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ZED451 TO OPEN IN MIZNER PARK, DOWNTOWN BOCA RATON

BOCA RATON, FLA. (October 14, 2008) - ZED451, a revolutionary restaurant concept of original cuisine and delivery, service intelligence and unprecedented design, will open on the southwest corner of Boca Raton’s trendy Mizner Park lifestyle shopping center on November 10, 2008. ZED451’s launch will mark the official opening of the newly developed Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center.

Boca Raton is the first location for ZED451 outside of Chicago, where the critically acclaimed flagship restaurant is located in the heart of downtown. “Boca Raton is home to some of the nation’s most sophisticated diners, which is why we selected this market as our first foray outside of the Chicago area,” said Chief Operating Officer Bill Bartlett.

The concept behind ZED451 is considered revolutionary in that it takes the three core attributes of the restaurant experience – cuisine, service, and environment – and reinvents them simultaneously. ZED451 is intended to feel more like attending a party in someone’s home than dining in a restaurant.

Original Cuisine
Dining in the round. The cuisine at ZED451 – modern upscale grilling – includes fire grilled steaks, ribs, fish, poultry and game served tableside by the chefs who created them. At any time, guests are invited to help themselves to several Harvest Tables, featuring seasonal soups, composed salads, artisan cheese and charcuterie. The fixed price is intended to inspire experimentation and discovery. “The beauty of our menu is that there is no risk,” says Steve Byrne, Director of Culinary Operations. “You can try something new like antelope or wild boar sausage and if you like it, have more. If not, move on.”

ZED451’s prix fixe dinner menu of $55 includes unlimited offerings from the Harvest Tables, Chef Selections and Market Side dishes. Desserts, including Dirty Banana Sundae and Key Lime Pie, are available for $10. For those who wish to dine solely from the Harvest Table, the price is $33. Children age six to ten are $27.50; and ages five and under are complimentary. Brunch is served on Sundays, from 11:30 am until 2:30 pm for $33 per adult, and $22 for children age six to ten. Lunch service will begin in late November.

Service Centered on Guest Interaction
ZED451 breaks down the barriers between the front-of-house and the back, thereby fostering the relationship between the chef and the guest. Instead of servers and runners, dishes are delivered tableside by the chefs who created them. By selecting which foods to sample from the various offerings, when to sample them and how much, the guest is able to control the pace and portions of their dining experience.

In addition, the staff at ZED451 is trained to serve as a concierge by helping customers make reservations at other restaurants, lounges and bars following their meal. A ZED451 shuttle is available to pick up and return guests to their hotels or take them to their next destination.

General Manager of ZED451 in Boca Raton is Tim Fannin, and the 20-member team of chefs is led by Executive Chef Armando Galeas.

Unprecedented Design
ZED451 in Boca Raton is a 14,000 square foot space designed by renowned architect Chris Smith (ZED451, Chicago; Buddakan, Philadelphia and New York; Grayz, Restaurant 81 and Haru, New York; OLA and Strike, Miami; and Charlie Palmer Steak, Las Vegas.) ZED451 is Smith’s first Boca Raton project. RCC Associates is constructing the 338-seat restaurant.

A rich landscape of natural elements with a highly stylized, contemporary edge makes up the look of ZED451 in Boca Raton. Unlike most restaurant designs with a single main dining room, ZED451 breaks up the space, offering guests many options from which to choose. Anticipated to be one of the most popular areas of the restaurant is the 3,000 square foot patio with an indoor/outdoor bar. Guests will be able to choose from a number of different cozy seating options surrounded by a water feature, or in front of the fireplace. The indoor lounge features a glass-enclosed wine cellar and tasting room with a live edge wood table and custom wine glass chandelier. Another focal point is the large communal table in the center of the restaurant, which is surrounded by the completely open kitchen and lavish Harvest Tables. There are several private dining areas throughout the restaurant, including a glassed-enclosed wine room with a fireplace. Wood floors, stone accents and artistic lighting provide a sense of comfort, which are contrasted by the clean lines of the white leather seating. “Guests have described the space as ‘rustic and sexy,’” says Chief Brand Officer Daniel Harf. “The most common response I get when I give someone a tour is, ‘Wow!’"

The name, ZED451, was derived from the combination of the last letter in the British alphabet and one of the degrees Fahrenheit reaches combustion. The name reflects the experience: Zed, “the end,” represents the culmination of the owners’ experiences, and 451, “fire,” symbolizes how the experience begins.

ZED451 in Boca Raton offers dinner seven days a week beginning at 4 pm. Reservations can be made by calling (561) 393.3451; through the restaurant’s website, www.zed451.com, or via email at bocaraton@zed451.com. The restaurant is located at 201 Plaza Real in Boca Raton’s popular Mizner Park outdoor lifestyle center.
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