Jonathan Waxman Opens Jams, A Throwback To The 80s, At The 1 Hotel Central Park

New York chef and California transplant Jonathan Waxman has opened Jams, a new restaurant at the 1 Hotel Central Park, that pays homage to Waxman's Upper East Side restaurant of the same name, which opened in the 1980s.

"The original Jams played a big part in spreading the farm-to-table gospel," Waxman said. "Roll forward 30 years and it's now the new norm. It's simple to pick ingredients, but it's hard to cook them well.  What's often forgotten about California cuisine is that it draws upon French, Italian, and Asian techniques. Bringing that together with seasonality and a healthy dose of spontaneity, [that is] the heart of Jams."

Though Jams 2.0 will indeed focus on a farm-to-table menu like its predecessor, the chef has made it clear that "not much is similar other than the semi-open kitchen." Highlights from the new Jam's menu include rigatoni with squid ink, peekytoe crab, garlic, and chile; lobster with blood sausage, garlic butter, corn, and potatoes; pork chop Milanese with tomatoes, capers, and arugula salad; T-bone steak with bone marrow, purslane, and marinated peppers; and one throwback from the original restaurant menu: Jams chicken with tarragon butter and Jams potatoes.

Jams is open for dinner from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday.