Atlantic City Casino Restaurant to Expand Across the Country

Amada, the popular Jose Garces tapas-style restaurant and bar in Ocean Casino Resort will soon be expanding across America to the Sun Belt and beyond. The restaurant will be doing it with a new owner.

Chef Jose Garces Sells Amada Restaurant

Amada, the first restaurant opened by Chef Jose Garces, has been acquired by SPG Hospitality which plans to open more Amada locations across America.

Garces also sold his gourmet pub and whiskey bar Village Whiskey to the company.

Amada, which first opened in Atlantic City in Revel Casino, and then made a comeback in Ocean Casino Resort, is one of three current locations of the restaurant.

The others are in Radner, PA., and the original Amada in Old City Philadelphia.

Two Or Three More Locations Annually

SPG Hospitality plans to add two or three Amada locations each year, with an initial emphasis on the Southwest Sun Belt, "where the warm weather will compliment Amada's ionic Spanish cuisine".

"What Chef Garces and the Ideation Hospitality team have built at Amada is impressive. From the moment you walk through the door, the ambiance transports you to the south of Spain.

The creative, culturally rich cuisine prepared by a talented team of culinary leaders gives consumers exactly what they seek in a high-quality dining experience," said SPB Hospitality CEO Josh Kern.

Garces Will Remain as the Face of Amada

SBP Hospitality, which owns over 500 restaurants in 37 states, plans for Jose Graces to continue to serve as "the face of the brands".

Garces, the James Beard award-winning chef, is known as a food innovator of Spanish and Latin-American food.

He credits his grandmother for teaching him the Latin way of cooking.

"Amada will always be an incredibly special restaurant concept to me. Not only was it the first restaurant I ever opened, but it was also inspired by my grandmother, Mamita Amada," said Garces.

"I could not be more proud to work with SPB Hospitality to help grow the Amada brand in such a significant way. I look forward to bringing the incredible flavors and taste of Spain that Amada offers to cities across the country."