About the Collection
The junzi NFT project attaches real value to digital artwork on the blockchain. The collection marks the restaurant brand’s debut in the metaverse. Our restaurant was built by chefs and artists to connect food & culture, so NFTs piqued our interest from the beginning. We wanted to create a way for enthusiasts to engage with unique, expertly curated art while connecting you to real-life culinary experiences. We’ve seen other brands trying to enter the space with uninspired art of questionable value, and wanted to make a Web3 debut in a new and exciting way.
Our artwork was curated in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and is featured in our Year of the Tiger chili oil collection we created with The Met. You can find the original woodblock prints that inspired these NFTs on view at The Met’s Asian Art collection. The two pieces featured are the New Year Picture of Door God Zhao Gongming (left) and the Shining Daoist Immortal (right). Traditional New Year woodblock prints are used together as a pair: posted on the main entrance of homes, offering protection and prosperity to the families they guard.
Each NFT contains an exclusive reward gifted to the owner upon minting. All of our NFTs are backed by real food, and provide a range of rewards from free junzi bowls for a year to free boxes of our junzi x The Met Year of the Tiger chili oil collection and more. These rewards are non-transferable and exist only for the first owners of the NFTs.
About the Restaurant
Junzi is a restaurant built by chefs and artists. Food & art is kind of our thing! From the very beginning, it’s always been about creating greater access to culturally specific food experiences. This is why each junzi NFT contains an exclusive reward gifted to the owner upon minting. All of our NFTs are backed by real food, and provide a range of rewards from free junzi bowls for a year's supply of junzi chili oils. These rewards are non-transferable and exist only for the first owners of the NFTs.
Our goal is to bring the restaurant world into the metaverse while celebrating Chinese culture and heritage. Our first NFT collection for the Year of the Tiger provides you entry into the junzi inner circle, where you’ll receive exclusive benefits and free food. Consider the NFTs themselves as membership cards, which unlock a range of rewards at our restaurants and on our online shop. Each junzi NFT is backed by access to products in the real world.
Meet the Mythical Creatures!
Throughout Chinese folk history, deities have been depicted riding exotic animals instead of horses. The God of Fortune, Zhao Gongming, is pictured here riding a tiger. He wields a gnarled cudgel in his right hand, his signature weapon, and holds a gold ingot, symbolizing wealth, in his left hand. Moving between heaven and Earth, he brings good fortune to those who worship him.
The God of Immortality is pictured here riding a deer, a traditional symbol of longevity and prosperity. His presence brings worshippers a long life and protection from evil.