Phaidon hosts author events in New York, London, and Dublin
Great Women Sculptors, Leading Hotels of the World, Love How You Live, and The Contemporary African Kitchen are among the new books celebrated at select gatherings
One of the many great things about being the premier publisher of the creative arts is that you get to launch your books with incredible authors and creatives in beautiful places, in conjunction with the very best partners. Phaidon has been busy over the last few months, setting up social occasions that showcase our books at their best. We thought we’d tell you about just a few of them.
Design: The Leading Hotels of the World at the Greenwich Hotel, NYC
New York City’s chic redbrick Greenwich Hotel proved the perfect setting for a Leading Hotels of the World and Phaidon/Monacelli-hosted gathering of the city’s architecture and design thought leaders.
The select group was treated to a sneak preview of Design: The Leading Hotels of the World – the first volume in a multi-part coffee table book series, created in collaboration with Slowdown Media.
Spencer Bailey Photo Christos Katsiaouni
Set within the hotel’s stunning Locanda Verde restaurant, the evening featured an engaging discussion on design and architecture, moderated by Galerie Magazine’s Jacqueline Terrebonne, and featuring the brilliant architecture critic Paul Goldberger, as well as the book’s author, Slowdown Editor-in-Chief and Time Sensitive podcast host Spencer Bailey. Together, they explored the intersection of architecture, design, and the stories behind some of the world’s most inspiring and glamourous Leading Hotels of the World.
The matcha green book, designed by Pentagram’s Michael Bierut, was displayed throughout the space, adding a further touch of elegance to an already beautiful setting.
Bailey reflected on the remarkable group of architects and designers included in the Leading Hotel group, namechecking, among others, Studio Linse, creators of The Dylan Amsterdam; Norman Foster & Partners, creators of the Capella Singapore, The Dolder Grand, and the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz; Eduardo Souto de Moura, creator of the Bairro Alto Hotel; and Ken Fulk, Alexandra Champaulimaud, and Jeffrey Beers for The Newbury Boston.
Design: The Leading Hotels of the World book display Photo Christos Katsiaouni
Paul Goldberger, meanwhile, lovingly recalled visits to the old and new Okura Tokyo, designed respectively by father and son Yoshiro Taniguchi and Yoshio Taniguchi. The architecture critic noted the extraordinary, almost eerie, connections between the two, and the Japanese design ethos of embracing new versions of beloved designs.
Jacqueline Terrebonne, Paul Goldberger, and Spencer Bailey Photo Christos Katsiaouni
You’ll find plenty more beautiful and beloved designs in Design: The Leading Hotels of the World.
The Contemporary African Kitchen at The Africa Center, NYC
“The 33 recipe contributors and 5 guest essayists in this ground-breaking survey are at the heart of the food movement of Africa,” Phaidon’s Executive Commissioning Editor for Food, Emily Takoudes, told assembled guests at the launch of The Contemporary African Kitchen.
The event, held in the Teranga Café at The Africa Center, Fifth Avenue, New York, attracted a wide-ranging array of guests, including many top practitioners of the culinary fine arts.
Agatha Achindu Photo Christos Katsiaouni
Takoudes explained how the event’s special guest star, the legendary chef, Alexander Smalls, became involved with the book.
“I started talking to him four years ago when we were introduced by a mutual friend, who rightly thought we’d have a lot to talk about,” she told the assembled. “Through a bond and purpose to create something special together, I commissioned Alexander for this project, and he has been an incredible curator."
"It has been my absolute pleasure to work with him and with Nina (Oduro), who came on board as an integral part of the project and as co-author.”
Alexander Smalls and Nina Oduro Photo Christos Katsiaouni
Oduro is the co-founder and CEO of Dine Diaspora, an organisation that connects people and brands to African diaspora food culture. She told the assembled how she hopes the book will raise awareness and make new connections.
Invited guests - including contributing chefs Roze Traore and Agatha Achindu, select media from Saveur, ABC News, Publishers Weekly, and Vogue, booksellers and influencers - tucked into a selection of dishes from the book, including: Steak Suya Skewers - grilled steak with suya seasoning, Chicken Yassa Bowl - grilled chicken with yassa sauce over jollof rice, and Kelewele Skewers - roasted sweet plantains with ginger and cayenne. To round off a great evening Takoudes toasted guests with a Bissap Cocktail of Ten to One Rum, hibiscus, lime, demerara syrup.
