Matter Real Estate’s UnCommons announced today that it had added another restaurant to its highly-anticipated food and drink roster. AMARI, an Italian restaurant concept from award winning Chef Nicole Brisson and Las Vegas hospitality veteran Jason Rocheleau, will bring “nostalgic, yet refined” Italian cuisine and wine to the $400-million, 40 acre mixed-use community this winter.
The pair have received widespread acclaim for Resorts World Las Vegas’ coastal-Italian Brezza, recipient of the Eater Vegas Restaurant of the Year award in 2021, and the recently-debuted Bar Zazu, which offers tapas and cocktails. AMARI will be Brisson’s and Rocheleau’s third restaurant concept in the valley—and their first venture off the Strip. It will offer classic Italian American cuisine, including hand-crafted pasta, pizzas and more, featuring a market in the front, where guests can purchase a bottle of wine to enjoy in the restaurant, in the quad, or at home.
“I look forward to joining all of my peers off-Strip who are cooking up some of the best food in Vegas right now,” Brisson said in a press release. “UnCommons is literally in my backyard, and the excitement and growth of the community surrounding that area is just so compelling. We will offer a great selection of classic Italian favorites that people love, such as lasagna, authentic pizza, pasta made from scratch, and traditional antipasti sourced from local farms. Being a proud local, I am also really inspired by AMARI’s wine program and retail component that we are currently curating as a team.”
James Beard Foundation Award semi-finalist for Best Chef Southwest in 2020 and the youngest woman to lead the kitchen for a renowned Las Vegas restaurant on the Strip, Brisson has worked in Las Vegas for more than 15 years. She has served as executive chef for major restaurants at Wynn Las Vegas, The Venetian Resort, Eataly at Park MGM, and more. Brisson has also competed on several popular reality TV shows including Chopped, Late Night Chef Fight, Action Bronson Munchies and Beat Bobby Flay. She also serves the community as a member of Three Square’s Culinary Council and a founding board member of Slow Food USA’s Vegas chapter.
“We were so fortunate to have had a concept in development when we were approached with the opportunity at UnCommons,” Rocheleau said in the press release. “While partnering on this project, our experience with Matter Real Estate has been nothing less than stellar. We cannot wait to introduce AMARI to Las Vegas, in addition to all the food, beverage and retail elements and programming that UnCommons is bringing to the city. It’s truly a development unlike any other locally or nationally.”
A seasoned hospitality professional and operational leader, Rocheleau has made his mark on the restaurant industry with over two decades of best-in-class experience. Since his 2002 arrival in Las Vegas, Rocheleau has provided pivotal leadership for the country’s most notable restaurant organizations including Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group and, most recently, MINA Group, where he served as vice president and oversaw the successful openings of over 40 restaurants over his 13-year tenure.
“We’re incredibly excited to have Nicole, one of the most trailblazing young chefs in the nation; and Jason, whose successful track record in hospitality is undeniable; bring AMARI to UnCommons,” Matter Real Estate Group Partner Jim Stuart said. “Their creativity, explosive talent and commitment to the Las Vegas culinary community are unmatched.”
