Industry NewsBoutique & IndependentJuan Pablo Torre Announces Dart Hotel and Restaurant

Juan Pablo Torre Announces Dart Hotel and Restaurant

LOS ANGELES—Juan Pablo Torre, classically trained chef and restaurateur, has announced a new unified boutique hotel, bar, and restaurant concept in downtown Los Angeles. With the hotel already under construction, The Dart Hotel and Restaurant is the latest project from Tuck Ventures, a firm led by Torre that creates, develops, designs, and manages hospitality concepts. Set to open by the end of year, it is the first downtown project that Torre has been involved with since being brought in to consult on the seasonal menu of Eat Drink Americano in the Arts District, and is the next of several planned projects slated for Southern California.

“Living in downtown Los Angeles has been so inspiring for me, even though it is quite similar in many ways to the European cities I’ve lived in,” said Torre, who moved from Madrid three years ago. “L.A. just feels so good, and I’m excited to be a part of such a dynamic and evolving community.”

The 14-room hotel will feature a unique check-in system, which will be integrated into the restaurant bar. With an upscale casual and affordable menu, the restaurant is being designed with both indoor and outdoor areas that extend onto the sidewalk and an interactive kitchen, allowing Torre the freedom to oversee all aspects of the guest experience.

“I am a chef that considers the entire project, not just food and beverage. My new venture is really about creating a casual but authentic space for entertaining. From the ambiance and music, to lighting and service, and of course the overnight experience of the hotel, even the simplest things can be amazing,” Torre added.

Having worked in the hospitality arena for nearly 20 years, Torre has cultivated an expert taste level balancing both efficiency and style, while managing several fast growing hospitality brands worldwide. His viewpoint on larger projects has always been as a chef first, and then extending his creativity beyond the kitchen, approaching everything with both a keen sense of business and a natural level of warm authenticity. Notable projects have included Posada de Dragon, Posada de Leon de Oro in Madrid, Principe Forte di Marmi in Tuscany, several projects in Russia, and the Adlon Holding in Berlin, featuring multiple food and beverage outlets and the two Michelin star Lorenz.

For his stretch of South Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles, Torre hopes to create a new community destination where people spend an extended and relaxed time enjoying themselves and the surrounding neighborhood. Tuck Ventures is also looking forward to developing and operating additional new concepts in the area. In the interim, Torre will be cooking throughout the spring and summer months at a series of downtown pop-up engagements, including several private dining events.

RELATED ARTICLES