Celeb Chef Hugh Acheson Partners With East Village's Punch Bowl Social

When Punch Bowl Social, the dining and entertainment experience entering the East Village announced its expansion into San Diego, its founder teased that the company would be making a major announcement about a big name celebrity chef who will be re-imagining its restaurant menu.

The Denver-based concept revolves around combining food and fun, and will span 20,000-square-feet in Makers Quarter, encompassing a 150-seat eatery plus boutique bowling alleys, private karaoke rooms, and games ranging from ping pong to bocce ball,

When it debuts in San Diego next June, it will have a menu led by Punch Bowl Social's new culinary partner, acclaimed Georgia-based chef Hugh Acheson. A Top Chef judge, Acheson operates several restaurants in Atlanta, Athens and Savannah, GA and has been heralded multiple times as Best Chef Southeast by the James Beard Foundation.

"I have admired Punch Bowl Social's dedication and commitment to a completely scratch kitchen on such a large scale. There is nothing quite like it in the country," said Acheson. "Their original southern inspired menu, design aesthetic of each location and food forward vision provides me with a unique opportunity to help grow and define the culinary program in a way that we hope will inspire other restaurants to focus on food in a similar way."

His overhauled menu for Punch Bowl Social will launch at all its current locations on August 26 and Acheson will continue to drive the culinary direction for the concept as it expands. In addition to the San Diego outpost, more Punch Bowl Socials are in the works for Chicago, Dallas, Brooklyn and beyond.