The inauguration of the 1931 Café by Jaeger-LeCoultre marks 90 years of the iconic Reverso watch. With both décor and menu, it transports diners to the peak of the Art Deco movement in the 1930s.
One of the world’s leading Swiss luxury watch and clock manufacturers, Jaeger-LeCoultre has inaugurated the 1931 Café, a new venue that celebrates 90 years of the Reverso, a watch model that is considered a classic Art Deco design. The new pop-up café, with its décor and menu as well, looks to transport diners to the 1930s, the time when the Reverso was born and the Art Deco movement was at its peak.
Image courtesy jaeger-lecoultre.com
The first 1931 Café opened up in Shanghai on June 13 and will be on until August 15, the city being the perfect spot to launch the initiative, with the distinctive ‘Chinese Art Deco’ style being an integral part of its heritage. The second one will be open in autumn in Paris, the birthplace of the Art Deco movement.
Image courtesy jaeger-lecoultre.com
As a venue steeped in the Art Deco style, 1931 Café’s interiors are inspired by a 1930s ocean liner and a film set. It uses a black-and-white palette and plenty of signature Art Deco materials such as chrome, velvet, glass and lacquered wood. Details have been custom designed not only to reflect the stylistic theme but also the iconic design of the Reverso.
Image courtesy jaeger-lecoultre.com
As for the menu, Chef Nina Métayer, two-time Pastry Chef of the Year, has created a special collection of cakes and pastries which portray the Art Deco style in appearance. Not just that, drawing flavours from ingredients such as mountain berries, nuts, honey and Swiss chocolate, the chef’s creations transport diners to the Vallée de Joux, home of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Images courtesy jaeger-lecoultre.com
“What appealed to me greatly about this collaboration with Jaeger-LeCoultre was the idea of bringing together two very different expressions of craftsmanship in one project,” says Nina Métayer. “The pastry chef and the watchmaker share the same deep values and our gestures are driven by the same desire: not to create for ourselves but to excel for the pleasure of the recipient.”
The 1931 Café in Shanghai is located at K11, the city’s first art mall near Huaihai Park, and while the Paris venue is yet to be announced, it is expected to be in the heart of the city.
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