NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Citi and Urbanspace today announced the launch of the Citi Urbanspace Challenge, a program designed to connect local chefs to New York City communities and offer small businesses the chance to win a booth at Urbanspace’s fall 2018 pop-up markets and, for one winner to have a booth at Urbanspace’s market located at 570 Lexington Ave.
“Urbanspace’s ability to transform public spaces into immersive markets and cultivate culinary communities makes them an ideal partner to help serve small businesses within this great city,” said Tina Davis, Managing Director of Global Sponsorships and Marketing, Citi. “We’re thrilled to launch the Citi Urbanspace Challenge, which will support the growth of local chefs and raise their profiles in the New York market.”
A call for entries for culinary entrepreneurs to submit a creative, fast-casual restaurant concept for the Citi Urbanspace Challenge opens today and runs through July 23 at noon EST. In August, Urbanspace will announce three finalists, who will then have the opportunity to be in business at a distinguishable market kiosk at one of Urbanspace’s fall 2018 pop-up markets – Mad. Sq. Eats, Broadway Bites and Garment District. Following the conclusion of the fall 2018 pop-up markets, the overall winner of the Citi Urbanspace Challenge will be awarded a fully customized, branded booth in the prime Urbanspace at 570 Lex location for three months beginning in January 2019, courtesy of Citi.
“The competition gives three rising chefs and entrepreneurs a chance to raise their profiles as culinary tastemakers,” said Eldon Scott, President of Urbanspace. “At our core, Urbanspace is all about housing unique and local small businesses that foster a sense of community in our food halls. With this program, we are motivated to provide a platform on which culinary entrepreneurs and chefs can succeed. We are thankful for Citi as a valued partner to help support the Citi Urbanspace Challenge.”
The Citi Urbanspace Challenge winner will be announced in November. The winner will be determined based on a public vote hosted on Urbanspace’s website throughout the duration of the fall 2018 pop-up markets, established criteria from Urbanspace and a panel of expert judges, including restauranteurs and culinary influencers and experts.
Chefs and small businesses can enter the Citi Urbanspace Challenge at urbanspacenyc.com/challenge beginning on July 12.
About Citi
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.
Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi
About Urbanspace
Urbanspace curates and develops immersive public markets where creative entrepreneurship and community flourish. Urbanspace, founded in London in 1972, developed Camden Lock Market, Container City, Spitalfields and other vibrant environments. In 1993, Eldon Scott established the U.S. operations with the founding of the Grand Central and Union Square Holiday Markets. Since then, Urbanspace has developed many successful markets across NYC including Urbanspace at 570 Lex, Urbanspace Vanderbilt, Mad. Sq. Eats, Broadway Bites, the original Dekalb Market and more. Urbanspace continues to connect small business owners and chefs with curious creativity-seeking customers by reaching out to new communities and spaces.
