A chef with a background at Nobu, elBulli and Sushi Samba has taken over the former home of Azul Bistro at 152 Stanton St.
Representatives tell The Lo-Down the Buenos Aires-born chef Fernando Navas plans to open a “an Argentine restaurant with a community vibe and warmth” in late July, succeeding the Argentinian bistro that closed in April after 13 years on Stanton Street.
Navas’ most recent gig is as corporate chef at Sushi Samba, a small chain with two Manhattan outlets (Gramercy and the West Village), as well as Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, Coral Gables and London. Prior to joining Sushi Samba, he trained and worked in his native Argentina, and then moved to the United States for a gig at Nobu Miami. During his time at Sushi Samba, he was chosen for an externship at elBulli, the world-renowned restaurant in Catalonia, Spain. In 2011, Huffington Post published his blog narrating a trip around Brazil for Sushi Samba.
Community Board 3 voted to approve Navas’ application for a beer and wine license last month, setting conditions such as midnight closing times during the week and 2 a.m. on weekends.
