WHAT HAPPENS WHEN NYC

Update August 2011: What Happens When has unfortunately had to close its season prematurely. Cool pop-up restaurants have long been the rage across Europe from the seasonal ‘Reindeer’ at London’s outré Bistrotheque to Tony Hornecker’s travelling The Pale Blue Door project. Never one to be left behind, New York has caught up with ‘What Happens When’.

A collaborative effort between interior designers, sound engineers, graphic designers and Michelin-starred chef John Fraser, it promises an eating experience that changes every 30 days for the nine months until the end of October. Cash raised from crowdfunding site Kickstarter finances the monthly facelift that includes an entirely new visual concept, audio accompaniment and, of course, menu.

The first month treated guests to a Nordic selection of dishes in a simple monochromatic space, left raw with Dogville-like chalk markings on the floors and walls, simply painted white wooden chairs and a soundtrack of bonfires and orchestral warm-ups. The second was inspired by earthy winter comforts. Drop in and see for yourself what happens when a load of hungry creatives happen upon an empty restaurant space.