After six years running the kitchen at Bocado, Adam Waller has given his notice. Waller is leaving the popular west Midtown burger spot to help the team behind The Pinewood and The Mercury launch two Italian concepts, Bar Americano and Bar Crema, in Buckhead .
Waller will serve as executive chef for both venues. The former will be a restaurant-bar while the latter, located next door, will be a cafe-gelateria. The pair are among numerous concepts coming to the Andrews Square development, formerly known as the East Andrews Entertainment District. They will take the space previously occupied by Prohibition and are expected to open in October.
Bar Americano will offer what co-owner Brooks Cloud described as Italian-American fare that’s “twisted a little bit because that’s our attitude. It won’t be just standard spaghetti and meatballs or chicken Parmesan. We’ll try to sprinkle our magic dust on it,” he said. Other menu items at the seven-days-a-week place will include pizza, house-made extruded pastas and salads.
Cloud stated that Waller brings to the menu “a delicacy and a sort of refinement that we probably wouldn’t have had were he not on board.”
As for the decision to leave Bocado, “It was time for a change," Waller said. "It’s more [about] the challenge of doing something new and different.”
Waller’s last day at Bocado is Sept. 1.
The news of Waller's impending departure comes on the heels of Bocado owner Brian Lewis' announcement that he is entering the meal delivery service game by launching new concept Al Forno's . Slated to open later this month at 1080 West Peachtree St., Al Forno's will offer made-to-order but uncooked gourmet pizza delivered to your house or available for pickup.
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