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like a guest in our home” and uses Intersect

and the Danny Meyer [founder and CEO of

Union Square Hospitality Group] connection

to provide today’s Lexus dealers with inspira-

tion on ways to accomplish this.’

Offering a brand connection through

cuisine has another advantage: menus can

frequently change, offering diners a reason to

return. Intersect will host a chef in residence

• an emerging culinary talent whose ‘cook-
  ing adds something unique to the New York
  dialogue’, says Edmondsen – for four to six
  months at a time. Because it’s a global pro-
  gramme, Intersect by Lexus will work mainly
  with chefs from outside the US. In defining
  such criteria, the brand has also adopted the
  role of talent scout. If diners like – and trust


• what Lexus has to offer, their brand loyalty
  may grow as quickly as their appetites for the
  next course. ●
  intersect-nyc.com
  wonder-wall.com

hospitality has always been part of the Lexus

brand. If that’s the case, then why not literally

enter the hospitality market? The Wonder-

wall-designed space in the Manhattan Meat-

packing District includes subtle references

to the brand’s aesthetics. The circular bar and

elevators feature the same leather used in the

LFA, a car whose core material, carbon fibre,

forms several of the restaurant’s surfaces and

lounge tables.

Edmondsen hints at an additional

role of the restaurant: it should inspire not

only Lexus customers – both present and

potential – but also its staff. ‘A high level of

hospitality is a price of entry to fine-dining

restaurants in the US, and a founding princi-

ple of the Union Square Hospitality Group.

This is why Lexus partnered with them in

the establishment of Intersect. Less obvious

is how hospitality can be delivered outside

of the restaurant industry, like at a luxury

automotive dealership. Lexus was founded in

1989 on the principle of “treating a customer

For the car brand, a changing menu offers

the perfect reason for consumers to

revisit the location throughout the year.

The restaurant hosts emerging culinary

talents for four to six months at a time.

Spaniard Sergio Barroso will be in residence

until mid-August.

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