ABOUT

Inspired by the theaters in New York City, award-winning Chef Amar Santana alongside restauranteur Ahmed Labbate create an atmosphere where the food becomes the main show.
The restaurant’s menu is inspired by the creativity of Chef Amar Santana and his version of Modern Cuisine of The Americas. It features top quality ingredients, with a focus on local farms who can provide the menu’s seasonal requirements.
The interior reflects an industrial New York look with an open kitchen that is the center stage, with six coveted seats at the chef’s table overlooking the activity of the kitchen. Chef Amar Santana will personally create and prepare a multiple course menu to those guests that chose to be adventurous with their cuisine.

Chef Amar on

TOP CHEF

We are excited to announce our Executive Chef, Amar Santana, as he returns to compete on Bravo Tv’s Top Chef. This season he will be joining competitors from across the globe for Top Chef World All Stars, Season 20. Amar has previously competed in season 13 finalist, as well as season 18, as a judge. Top Chef World All Stars premieres March 9, 2023 be sure to check out Bravo TV for all the series details TOP CHEF series.

Amar

SANTANA

CHEF/PARTNER

Chef Amar Santana is one of Orange County’s hottest rising stars who is undeniably transforming the OC culinary scene into a food destination. His impressive career crescendo in 2012 occurred at the age of 30, when he opened his widely successful flagship restaurant, Broadway By Amar Santana in Laguna Beach. His globally influenced menu includes unexpected flavor profiles and artful presentations, reflecting his zeal for food and for life. Almost immediately, critical acclaim, accolades and countless rave reviews rolled in. Santana attributes his success as a direct result of ambition, drive, passion, and modestly, extraordinary talent.

Ahmed

LABBATE

PARTNER

Ahmed has a passion for fine food and hospitality, with a degree in hotel and restaurant management, he worked at some of Morocco’s most well known hospitality corporations — Hyatt Regency, Sheraton, Safir and Sofitel — covering all the bases: concierge, front desk, dining room manager. Seeking to expand his worldview, he headed to one of Germany’s great retreats, Priem Am Kiemsee in the Hotel Feldhütter. Just 45 minutes from Munich, he made a name for himself at this fine resort as both front desk agent and dining room captain. A short time later America (and the mouse) came knocking, and Labbate seized the opportunity to utilize his background and European-style skills in an entirely unexpected way. He journeyed to Orlando, Florida, where he underwent intensive, elaborate training in “Morocco” — or at least in the Moroccan restaurant at Walt Disney World’s Epcot Center.

Michael

ROONEY

BEVERAGE DIRECTOR

Michael Rooney joined Vaca Group in 2013 and has been a critical driver for beverage programs within the group and broader Orange County. A career bartender with a mission to cultivate unique beverage experiences, he has served as a mentor for the restaurants' beverage teams and an educator within the bar industry.

Michael's passion for travel and history have morphed into beverage - centric tours of global production facilities, believing that to understand a beverage, one must experience the place and culture. These experiences have guided the Vaca Group beverage program curation, creating a hospitality - driven environment for guests to understand an unfamiliar beverage