Roze Traore, Agatha Achindu, and Alexander Smalls Photo Christos Katsiaouni
For more great contemporary African flavours, take a look at The Contemporary African Kitchen, here.
Nina Oduro, Emily Takoudes, and Alexander Smalls Photo Christos Katsiaouni
Roze Traore, Nina Oduro, Agatha Achindu, and Alexander Smalls Photo Christos Katsiaouni
Great Women Sculptors at The Portrait, London
Sarah Lucas and Phaidon CEO Keith Fox Photo BFA
Phaidon was busy during Frieze week in London, with a number of high-profile special events across the UK capital. September 24 marked the global publication of Great Women Sculptors, and to celebrate the occasion, Phaidon launched the book with a VIP dinner attended by eight of the featured sculptors in the book, alongside London’s top arts media, gallerists, and institutional leaders.
Alastair Sooke and David Dawson Photo BFA
The Phaidon and HexClad co-hosted launch dinner at The Portrait by Richard Corrigan at The National Portrait Gallery honoured featured artists Fiona Banner, Jodie Carey, Anthea Hamilton, Holly Hendry, Bharti Kher, Sarah Lucas, Lindsey Mendick, and Annie Morris.
Tabish Khan, Kathrine Lloyd, Bonnie Langedijk, and Jodie Carey Photo BFA
The beautiful Artspace Arlene Shechet sculptural edition, Dawn, 2024, was also on view at the dinner. Other guests included gallerists Thomas Dane, Josh Lilley, and Jorg Grimm, The Design Museum’s Tim Marlow, curators for Soho House, Glassette founder Laura Jackson, Shrimps designer Hannah Weiland, and journalists from the FT, Vogue, GQ, Bloomberg, The Telegraph, Apollo, and Burlington and many more art world heavyweights and influential tastemakers. Take a look at Great Women Sculptors, here.
Abigail Lane, Kate Bryan, and Fiona Banner Photo BFA
Arlene Shechet's New Dawn, 2024 displayed with Great Women Artists and Great Women Sculptors Photo BFA
Laura Jackson, Jermaine Gallacher, and Hannah Weiland Photo BFA
Tim Marlow and Kate Bryan Photo BFA
Anthea Hamilton and Michele Robecchi Photo BFA
JR: Can Art Change the World? at Shreeji, London
JR charms fans at Shreeji Photo Charlie McQuade courtesy @shreejinews
JR: Can Art Change the World? was the question on everyone’s lips when JR took over Shreeji News on Chiltern Street, London during Frieze week.
A selection of JR artworks, rarities, and limited run prints were available exclusively for sale in Shreeji's salon space during the takeover, including photographs, wood prints, and lithographs as well as JR coffee, limited edition JR caps and tote bags.
JR signs a copy of Can Art Change The World? at Shreeji Photo Charlie McQuade courtesy @shreejinews
JR himself turned up to sign copies of his books for two hours on the afternoon of Frieze VIP Day, (Wednesday October 9).
The artist chatted with fans who’d queued round the block, signed books, posed for selfies and generally spread good cheer and inspiration to all. JR: Can Art Change the World? For sure it can when JR is the man making it.
JR charms fans at Shreeji Photo Charlie McQuade courtesy @shreejinews
JR charms fans at Shreeji Photo Charlie McQuade courtesy @shreejinews
Alexander Girard – Let the Sun In at Vitra, London
Alexander Girard’s grandchildren Aleishall Maxon Girard and Kori Girard - were the special guests at a cocktail party to celebrate the publication of Alexander Girard Let the Sun In held at the Vitra Showroom in Shoreditch, London during Frieze week.
Kori Girard and Aleishall Maxon Girard Photo Marcus Brown, courtesy of Vitra
Guests at Vitra Photo Marcus Brown, courtesy of Vitra
The Vitra showroom Photo Marcus Brown, courtesy of Vitra
Kori Girard and Aleishall Maxon Girard Photo Marcus Brown, courtesy of Vitra
Love How You Live at Casa Cipriani, NYC
Rudy Weissenberg, Amy Astley, and Rodman Primack Photo courtesy Rodman Primack
The exclusive members club Casa Cipriani proved the perfect setting for Rodman Primack and Rudy Weissenberg to kick off a 7-city series of events based around their fantastic debut book Love How You Live: Adventures in Interior Design.
The private launch was sponsored by the celebrated French design company Pierre Frey. Guests were welcomed at cocktail hour with what else but classic Cipriani bellinis and tequila, provided by Casa Dragones.
Adam Charlap Hyman Photo courtesy Rodman Primack
This was followed by a seated dinner and lively discussion in the club’s Jazz Café. The acclaimed interior designer Adam Charlap Hyman moderated the conversation between Rodman and Rudy, where they discussed everything from their inspiring grandmothers to their favourite projects, while also toasting some of the featured makers in the book who were in attendance, including Leanne Shapton and Francesca DiMattio.
Rodman Primack and Francesca DiMatto Photo courtesy Rodman Primack
Books were gifted to all guests in colourful Pierre Frey fabric slipcases, in custom Love How You Live bags tote bags.
Love How You Live Photo courtesy Rodman Primack
Guests included top names in the interior design world, including Amy Astley and Alison Levessaur of Architectural Digest, Sarah Medford of WSJ. Magazine, Jessica Romm Perez of Domino, Dan Rubinstein of the Grand Tourist Podcast, Tom Delevan of T Magazine, plus a whole host of other notable names such as John Derian, Stephen Kent Johnson, Colin King, Giancarlo, and Jane Keltner de Valle.
Leanne Shapton shares some pizza! Photo courtesy Rodman Primack
Cafe Cecilia Cookbook at various venues, NYC, London, and Dublin
Max Rocha and Emily Takoudes
Café Cecilia Chef patron Max Rocha left the kitchen of his incredibly popular East London restaurant to undertake a select handful of dates in New York that brought to life the flavours, cooking, fun and unrivalled atmosphere of his E8 space and our Cafe Cecilia Cookbook for a select gathering of appreciative guests.
The Cafe Cecilia Cookbook on Display
The first event was at Lord’s NYC, a popular English bistro in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. They hosted Max for a collaborative dinner sponsored by Resy as a part of its "Tale of Two Cities" dining series. Phaidon’s Executive Commissioning Editor for food Emily Takoudes and US Publicity Director Alex Coumbis hosted key food press from the New York Times and New York Magazine among others.
Next up for Max was an event at stylish downtown fashion retailer Colbo. They welcomed Rocha for a book signing and reception in their Lower East Side boutique. Max served dishes from the book, including his signature Guinness bread and butter, along with an impressive poached trout with pickled cucumbers. The room was abuzz with excited guests, eagerly waiting to chat with Max and get their book signed.
The Cafe Cecilia/ Chez Gia menu
Then it was on to SSENSE Montréal, who hosted Max for a special signing and cocktail party for SSENSE VIP clients and members of the public. Rocha served up his signature dishes from the book using local ingredients.
Max’s final NY event was a collaborative dinner at Gia Vin & Grill where he and his team served up a set menu of classic dishes from the East London restaurant. Wine was provided by Gia Vin & Grill and, as they say in Max’s hometown, the craic was mighty!
But that wasn’t all. Previous to his US visit, Max had hosted an intimate dinner at the Dover Street Market’s Rose Bakery where guests included: Simone Rocha, Alexa Chung, Ballymaloe’s Tim & Darina Allen, Violet Bakery’s Claire Ptak, Sessions Arts Club’s Florence Knight, Bouchon Racine’s Henry & Denise Harris and Luncheon Magazine founder Frances Armstrong-Jones.
In a heartfelt toast to kick off the night, Max described the experience of getting a book deal with Phaidon as akin to “a musician being signed to his favourite label.” The DSM festivities continued the next night with a public reception and book signing.
Tasty bites from Cafe Cecilia
As guests sipped on Canetta wine and Botivo apéritifs and sampled Café Cecilia’s famous Guinness bread and raspberry & almond tart, Max Rocha signed books and chatted with the many fans of his East London restaurant. Simone Rocha-designed Café Cecilia aprons and Semaine x Café Cecilia x Florentine Kitchen Knives Café Cecilia butter knives were also available to buy.
Rocha continued his tour in Europe with a trip to Ireland for a sold out 5-course dinner at Note Dublin, a book signing and Q&A hosted by Sian Conway at Hen’s Teeth, a cookery demonstration at Ballymaloe Cookery school, and a 5-course Ballymaloe House x Café Cecilia Culinary evening. Take a look at Cafe Cecilia Cookbook here.