ALLENTOWN, Pa. – José Garces, a James Beard Award-winning chef, entrepreneur, food innovator and restaurateur, will soon be opening another dining establishment in Lehigh County.
Okatshe, Garces’ second new restaurant in downtown Allentown, is expected to open next month at 947 W. Hamilton St., connected to The Moxy Allentown Downtown Hotel, according to a news release.
Okatshe, chef Jose Garces’ second new restaurant in downtown Allentown, is expected to open in mid-September at 947 W. Hamilton St., connected to The Moxy Allentown Downtown Hotel.
Ryan Kneller
The Iron Chef is now hiring to fill all positions in advance of opening in mid-September.
Okatshe, based on one of Garces’ popular restaurant concepts, will be a modern take on traditional Japanese izakaya.
The restaurant will feature Japanese small plates, sushi and sashimi with a lively cocktail and Japanese whisky bar. More details on the restaurant’s design, menu and cocktail and sake bar will be announced soon.
“Our experience in downtown Allentown has been wonderful,” said Garces, who opened the Cuban café and rum bar Rosa Blanca at 950 Hamilton St., in March.
“Our second concept, Okatshe, is going to add a unique food and bar experience to the Lehigh Valley’s growing culinary scene. We can’t wait to reveal more details over the next few weeks, but we are thrilled with the location, which is connected to The Moxy Hotel, next to Archer Music Hall and across the street from Rosa Blanca.”
Rosa Blanca operates at 950 Hamilton St. in downtown Allentown.
WFMZ-TV
Garces’ team is hiring for front- and back-of-house roles, including hosts, bartenders, servers, food runners, line cooks, sous chefs, dishwashers and more.
Candidates interested in joining a fast-paced, dynamic team with growth potential can email their resume to okatshehiring@chefgarces.com.
Garces, a James Beard Award-winning chef who won the second season of “The Next Iron Chef” in 2009, is known for helping to build Philadelphia’s restaurant scene in the early 2000s.
He’s known as a leading culinary authority of Spanish and Latin-American food – from the Spanish tapas at Amada, his first restaurant, to the award-winning burgers and whiskey flights at Village Whiskey.
Garces was attracted to downtown Allentown by the city’s continued revitalization and the placemaking efforts of City Center Group, a prominent downtown Allentown developer.
The Moxy Allentown Downtown Hotel.
Ryan Kneller
“This harkens back to when I first got to Philadelphia in 2001 and saw an opportunity to create special dining experiences for a market that I felt was right,” Garces said in a January announcement.
“I believe in what City Center Group has been doing to make downtown Allentown a strong destination for food, entertainment, and live-work-play, and I share a passion for that mission.”