Blue Sky Hospitality strikes gold in Baku

Drawing inspiration from the mineral wealth of Azerbaijan, Henry Chebaane, founder of Blue Sky Hospitality, is responsible for the design of OroNero, the new Italian dining sensation at the JW Marriott Hotel in Baku.

This opulent space has been created by taking the essence and DNA from Italian luxury goods and from the trades associated with them, such as couture fashion, furniture, vintage cars, exquisite gastronomy and fine wines.

The lounge within the restaurant is styled like a private jet, incorporating burnished gold, buffalo leather panels, leather and snakeskin upholstery, and intricate fret work in ebonised timber.

The restaurant itself is anchored by a walk-in wine cellar with a cooking area enclosed by gold and mosaic translucent screens, allowing just the shadows of the chefs at work to be viewed by guests.

Henry Chebaane always manages to include conceptual art instillations in his projects, and with OroNero this is no exception. Pieces on display include a magnificent golden sturgeon sculpture made of carbon fibre and 24ct gold plated steel and titanium F1 car parts.

Henry explains, “For all our commercial design projects, we use extensive story-telling with aesthetic touch points, both physical and emotional, to keep our audience engaged before, during and after each visit”.

Food served at OroNero is inspired by modern Milanese cuisine with the signature dish being seafood risotto with sepia ink and 24ct gold leaf.

by Amanda Bernstein