration with Blue Haus Group. The restaurant is located in Atlantis The Royal, Palm Jumeirah in Dubai and occupies a total surface area of 1,140 m2.

The restaurant's design is inspired by tapas, the traditional Spanish way of eating, interpreted by José Andrés in his inimitable way for the Jaleo brand. And just as his cuisine has adapted to new international tastes, the interior design has also evolved without losing its original spirit.

Jaleo's proposal is varied, which is why you can enjoy different atmospheres in the restaurant: near the entrance, there is a more casual space, furnished in a more unusual and alternative style. Then there is another area with a more formal dining room and tables distributed organically, using benches and creating small, reserved areas thanks to undulating metallic curtains by Kriskadecor. On the way to the terrace is a semi-outdoor space with a circular bar enhanced by a colorful sculptural lamp with a hexagonal motif, designed expressly for this restaurant. In the outdoor terrace space, there are various seating areas designed for different groups of diners, with comfortably upholstered armchairs and benches, distributed around a sculptural and luminous "J" for Jaleo.

Most of the furniture, lighting, and decorative materials - as in all Jaleo restaurants - have been created by some of Spain's finest designers and production companies. Tile, so common in Spanish and Mediterranean interiors, is also featured at Jaleo, with original designs by several Spanish firms that add textures and bright colors to the bar counters, columns, and other spaces. The flooring has also been specially designed, with a brightly colored ceramic piece made by Huguet using the "hydraulic tile" technique, an age-old method used for traditional mosaics, revived here using modern motifs.

Jaleo also aims to be a space where Spanish art and creativity play a leading role. This is why works by artist Paco Díaz depicting surreal landscapes of Madrid decorate the walls of the cocktail bar and the private dining room. A sculpture of a large polygonal bull's head, handcrafted by the Troppovero workshop, presides over the area where the paellas are cooked. There is also furniture that is halfway between functional design and artistic object, such as the Dalilips sofa, created by painter Salvador Dalí and designer Oscar Tusquets in 1974 for the Mae West room at the Dalí Theater-Museum in Figueres, which welcomes visitors with a warm kiss at the entrance, and the Muletas sculpture-lamp designed by Salvador Dalí. Both pieces produced by BD Barcelona Design.

The RS2 Dining - Football Table, designed by José Andrés together with the production company RS Barcelona, adds a fun touch to the restaurant by mixing soccer and gastronomy. And as decorative accessories, Pepa Reverter's Tot Cor ceramic vases, customized by several well-known Spanish designers; The Lover, a porcelain figure designed b Jaime Hayón and manufactured by Lladró; various animal busts in white ceramic from Talavera; and traditional botijos (water jugs) from La Navà stand out.

Among the major Spanish furniture, decoration and materials companies contributing products to the project, in addition to those mentioned above, the following stand out, in furniture: Almosa, Andreu World, Beltá Frajumar, Capdell, Escofet, Kettal, Lurkoi, Ondarreta and Sancal. In lighting: B.Lux, Bover, Estiluz, Luján+Sicilia, LZF, Marset and Vibia. In rugs Nani Marquina y Naturtex. In ceramic floor and wall tiles: Cevica, Cosentino, Dune, Grespania, Natucer and Vives. And in textiles: Aquaclean, Equipo DRT, FR-One and Vescom.