Mahogany House reinvented as Mogano with Michelin-rated chef as partner

The former Mahogany House restaurant is now called Mogano (Italian for Mahogany) and is serving fare developed by Michelin-rated chef Giorgio Locatelli, in a partnership The Island House hopes will reignite the restaurant and expand the awareness of the hotel brand, one of the hotel’s owners said on Friday.

Lauren Holowesko-Perez explained that the 12-year-old Mahogany House’s interior and overall feel had begun to get “tired” and that it was time for reinvestment into the restaurant.

Holowesko-Perez said this step to reinvent the restaurant was a natural progression for Mahogany House.

“It’s been a long two years trying to pivot and adapt from the effects of the pandemic and I know everyone’s been through it and the toll it’s taken on the tourism industry and specifically, in this case, on our team,” said Holowesko-Perez.

“We have overcome numerous obstacles to bring together this team and to open a new restaurant experience for Nassau and the wider Bahamian community. We pride ourselves on continuing to innovate and improve while we elevate the space and partner with a Michelin star chef, all while maintaining our ethos throughout the transition.”

She said the team worked hard since April to hammer out the partnership deal with Locatelli and to refurbish and refurnish the restaurant’s kitchen and dining room in order to open for Thanksgiving.

According to Holowesko-Perez, the restaurant has retained its staff through the transition.

Locatelli told the media on Friday that he is looking forward to training Mogano’s staff to cook authentic Italian food. 

This is Locatelli’s first restaurant in the Western Hemisphere.

“It’s great to be here, great to be part of a property that is family run,” Locatelli said.

“Our aim is to implement the training, but our aim is to really allow the boys and girls here to really grow in the future, to be themselves in the restaurant with our recipes and with our suggestion and the selection of the ingredients. It’s not that easy to make Italian food being so far from Italy.”

Both Locatelli and Holowesko-Perez said the restaurant will source as many local ingredients as possible. Conversations have already begun with local fishermen and farmers. 

According to Locatelli, he has found extremely tasty tomatoes locally that he will use to make a signature salad for the restaurant. The restaurant will still have to source cheeses and other authentically Italian ingredients from Italy.

Locatelli, who is also a judge on the Italian version of television show Masterchef, said he is hopeful his fans will follow him to his restaurant in The Bahamas.

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/mahogany-house-reinvented-as-mogano-with-michelin-rated-chef-as-partner/