The chef who's opening a restaurant in the controversial Trump SoHo hotel thinks he can succeed where others have failed — here's why

Since the 2016 presidential election, restaurants inside Trump-branded properties have suffered as
The restaurant Koi, which was located inside the Trump SoHo hotel, closed in April.
The space has a new restaurant called Spring & Varick, which opened this month.

Operating a business in a Trump-branded property comes with a unique set of challenges in this political era.

Take the Trump SoHo hotel in New York as an example. Once a regular for corporations and pro sports teams, the hotel has lost clients, lowered room rates, and been forced to lay off some staff after a reported decline in business. After the election, a restaurant in the hotel, calledIts replacement, Spring & Varick, opened this month, but John Creger, the new restaurant's head chef, isn't worried about filling seats.

"We know that it's a challenge absolutely, but that said, everything we do here is a challenge — no matter what kitchen you're in, what building you're in, in a city [where] there's thousands of restaurants and tons of people who don't like this and that," Creger said.

While Spring & Varick does have its own entrance, the main front door is the Trump SoHo's lobby. The restaurant is named after the intersection where the hotel is located in Downtown Manhattan.

"You come into [Spring & Varick] to have a completely different experience that is not political ... it's just to come in and enjoy food and learn something," Creger said.

Keeping politics out could be easier said than done. Celebrity chef José Andrés, who was going to open a restaurant inside the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, backed out of the deal in 2015, citing comments by then-candidate Trump that Andrés said were "disparaging immigrants." The two parties have since settled in court.

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In the time since the presidential campaign, Trump SoHo itself has been the site of some boycotts. Sports teams are no longer staying there, paparazzi photographers have noticed that famous regulars have stopped showing up, and in August, an image of Putin was projected onto a wall above the hotel's signage.

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Inside the Spring & Varick space, you won't find any Trump-branded items. The new space features paintings from local artists.

Prices range from $8 for a side of French fries to $36 for a lobster roll.

This salad is served with thick-cut slices of heirloom tomato and avocado. Sprinkled on top are cotija cheese, radish, and wasabi greens. A sherry vinaigrette tops it off.

The S&V Burger is served on a pretzel bun with a hefty slice of comté cheese, which is fried in tempura batter. Balsamic caramelized onions add a hint of tart flavor.

The vanilla panna cotta is served on a stone slab and garnished with dates and flowers.

The cocktail menu sticks to the basics, offering Old Fashioneds, Moscow Mules, and martinis.

"I'm trying to give [customers] the exact quality I would give them if I was in a different building, regardless. When you come into this, all that should be left at the door," Creger said.

The chef who's opening a restaurant in the controversial Trump SoHo hotel thinks he can succeed where others have failed — here's why

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