Atlantis Paradise Island Announces First Annual Table Takeovers

The First Annual Table Takeovers Presented By Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival (Npiwff)

-The series features collaborations with renowned chefs JJ Johnson and Jose Garces-

-Guests, visitors and the community are welcome to experience limited-time menus and events- 

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (August 28, 2023) – Atlantis Paradise Island, the Caribbean’s most iconic destination resort in the Bahamas, announces the first annual Table Takeovers series presented by Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival (NPIWFF). The new month-long limited series launches September 2^nd and will feature menus from chef JJ Johnson, recognized for his innovative approach to African Caribbean cuisine, and Jose Garces, the Iron Chef and James Beard Award winner best known for his unique take on Spanish and Latin-American cuisine.

From September 2nd – 9th, JJ Johnson, the decorated chef honored with the James Beard Foundation Book Award and a two-time spot on the Nation’s Restaurant News Power List, will introduce a Caribbean brasserie concept at Bimini Road,Atlantis’ Marina Village restaurant that celebrates Bahamian cuisine and its vibrant flavors. JJ Johnson’s takeover presents an exclusive dining experience with limited-edition menu items showcasing his African Caribbean roots with dishes such as Oxtail Dumplings, Amarillo Broth Snapper & Tuna Ceviche Tostada with Avocado, and a 21 oz Bone-In Rib-Eye with Lobster Curry Corn. As a special treat during the takeover, diners will have the opportunity to meet Chef JJ during a book signing for his highly anticipated new cookbook, The Simple Art of Rice: Recipes from Around the World for the Heart of Your Table.

From September 28th – October 1st, Jose Garces, the famed Iron Chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and recipient of numerous James Beard Awards, will present a Spanish and Latin American takeover at Café Martinique.  Drawing from his extensive experience with Spanish and Latin American cuisine, Chef Garces will offer a menu that spans the globe, focusing on authentic flavors and presentations. From Pulpo Gallego to Ensalada de Jamón and Montadito de Pato, the menu will highlight a tour of classic Spanish dishes with a Garces twist.
During the takeover, guests will have the opportunity to meet Chef Garces during a book signing of his classic cookbook, The Latin Road Home.

“With the new Table Takeovers series, Atlantis pushes the envelope in culinary innovation, all anchored to the anticipated announcement of our second annual Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival and the celebrity chef lineup,” said Audrey Oswell, President and Managing Director of Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas. “Chefs Johnson and Garces’s participation in the Table Takeover series affords guests, visitors, and the local community to experience extraordinary global flavors and cuisine that distinguishes Atlantis and the Bahamas and furthers the destination’s reputation for delivering world-class cuisine.” 

Atlantis Paradise Island announces the new Table Takeovers series just ahead of announcing the dates and programming for the second annual Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival. For more information about Atlantis Paradise Island and the Table Takeovers series, please visit atlantisbahamas.com. 

About Atlantis Paradise Island:

Throughout 2023 Atlantis Paradise Island is rolling out bold multimillion-dollar renovations and exciting new partnerships throughout the resort – from a complete renovation of The Royal Towers to a reimagined Atlantis Casino and much more. The resort’s 25^th anniversary launches a new chapter for the first-of-its-kind celebrated entertainment resort and destination, ensuring that travelers will continue to experience the best at Atlantis Paradise Island, with stunning accommodations, innovative cuisine, and extraordinary events ranging from live musical performances and concerts to internationally acclaimed food and wine festivals.  

Atlantis features five unique lodging options: the grand iconic towers of the recently renovated The Royal, family-friendly accommodations at The Coral, water-side villas at Harborside Resort, all-suite luxury accommodations at The Cove, and residential-style accommodations at The Reef. All resort guests can book bespoke offerings using Atlantis’ Sapphire Services, with curated itineraries showcasing the culture and beauty of The Bahamas. 

Guests at Atlantis can choose from over 20 dining options, from beachside bites to upscale dining venues. With the opening of Chef Michael White’s coastal Italian restaurant Paranza at The Cove, Atlantis is the only resort in the region with three Michelin star-rated chefs: White, Nobu Matsuhisa and José Andrés. Also debuting in 2023 are Shake Shack, the brand’s first Caribbean outpost, and Silan by Chef Alon Shaya.

Aquaventure, one of the world’s largest waterparks, is a 141-acre waterscape of thrilling slides and river rides with 14 pools and five miles of white sand beaches in the center of Atlantis. The resort is also home to the largest open-air marine habitat in the world, with over 65,000 aquatic animals from 250 species making their home in natural ocean-fed lagoons and habitats, including Dolphin Cay, the unparalleled marine animal conservation and education center created to provide guests with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn more about some of nature’s most friendly mammals.

