The much anticipated Jaleo from José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup will open at Disney Springs on Sunday, March 17. It will be the company’s fifth Jaleo location, its first in Florida, and its largest.
Also opening on that date is Pepe by José Andrés, the first brick and mortar iteration of the chef’s popular Washington, D.C., food truck. It occupies a space in the front corner of Jaleo. The quick-serve Pepe will will open for both lunch and dinner. Jaleo will open initially for dinner service only with lunch hours to be added later in the month.
Jaleo, with locations in Washington, Maryland, Virginia and Las Vegas, is known for its modern Spanish cuisine and tapas menu, including paellas cooked over a wood-fired paella pit, hand-carved Iberico ham, and shrimp sauteed with garlic and chili.
The restaurants were designed by Juli Capella of Spain with an exterior that mimics opening petals.
Andrés is a much celebrated chef, recognized as Outstanding Chef by the James Beard Foundation and one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People. He was recently profiled by the news magazine 60 Minutes for his efforts to feed citizens of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of its hurricanes.
