Chef Jose Andres Hosts Celebration Dinners At Jaleo To Unveil First Cookbook

Washington, D.C. - Jose Andres, the internationally recognized culinary innovator is celebrating the release of his eagerly anticipated cookbook, Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America, published by Clarkson Potter and scheduled to appear in bookstores November 8th. While there have been several volumes published in the past on Spanish cooking, Tapas is the first book by an actual working chef.

Andres will host a book launch seated dinner at all three Jaleo locations: Thursday, November 10th at Jaleo Crystal City (seating to begin at 7 PM, 703-413-8181); Monday, November 14th at Jaleo downtown (seating to begin at 8 PM, 202-628-7949), and Tuesday, November 15th at Jaleo Bethesda (seating to begin at 7 PM, 301-913-0003). Reservations are required and the price to participate in this festive culinary experience is $85 per person (tax and gratuity not included), which includes an autographed copy of his new cookbook with 10% of the proceeds donated to DC Central Kitchen.

Andres moved to Washington, DC, to head the kitchen at Jaleo in 1993 and from there he took on executive chef responsibilities at neighboring Cafe Atlantico and then continued on to spearhead the opening of two new Jaleo locations, Zaytinya and Oyamel, his authentic Mexican restaurant in Crystal City with partners Roberto Alvarez, Rob Wilder and Antoni Yelamos. Throughout his career, Andres' vision and imaginative creations have drawn the praise of the public, the press and his peers. Bon Appetit magazine named Andres "Chef of the Year" in the fall of 2004; Food & Wine included Andres in their "35 Under 35 Tastemakers List for 2004" and in 2003, Andres won the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef of the Mid-Atlantic Region. Presently millions of Spaniards invite Andres into their home where he is the popular host of "Vamos a Cocinar" a food program on Television Espaqola (TVE), Spanish national television. The program also airs in the United States on TVE Internacional and will begin airing in markets across Latin America later in 2005.

Winner of the 2004 "RAMMY" Award for Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington as well as of the 2004 Santi magazine regional award for the best "Bistro" dining, Jaleo offers an extensive menu of sixty different hot and cold tapas which reflect the rich regional diversity of classical and contemporary Spanish cuisine. Open seven days a week, Jaleo restaurants are located at 480 7th St., NW, 2250-A Crystal City, Arlington, VA and 7271 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, MD.