Top chef hired for Strip restaurant coming from NFL legend

Emmitt’s Las Vegas, the restaurant being opened on the Las Vegas Strip by Emmitt Smith, the former Dallas Cowboys running back, three-time Super Bowl champion and Pro Football Hall of Famer, has hired a chef to quarterback the kitchen.

Rainer Schwarz has been named head chef of the 30,000 square-foot restaurant and venue planned to debut this spring at the Fashion Show mall. Trilogy Group F&B, LLC, owner-operator of Emmitt’s, announced the appointment Monday.

Schwarz is currently the executive chef for the company’s restaurants in Orange County, California: Driftwood Kitchen, Hendrix at Ocean Ranch, The Deck on Laguna Beach and The Bungalows on Laguna Beach. The chef is known for dishes like rosemary lemon chicken and leg of Colorado lamb cooked on the rotisserie.

“We are excited to bring this master to our organization and provide an elite culinary experience to elevate our prime destination,” said Jim Hensely, director of operations for Emmitt’s Las Vegas.

Smith played in the NFL for 15 seasons, 13 with the Dallas Cowboys. After his football career, Smith has been an author, a football analyst and a contestant on “Dancing With the Stars.” Smith runs companies involved in real estate, construction, technology and hospitality.

Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ItsJLW on Twitter.