Kansas City has apparently caught the attention of a rising food star. Brooklyn chef and cookbook author Aaron Sanchez is eyeing Kansas City for the latest restaurant in his budding food empire.
A frequent guest on such Food Network shows as Chopped and Chefs. vs. City, Sanchez currently owns and operates two restaurants, Centrico and Tacombi, in New York City. And according to The New York Post, he's "planning to open a restaurant in Kansas City this fall."
Details are still scarce, but Eater found out from Sanchez's public-relations rep that the restaurant is "most likely happening" and it would likely be a partnership with the Trifecta Management Group. The two previously worked together on the relaunch of Zocalo in Cleveland, Ohio.
This isn't their first dalliance in the Midwest. Sanchez and Trifecta were part of a proposal to build an entertainment and restaurant complex in Wichita. Although the Wichita City Council voted last September to approve a 2 percent tax on sales at the Bowllagio development, the project is still waiting to move forward. The idea there was for a tequileria with fresh tortillas that you could watch being made and a tequila cellar. Might something similar be coming to Kansas City?
Regardless of whether a restaurant manifests itself in the fall, there's no question that a chef like Sanchez would raise the national profile of Kansas City. He's the author of La Comida del Barrio and a strong voice for Latin American cuisine on the Food Network, where he has been a mainstay since hosting The Melting Pot. But as Sanchez and Trifecta likely know, they'll need a strong concept to succeed in the city. It will take an outstanding Mexican restaurant to stand out from the crowded field.
[Image via Aaron Sanchez]
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