With the ongoing transformation of JFK Terminal 5, Fraport USA is at the forefront of reimagining modern air travel with fresh ideas on passenger engagement and the introduction of new, state-of-the-art dining concepts. Fraport USA serves as the exclusive developer and manager of the terminal’s retail, food, and beverage concessions.
On June 10, through its collaborative partnership with JetBlue and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, Fraport USA held a grand opening reception at the newly opened Eataly, a full-service restaurant, Italian wine bar, café, and curated marketplace.
Jose Cuevas, Vice President of Operations at Fraport New York, opened the grand celebration of Eataly at T5 by introducing partners from the Metropolitan Opera for a stirring operatic performance by acclaimed tenor Ben Reisinger and pianist Bin Yu Sanford.
During the reception, Eataly’s wait staff offered samples of freshly made pasta, traditional pizza, and authentic regional specialties to guests at the 3,000-square-foot restaurant and wine bar, beautifully designed with a blend of quartz countertops, hand-crafted ceramic tiles, and textured wood.
Also present at the opening of Eataly were James Cicardo, Acting Deputy General Manager of JFK International Airport, local Queens officials and members, and representatives of global restaurateur HMSHost, part of Avolta AG, a world leader in creating dining for travel venues, who celebrated the debut of its second Eataly located at JFK International Airport.
“We are proud to build upon our collaboration with JetBlue and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to reimagine and elevate JFK Terminal 5,” said Sabine Trenk, CEO of Fraport USA Inc.
Also present at the grand opening was Simone Tosato, Global Head of Franchising at Eataly, who said, ‘Buon Giorno tutti, hello everyone… we are really very excited to be here for this very important opening. The company, as you can imagine, was launched in Italy in 2007. Then, after we opened our first branch in North America in 2010,” (at its flagship marketplace in the Flatiron District of New York City) “We now have more than 60 stores all around the world, with six of them in New York…so New York is a very important place for us.”
Following Mr. Tosato’s comments, the launch of Eataly at JFK Terminal 5 was marked by a ribbon-cutting with senior representatives from HMSHost, Eataly, Fraport USA, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, JetBlue, and community partners.
