Philippe Chow, the legendary New York City restaurant that’s almost as well known for its celebrity patronage as it is for its Peking duck, has opened in Cummins Station.
On a recent weeknight, upbeat pop music blared from speakers on the patio to welcome patrons. The 10,000-square-foot space — a former 1906 train depot — has been transformed. As guests enter, they’re greeted by a 40-foot fixture covered in porcelain ginkgo leaves. “[The gingko tree] is 200 million years old, and it has survived everything,” says Abraham Merchant, CEO of Philippe Chow. The piece, which took three weeks to hand assemble, honors longevity, an appropriate symbol for a restaurant concept celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Over the years, Philippe Chow has amassed a devoted following. Rapper Cardi B name-drops the upscale Chinese eatery on both her studio albums — once calling it her “favorite restaurant in the world” on Instagram. Celebrities including Oprah, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Matt Damon and Stephen Curry have been spotted at its flagship Upper East Side location (which opened in 2005 and is now moving to Midtown). The Nashville restaurant, which seats 290, is its fourth outpost. Other locations include downtown Manhattan, Washington, D.C., and Kuwait City.
“None of the restaurants look the same — and none in the future will look the same — but they will exude the same understated luxury,” says Abraham. “Everything is designed. It’s deliberate.” Just like the ginkgo fixture represents the restaurant’s endurance, its gold décor has a purpose, as the color is considered auspicious in Chinese culture. Architect and design firm //3877, which has offices in New York and Washington, D.C., helmed the project.
The space itself dictated some of the design decisions. A row of structural columns could have been a challenge, but encased in matte gold and antiqued mirrored tiles, they add to the opulence. Tables with white linen tablecloths are surrounded by jewel-toned chairs and banquettes covered in real velvet. “We try not to shout,” says Abraham. “But when you touch a velvet chair, you feel it.”
Private Dining
A gold statue of a Chinese terracotta warrior stands sentinel outside a private dining room, which can seat up to 80 guests. Wine-colored banquettes and gold velvet chairs flank tables dressed in white. A large-screen TV — discreetly hidden — is available for corporate events and rehearsal dinners, where audio-visual options might be requested.
In addition to the private dining room, the main dining room and the Gibson Cocktail Lounge (created in collaboration with Gibson Guitars), there’s an outdoor patio — perfect for people watching.
Good Neighbors
Philippe Chow and Gibson’s collaboration, the Gibson Cocktail Lounge, features blue velvet club chairs, yellow velvet ottomans, and gold-toned cocktail tables. Shadowboxes showcase a Gibson guitar being built from beginning to end.
“We want to immerse [ourselves] in Nashville,” says Abraham. “We’re outsiders, right? We’re not saying we’re not, but we need to immerse [ourselves] in the culture.” Paying homage to an iconic guitarmaker was one way to do that. “That was just the most excellent thing we could do,” he adds. “Fortunately, [Gibson is] two doors down from us.”
On the Menu
Executive chef and founder Philippe Chow worked with Nashville chef Jason Francisco to design the Music City menu. One highlight is the famed Peking duck, carved tableside. A fan favorite is the Beijing chicken, as delicious here as it is in New York. The wok-fired green beans are the perfect accompaniment.
Because, as Abraham has observed, Nashvillians love their steak, menu additions include a wagyu New York strip steak with Szechuan sauce and a dry-aged cowboy-cut ribeye drizzled with miso-and-mango butter.
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