Follow in The Footsteps of John F. Kennedy

The Story of JOHN

Before JOHN Chef’s Hall, there was simply JOHN: the first of A22’s dabbles into the realm of fine dining. The restaurant takes its name from John F. Kennedy, the 35th US president, who visited Latvia at just 22 years old – still a student at Harvard. He’d stayed overnight at the American Embassy, using it as a base to experience Riga.

However, the inclusion of his all-capitalised name is far from a mere nod to this 1939 visit. JOHN’s concept is inspired massively by the former president’s innovative approach to leadership and dining, in particular, praising his hiring of a French chef at The White House.

JFK’s clear investment in higher calibre cooking represented a step towards blended culture and stylish dining. In fact, dishes were often at the heart of guest receptions. In previous years, important international meetings hadn’t always been met with culinary elegance. The same year JFK visited Riga, President Franklin D Roosevelt served hot dogs on silver plates to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Clearly, food mattered to the former president, and he remains a symbol of prestige and connection.

Fast-forward to today and ‘elegant simplicity’ is something JOHN continues from its art nouveau base in Latvia. Headed by Chef Kristaps Sīlis, the 2021-opened restaurant faced almost instantaneous challenges. Confronted with the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, it was forced to think on its feet due to reduced footfall and higher running costs. In a stroke of innovation, the restaurant switched beats, adopting a more casual à la carte model. The strategy worked. Years later, the venue is thriving on its fresh produce focus.

Guests pick lunch and dinner dishes on a whim, with modern concoctions ranging from squid ink pasta to venison striploin accompanied by kale chips. After dining, there’s the Jackie Bar – named after JFK's First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis – a cocktail lounge serving up modern takes on classics like a Gooseberry Magarita or an Aronia Old Fashioned. The latter blends Latvian and America influences through a Woodford Reserve Kentucky bourbon and chokeberry infusion.

The Introduction of JOHN Chef’s Hall

In 2024, when the call came to create a new concept, Kristaps hit the ground running. The plan was simple: launch a second restaurant in A22 with an open-plan design and intimate seating. Instead of focusing on a high-quality à la carte, JOHN Chef’s Hall was an opportunity to pause the clock.

To Kristaps, that meant reintroducing tasting menus – opening the door for more Latvian-focused cuisine and unbridled creativity through seasonal reactivity. With just four tables (a close-knit 12-seater), JOHN Chef’s Hall opened to its first guests in summer. In a matter of months, it already had a Michelin Star.

The primary allure of JOHN Chef’s Hall stems from that ‘time-stands-still’ element. The focus shifts from the concept of solely enjoying fresh food to ensuring that dining is both experiential and interactive.

Tables overlook the kitchen pass, providing front-row seats as the chefs prepare ever-changing seasonal menus. Where possible, certain dishes are crafted tableside, encouraging immersive guest involvement. As a rule, though, each course is hand-delivered by the chef, who acts as an expert guide throughout, introducing not only the dish but the value behind each ingredient.

Kristaps explains that chefs are the best people to relay culinary ideas to guests; a truth all too often cloaked by closed kitchens and reduced contact. “It’s the same for a painter; if painters are painting, no one else can explain what they are doing, so this is very cool,” Kristaps smiles.

In terms of the cuisine itself, Latvian food is shaped hugely by social and political history, with influences from Russian and German culture and conflict. Kristaps keeps things simple: “For me, what is Latvian cuisine? It's products that are grown in Latvia.” He throws in off-the-cuff examples, like watermelons and potatoes, then shrugs, “if it's from Latvia, it's our product, our culture.”

The liberating format of tasting menus has enabled a more fluid approach to behind-the-scenes operations. Rotating menus shift based on product availability; in summer, Kristaps hopes to offer monthly changes.

Embracing local produce allows more thoughtful touches. Lingering cultural glimmers pepper the courses. Pinecones, once made into medicinal syrups by Kristaps’ grandmother, now feature as the base for a springtime pre-dessert. Native lichen is carefully harvested and experimented with to push the boundaries of ‘traditionally edible’ cuisine.

At JOHN Chef’s Hall, Latvia and its seasons remain at the forefront. It’s a playful affair, with respect gently granted to each individual ingredient and its backstory.

The Chef

Part of Kristaps success came through the way he embraced the unexpected change in JOHN’s direction. While proud of its necessary evolution, he always kept his sights set on a return to a more traditional fine dining route. The cogs continued to whir, and he plotted how to reintroduce a set menu to A22.

It’s the type of dream that chefs train a lifetime for, and with 20 years in the kitchen, Kristaps had already achieved some big milestones. Obtaining his first head chef position at 21, he supplemented his experiences in Latvia with spells spent overseas in Denmark and the UK. “I was at noma for a few months,” Kristaps explains. “Then I was in London to experience working in Michelin-Starred restaurants.”

“Four years ago, I was fully sure that Michelin would never come to Latvia,” he laughs.

A Stay at the A22 Hotel

Not to be outshined by its own creations, the A22 Hotel remains a top-level depiction of historical legacy and culture. While JOHN holds a Michelin recommendation and JOHN Chef’s Hall a Michelin Star, A22 is equally recognised on its own merit. Situated on the borders of the leafy Viesturdārzs Park, it takes a short (1.5km) step back from the busier Old Town and its medieval architecture. A true solace, the 20-room-and-suite property is also recommended by Michelin.

The dark-panelled building didn’t just house the visiting JFK in his youth. As the former American Embassy, it was a meeting point for international relations and cross-cultural connections. Despite its ultra-modern appeal, A22's history is never too far from the surface, with lingering art nouveau features.

As well as the two on-site restaurants, facilities include a fitness centre and sauna, a shared lounge and private parking. Its package availability includes a Gourmet Getaway option with sparkling wine on arrival, a room or suite, a dinner at JOHN, room service breakfasts and a late checkout.

Planning a Stay and Dine Experience

A22, JOHN and JOHN Chef’s Hall bring different qualities to the table. In fact, the three fit together like puzzle pieces. With enough forward planning though, it’s equally possible to independently plan a stay and dine experience.

A prospective one-night itinerary could go as follows: check in at A22 – perhaps booking into the Deluxe Room or Presidential Suite. After freshening up, slink into Jackie’s Bar for a cocktail before tucking into an à la carte lunch at the airy JOHN restaurant. Suitably fuelled for the afternoon, you could walk around Riga’s UNESCO-protected Old Town, Vecrīga, or climb St Peter’s Church for 360-degree city views. Having worked up an appetite – and an eager anticipation – walk back to A22 to prepare for your evening at JOHN Chef’s Hall.

Having two restaurants under a single hotel roof is the perfect layout for a stay and dine experience. However, Kristaps stresses the importance of advance booking. “We are booked three months ahead,” he advises of the JOHN Chef’s Hall reservation list. While there’s often more wiggle-room with snagging tables at JOHN, the limited tables and intimate environment of its neighbouring Chef’s Hall keep things exclusive. A stay and dine experience at A22 is not for the last-minute planner, so if you want to experience the innovative souls of both JOHN and JOHN Chef’s Hall, which collectively speak to the character of their namesake, you'd better get booking right away!

Click below to discover more and book each part of this trio of experiences:

Hero Image © Otto Strazds