Brenwood Hospitality Group recently introduced the J House and eleven14 Kitchen, a multifaceted contemporary hotel respite and dining destination located in Greenwich, CT. Since opening its doors in mid-May and announcing the official opening of the entire property on Sunday, September 23, the hotel and restaurant have been earning rave reviews as a premiere luxury hospitality destination in Fairfield County, Connecticut.
In addition to the early enjoyment of the property’s stunning outdoor dining room, bar and lounge areas, as well as the ultra-sleek indoor main dining room and bar, the J House recently introduced
Executive Chef Francois Kwaku-Dongo’s Chocolate Lab, a unique chocolate shop and café located in the J House hotel in Greenwich, CT. Chef Kwaku-Dongo’s pure, rich cocoa creations feature handmade truffles and filled chocolates, all handsomely packaged, as well as pastries, confections, espresso and coffee drinks, and an assortment of loose leaf teas.
Pastry Chef Didier Berlioz, formerly of La Panetière in Rye, NY, brings his signature nous in the art of balancing texture with sweetness and structure in all of his desserts and confections as tasted with the giant chocolate chips cookies, seasonal fruit tarts, flourless chocolate cake, and the Chocolate Lab’s signature “Chocolate Waterfall” with fresh fruit and sweet accompaniments. A flavorful variety of gelato and sorbet is prepared fresh daily using all natural ingredients.
Chef Kwaku-Dongo is a master of the art of chocolate making and serves as the Director of Culinary Services for The Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company, a fair trade company and chocolate manufacturer that has pioneered the export of gourmet quality chocolate, entirely in Ghana, West Africa. Chef Kwaku-Dongo oversees the culinary operations, new product development, and strategic partnerships within the hospitality and multi-media industries on behalf of Omanhene and its founder Steve Wallace. The Chocolate Lab highlights the “forastero” variety of cocoa bean grown in Ghana, West Africa. The Omanhene for-profit, value chain business model has been showcased by the United Nations Global Compact as a model of economic sustainability; it requires skilled labor and provides Ghanaian cocoa farmers with a domestic buyer that pays prices far more consistent than the highly volatile world commodity price of cocoa. Omanhene is credited with inventing a new chocolate category, dark milk chocolate, their flagship 48% cocoa content recipe, which is a mainstay in all Chocolate Lab creations. For more information on the cocoa bean process and the methods used by Omanhene and the Chocolate Lab: http://omanhene.com/how-to-eat-chocolate/how-we-make-chocolate/.
Likened to the art and process of producing quality cocoa beans, the Chocolate Lab is just as passionate and thoughtful about the coffee they offer. The finest beans from Brazil, Guatemala, and Costa Rica are used in all of the Chocolate Lab’s espresso drinks and daily coffee selections, as well as sold in whole bean form by the pound.
The J House and eleven14 Kitchen has fast become the social gathering destination in lower Fairfield County. Contemporary furnishings and eclectic pieces of art are fixtures throughout the property. The bi-level, 86-room hotel combines high-tech with modern, plush comforts and amenities. The open-air dining and bar areas are protected from the weather by a clever system of trellises and heating units that allow the outdoor spaces to be used for much of the year. The property is adorned with lush gardens and an outdoor fireplace, providing a unique energy - day and night.
Chef Kwaku-Dongo comes to the J House by way of Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in West Hollywood and Chicago. The Seasonal New American menu incorporates the Chef’s many global influences, locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, and a nod to sustainable practices.
