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Venetian’s Latin-themed restaurant on Las Vegas Strip to begin hiring

Construction is underway on a new Latin-themed restaurant at The Venetian, and hiring is expected to start in March.

Chica will staff about 140 people, mostly new employees, said Greg Thomas, vice president of operations at Chica sister restaurant Yardbird Southern Table and Bar, also at The Venetian.

That is about the same staff size as Yardbird, with numbers varying seasonally, Thomas said Tuesday.

Both places are the brainchild of Miami restaurateur John Kunkel. Chica is expected to open in spring.

The menu comes courtesy of celebrity chef Lorena Garcia, who appeared on the TV show “Top Chef Masters.” It will have a mix of Latin influences, from Argentina to Mexico, Thomas said.

In another tie-in with reality TV, on Thursday a new head chef for Yardbird was named on an episode of “Hell’s Kitchen.” The position was the prize for winner Kim Ryan of Michigan.

Clark County issued a construction permit for the restaurant in January. The $3.76 million worth of work included demolishing the existing restaurant space and making minor changes to the kitchen, according to county records.

The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson. The Venetian is owned by Las Vegas Sands.

Contact Wade Tyler Millward at 702-383-4602 or wmillward@reviewjournal.com. Follow @wademillward on Twitter.

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