Smith & Wollensky enters Asia Pacific with Taipei The 1st overseas license to land at Breeze Nanshan Plaza

  

President & CEO Michael Feighery and Executive Corporate Chef Matt King visit Taiwan to bring American flavor with local farm to table produce and ingredients

     October 5, 2018, Taipei - Smith & Wollensky, famously featured in the film The Devil Wears Prada as Miranda Priestly 's favorite restaurant while also being the go-to restaurant for Warren Buffet's multi-million dollar charity lunch, is venturing into Asia for the very first time. America’s Steakhouse will open its 1st licensed location outside the United States at Breeze Nanshan Plaza in December, bringing the premium steakhouse experience to Taiwan. Not only will Smith & Wollensky introduce USDA Prime beef from trusted family farms, the restaurant will also have its own custom dry-aging butcher room. In preparation for the restaurant's opening, CEO Michael Feighery and Executive Chef Matthew King of Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group paid a special visit to Taiwan to develop a more in-depth understanding of the local market and introduce consumers to Smith & Wollensky's authenticity and charm.

   "Smith & Wollensky is the world's leading steakhouse brand," said CEO Michael Feighery, "We have had tremendous success building up loyal customers in USA and London. Our decision to venture into Asia was inspired not only by the strong demands for fine dining experience in Taiwan, but also by Taiwanese consumers' love for high quality beef, especially USDA Prime dry-aged steaks, which is what Smith & Wollensky is most known for. We are thrilled to make our first stop in Asia at such a globalized city as Taipei, where Smith & Wollensky will be bringing in the best service and food as well as the authentic, ultimate American steakhouse experience."

A steakhouse and a Live Band bar - new business model exclusive for Taiwan

      Founded in 1977, Smith & Wollensky has been known by many for its classic green and white decor, it’s authentic New York swagger, attentive service, genuine hospitality, and global celebrity appeal. The restaurant will be occupying the 47th floor of Breeze Nanshan Plaza, facing Taipei 101 for a captivating view of the city. It is expected to become one the most popular scenic restaurants in the city, and will arrive just in time to bring customers up close to the Taipei 101 firework show at the turn of the year. To accommodate the upmarket shops, office towers, foreign companies and banks nearby, the restaurant not only will be serving classic steak meals and distinctive Taiwanese cuisines, but will also adopt a new business approach unlike other branches by incorporating a music bar. The restaurant will play light music or piano during normal dining hours, but as the night progresses, the music picks up its beat as live band takes stage at the bar section and becomes the main attraction of the night. The combined satisfaction of taste and sound makes this restaurant the ideal place for business gathering, lunch break and after-work entertainment. Under this new business approach, Smith & Wollensky aims to create whole new distinctive dining experience here in Taipei with its classic American spirit.

40-year tradition of serving the very finest USDA Prime beef

      For 40 years, Smith & Wollensky has championed the idea of serving food from farm to table, and sourcing only USDA Prime-certified, hand-butchered beef from trusted family farms. USDA Prime makes up only 2-3% of total beef produced in USA, and is prepared by Smith & Wollensky using its proprietary dry-aging technique and then hand butchered on site. The flavor is enhanced over the 4-week aging process and is released right at the moment when the steak meets the intense heat of the char broiler, bringing the utmost satisfaction to every bite. To continue 40 years of integrity and dedication to top quality, Smith & Wollensky will incorporate a proprietary dry-aging butcher room to delivery USDA Prime-certified beef imported from trusted family farms, serving guests the classic American steak its become known for around the world.

An all-star team that caters to the taste of the society's elite

    For 40 years, Smith & Wollensky has won the preference of many of the society's elite including entertainment celebrities, sport stars and even Warren Buffet with its high-quality service and exceptional culinary skills. The restaurant also appeared in many popular TV shows and films such as The Devil Wears Prada and Sex and The City. All of which are testaments to Smith & Wollensky's well-established reputation in New York and major U.S. cities. For the upcoming licensed in Taipei, Smith & Wollensky will be selecting a team of fine service talents to undergo complete and robust training as do other branches in the United States. They will be the key to creating authentic American experience and the most distinctive western-style restaurant in Taiwan, and play a significant role in continuing the organization's 40-year reputation.