Atlantis has committed to a meaningful connection with the ocean, marine life, sustainability, and environmental stewardship through its purpose-led efforts with Dolphin Cay and the Atlantis’ Blue Project Foundation (ABPF), the resort’s nonprofit 501©3 organization dedicated to saving sea species and their extraordinary habitats throughout the Bahamas and surrounding Caribbean seas. 

For more information about Atlantis Paradise Island, please visit www.atlantisbahamas.com.

About Chef JJ Johnson:

JJ Johnson is an award-winning Chef, Founder, TV Personality, and Author. He is best known for his barrier-breaking cuisine connecting the foodways of West Africa and Asia to the Americas.

Chef JJ’s signature style of combining culturally relevant ingredients with his classically trained cooking and global point of view was inspired by the Caribbean tastes he grew up with and his travels. He’s cooked in Ghana and Israel and has visited a 7-generation rice farm in India. His culinary philosophy centers on showcasing the African diaspora’s diversity and richness while challenging traditional cuisines.

Recognized by Eater as one of the New Guard of Power in NYC Dining, JJ’s brand of creating cultural connections through food is a hallmark of his hospitality group Ingrained Hospitality Concepts, LLC, a collaboration of industry professionals dedicated to creating great restaurants while sharing international cuisine with fantastic hospitality.

His work has earned him numerous accolades, including a James Beard Foundation Award for the best American cookbook for Between Harlem and Heaven. He has also been featured on multiple television shows, including Food Network’s Chopped, Netflix’s Street Food, and Selena + Chef on HBO Max. Additionally, JJ has his television show called Just Eats with Chef JJ airing for its fifth season on TV One’s network Cleo TV this fall. Chef JJ’s highly anticipated cookbook with Danica Novgorodof, The Simple Art of Rice: Recipes from Around the World for the Heart of Your Table, will be released in September 2023 by Macmillan Publishers.

Chef JJ curates an environment for connection through food that transcends people, memories, and generations, as witnessed at Fieldtrip, his quick-casual rice bowl shop, highlighting the future of food. Johnson strongly advocates for sustainability, working with local farmers and producers to source the freshest ingredients for his dishes. As one of America’s most exciting fast casual brands, Fieldtrip has taken NYC by storm with 4 locations and continues expanding non-stop. JJ believes some of the most dynamic cultures are linked to rice, and with America being a diverse nation, we all grew up within a “rice culture.” Henceforth the slogan, “Rice is Culture,” at Fieldtrip.

A cultural tastemaker, and family man, Chef JJ Johnson developed a passion for culinary at the tender age of seven. While growing up between New York City and the Poconos, PA, he quickly became inspired by the flavors and cultures of his diverse upbringing. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), JJ honed his skills in some of the world’s top kitchens throughout New York City.

Today, he is a community champion. His passion for food justice and equity drives him to raise awareness within the food industry, using his platform to create change. JJ continues to push boundaries in the culinary world, with plans to develop more restaurants that celebrate and share the vibrant flavors and cultures of Africa and the Caribbean. Through JJ’s expertise, he continues to unite communities and show the world that rice isn’t just a staple but the backbone of culture.

About Chef Jose Garces:

Iron Chef, father, husband, James Beard Award-winner, entrepreneur, and food innovator Chef Jose Garces is a leading culinary authority on Spanish and Latin-American food.

From the Spanish tapas at Amada, his first restaurant, to the rotating tasting menus at Volvér at the Kimmel Cultural Campus, Chef Garces continually pushes the boundaries of culinary excellence.

While he maintains his successful career owning and operating full-service restaurants, Chef Garces is also looking toward the future, with an increased focus on bringing restaurant-quality experiences to the homes and businesses of culinary enthusiasts in new and exciting ways. From enhanced home delivery options and virtual online cooking demos to live online cooking classes, Chef Garces is excited to connect with both fans of his work on television and the home cook who’d like to experience “chef life” in their own kitchen.

As a child of immigrants and a leader in the diverse and inclusive hospitality industry, the well-being of his community in Philadelphia has always been dear to Chef Garces’ heart. To help provide ongoing and actionable assistance to the immigrant community, Chef Garces co-founded The Garces Foundation in 2011. The Garces Foundation delivers services, including community health days, English language skills classes that target the restaurant industry, and an increased focus on procuring and providing food supplies to the food insecure.

Chef Garces is the author of two cookbooks, Latin Evolution and The Latin Road Home, published by Lake Isle Press.