MIAMI, Fla., - C3  (Creating Culinary Communities), the fastest-growing global food-tech platform founded by hospitality mogul Sam Nazarian, announced today a partnership with Brightline, the only provider of modern, eco-friendly high-speed rail in America, to relaunch the culinary center at MiamiCentral, the flagship station for Brightline Trains in South Florida. The 26,000 square foot,16-stall food hall, previously known as Central Fare, will re-open in November as Citizens MiamiCentral under new management from Nazarian and the team at C3.

 

C3’s roster of famed international chefs including Dario Cecchini (coined The World’s Greatest Butcher by the New York Times), Michelin Starred chef Dani García, and ‘Iron Chef’  Masaharu Morimoto will now bring international flavor to Brightline passengers and the local Miami community through inspired restaurant offerings. Popular C3 brands like Umami Burger, Krispy Rice, Sam’s Crispy Chicken, Cicci di Carne, and new brands including Sa’Moto by Chef Morimoto, EllaMia, and Cindy Lou’s Cookies, a Miami favorite, will join the center’s original brands La Estacion, Rosetta Bakery, Patagonia, CAO, Art de Vivre and 800o Woodfired Kitchen (coming soon).

 

“Brightline and C3 are both visionaries in our respective fields and, since we share a similar forward-thinking philosophy, we found them to be the ideal partner to oversee this new modern, diverse offering of culinary experiences,” said Patrick Goddard, President of Brightline Trains.  “Moreover, Sam Nazarian and his team are very familiar with the Miami market, having built some of the most iconic hotels and restaurants in the city, through sbe. We’re excited about this opportunity to partner with them as we reinvent the travel in Florida.”

 

C3 brings expertise in running highly trafficked, high-volume, experiential culinary centers with tech-backed digital delivery systems and ghost kitchens. Its signature ghost kitchen model will be added as an enhancement to the culinary center’s operating system to maximize culinary offerings. Visitors of Citizens MiamiCentral will also have the option of contactless ordering and pick-up through the proprietary Go by Citizens app, a first of its kind marketplace that allows users to purchase items across multiple C3 brands via one order. Pick-up and delivery of all brands will be available via Go by Citizens to the surrounding Greater Downtown Miami market.

 

“We’re proud to be the chosen partner for Brightline’s transformation of the transit experience,” remarked Sam Nazarian, C3’s Founder and CEO. “I’ve kept a close eye on Brightline as an inspiration for my innovation and development goals with C3. We’re excited to start our relationship by working with Brightline to transform the culinary experience at MiamiCentral, a development that has changed the landscape of Downtown Miami as a hub for all things transportation, leisure, business, lifestyle and entertainment.”

 

Miami’s premiere business, leisure, and transportation hub, MiamiCentral spans over six downtown city blocks and features 816 luxury rental residences within Parkline Miami, 130,000 square feet of dynamic retail and entertainment space including the new Citizens MiamiCentral culinary center, and it is also the flagship station for Brightline in South Florida. MiamiCentral is a unique live-work-play destination with unrivaled transportation options, including connectivity to Brightline, Metrorail, Metromover and Tri-Rail. With millions of guests projected to ride the rails each year, MiamiCentral is transforming South Florida’s urban landscape.

 

The announcement comes on the heels of C3’s growing infrastructure within the Miami market: earlier this year, C3 signed an office lease on a 10,000-square-foot space at 3015 Grand Avenue in Miami’s Coconut Grove that will be home to C3's Go by Citizens app technology and robust marketing analytics platforms, along with a hybrid tech/test kitchen and culinary institute.

 

Today’s announcement also follows Brightline’s August 10 media update detailing the company’s reopening schedule set to start the first half of November for service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. This update also included Brightline’s multiple service enhancements and investments, including new construction, investments in corridor infrastructure and safety, COVID protocols, community engagement, and, as the company looks to resume, the implementation of a recruitment plan that will add 200 jobs in South Florida.

 

For more information on C3, Citizens MiamiCentral and Brightline please visit https://www.c3sbe.com and https://www.gobrightline.com/.

 

About C3  

 

C3 (Creating Culinary Communities) is re-imagining the food service industry at a time when change is needed most. Founded and led by visionary Sam Nazarian with minority investors Simon, a global leader in the ownership of premier shopping, dining, entertainment and mixed-use destinations, and Accor, the world-leading augmented hospitality group, C3 is simultaneously, systematically and broadly bringing together technology, underutilized retail, hotel and kitchen spaces and world-class culinary talent. C3's array of culinary brands coexist to disrupt the food & beverage industry by capitalizing on rapidly evolving customer preferences through C3 established shared kitchens, mobile delivery with the next-gen Citizens Go app (set to launch in 2021), and Citizens culinary centers. Current C3 brands include Umami Burger, Krispy Rice, Sam's Crispy Chicken, In a Bun, The Other Side and Dani Garcia's El Pollo Verde, with many other brands in the pipeline. The first Citizens culinary center will open in New York City at Manhattan West in 2021. As of February 2021, C3 operates 250 digital kitchens across the U.S. To learn more, visit c3sbe.com. 

 

About Brightline

Brightline is the only provider of modern, eco-friendly, high-speed rail service in America. The company currently operates between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach in Florida and is scheduled to complete construction to the Orlando International Airport by the end of 2022. Brightline was recognized in 2020 by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies in travel, offering a guest-first experience designed to reinvent train travel and take cars off the road. Brightline plans to bring its award-winning service to additional city pairs and congested corridors across the country that are too close to fly and too long to drive, with immediate plans to connect Las Vegas to Southern California.

 

About MiamiCentral

MiamiCentral is a 6-block transit-oriented development (TOD) in the heart of Downtown Miami. This transformational project is anchored by Brightline’s Miami Train Station, features 816 luxury residences, 136,000 sf of retail, class-A office space, and unprecedented connectivity to Metromover, Metrorail, and Tri-Rail. With Brightline service to Orlando in 2022, MiamiCentral is the first-of-its-kind lifestyle destination for transit, dining, entertainment, living and business.