Scoop: José Andrés is done with veggie fast-casual Beefsteak (for now)
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José Andrés and his veggies. Photo: Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post via Getty Images
José Andrés has permanently closed the last remaining location of Beefsteak in Foggy Bottom — an end (for now) to his fast-casual, vegetarian-ish chain.
Why it matters: The vegetable-focused venture was wildly popular and launched with Chipotle-esque aspirations to "feed millions in a day, and feed them well" (Andrés' words), backed by deep pockets and the chef's Midas touch.
Catch up quick: Beefsteak boomed onto the scene in 2015, opening its flagship George Washington University location in the heat of the fast-casual trend and just before "plant-based"-everything (tagline, and later, cookbook: "Vegetables Unleashed").
- Gwyneth Paltrow invested 100K the following year — just a slice of Beefsteak's $9.25 million investments in one round.
- By 2018, Beefsteak was bringing in $3.5 million in sales between six locations from Chicago to Miami, according to QSR.
Zoom in: The "good food, fast" ethos was built on customizable vegetable and grain bowls with leafy greens and cooked-to-order veggies from local-when-possible farms.
- The brand targeted college campuses and health care facilities like the Cleveland Clinic for its wallet-friendly, healthy menu.
Between the lines: Those strategic locations were hard-hit during the pandemic when the José Andrés Group temporarily closed several Beefsteaks — turning some restaurants into emergency "community kitchens"— and permanently shuttered branches in Dupont Circle and Westfield Montgomery Mall.
- The group tells Axios they decided not to renew their lease at the GW location, which since the winter has been listed as "temporarily closed."
The intrigue: Beefsteak may sprout again. Asked by Axios if there are plans to open future locations, a representative tells us the "Beefsteak brand is one José Andrés Group will continue to support."