A taste of Spain: LZF’s lamps at José Andrés’s Jaleo restaurants in Chicago and Dubai

February 24, 2023. Published by Gerard McGuickin

‘Jaleo’ is taken from the Spanish verb ‘jalear’, meaning ‘to cheer’; in everyday parlance, it is synonymous with noise, revelry, and fun. The American painter John Singer Sargent’s famous El Jaleo painting portrays a spirited flamenco performance (and is very much evocative of the genre). This spirit of celebration has inspired the growing number Jaleo restaurants by award-winning chef and humanitarian José Andrés. Jaleo is described as a place that offers a ‘taste of Spain’ in a colourful, festive, and relaxed atmosphere.

Dandelion by Burkhard Dämmer at Jaleo’s Chicago restaurant.

Jaleo’s interior design is inspired by tapas—small sharing plates that are a customary way of eating in Spain. Recalling the traditional dishes of José Andrés’s childhood, the food has been creatively reinterpreted with much finesse. Where Jaleo’s cuisine has adapted to ever evolving tastes, the restaurant’s interior design has also evolved, yet retains its original spirit. At every Jaleo establishment, design that is ‘Made in Spain’ is the order of the day. The interior concept reflects Spain’s warm and welcoming character. Carefully chosen furnishings, lighting, and objets d’art mix Spanish craftsmanship and industrial design, reflecting Spain’s passion for and history of good design.

Swirl by Ray Power at Jaleo’s Chicago restaurant.

LZF’s handmade wood veneer lamps are very much at home in a number of José Andrés’s imaginative eateries. Jaleo Chicago, the most recent Jaleo restaurant in the USA, is located in the city’s River North neighbourhood (an area known for its art galleries and restaurants). A project by Capella Garcia Arquitectura, the restaurant’s scheme is a study in interior maximalism, combining materials that encourage people to celebrate and share. A fiery red, the dominant colour throughout, is tempered with yellow, orange, brown, and natural hues. The bright restaurant includes two classic LZF designs: Dandelion and Swirl. Four Dandelion suspension lamps add a zestful exuberance to the bar area, while four Swirl suspension lamps add an elegant edge to a seated dining space.

Agatha by Luis Eslava Studio in the window of Jaleo’s Dubai restaurant.

LZF’s lamps also feature at Jaleo’s brand new restaurant in Dubai (a part of luxury hotel resort Atlantis The Royal). Patrons will find three prepossessing LZF designs: a large Agatha suspension lamp, a medium Totem suspension lamp, and seven Swirl suspension lamps. The Agatha and Swirl lamps are framed by two of the restaurant’s windows, and the Totem lamp hangs majestically in the bar area. These lamps, along with those in Jaleo Chicago, are part of a showcase of great Spanish design.

Swirl by Ray Power at Jaleo’s Dubai restaurant.

Jaleo Dubai is also a project by Capella Garcia Arquitectura in collaboration with Dubai-based Bluehaus Group. Headquartered in Barcelona, Capella Garcia Arquitectura has worked on the interior design of each of José Andrés’s Jaleo restaurants. In addition to Chicago and Dubai, the studio has previously specified LZF’s lamps for Jaleo in Disney Springs and Washington DC. Find out more about Spanish architect Juli Capella of Capella Garcia Arquitectura in this characterful conversation with LZF.