Barteca Holdings LLC, parent to the Barcelona Restaurant & Wine Bar and bartaco restaurant concepts, has named Jeff Carcara to the newly created position of president, the company said Monday.
Norwalk, Conn.-based Barteca Holdings, which has 20 restaurants across six Eastern states, said Carcara’s hiring comes as the company plans to expand both brands.
“We have been aggressively growing our two restaurant businesses, and Jeff's track record and experience will be a great compliment to our team as we continue to rapidly expand both Barcelona and bartaco,” Andy Pforzheimer, Barteca Holdings co-founder and CEO, said in a statement.
Pforzheimer said Carcara had experience with growth at Southlake, Texas-based Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group Inc., where he served as chief operating officer.
Pforzheimer said the company plans to add seven new restaurants this year, and Sasa Mahr-Batuz, co-founder and Barteca’s creative director, added that at least six new restaurants are planned for 2016.
“We’re opening in Nashville this year, and we’re in looking in Chicago,” Pforzheimer told Nation’s Restaurant News Monday.
Barcelona and bartaco units are generally about 4,000 square feet and seat between 120 and 150 customers, he said.
Bartaco generally appeals to families and lunch customers, while Barcelona has heavier traffic at dinner and later in the evening, he noted.
Previously, Carcara worked with Hillstone Restaurant Group, parent to the Houston’s chain, and Darden Restaurants Inc., where he worked with the Seasons 52 brand, as well as with Bahama Breeze.
"I have been fortunate over the last 10 years to work with and help grow several great brands," Carcara said. "Andy and Sasa have built a great business, and I look forward to contributing to the company's ongoing success and growth."
“Jeff will be a great addition to our team as we continue to focus on operations and keeping the customer front and center,” Mahr-Batuz said.
Mahr-Batuz and Pforzheimer founded Barcelona Wine Bar in 1995. The concept now has 12 restaurants in Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington D.C. It was featured as one of NRN’s Breakout Brands in 2014.
The company also operates eight bartaco restaurants in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, New York and Virginia.
Barteca Holdings drew an investment in 2012 from private-equity firm Rosser Capital Partners.
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