Food Network Judge Helping Create American Dream Food Hall

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – A celebrity chef and Food Network judge has partnered with a New York City-based hospitality group to open a large European-style food hall featuring everything from pizza to pastries at American Dream megamall.

Marc Murphy, who has appeared on “Chopped” and “Chopped Junior,” along with Levent Veziroglu, a restaurateur, will work with Grisini Hospitality Group on the project, according to a press release from Grisini.

Murphy, a European native, will help create 24 concepts for the food hall – which will be known as “Grisini by Chef Marc Murphy” and expected to open next year for lunch and dinner.

Just a few of those areas include a pizza counter, bakery, creperie, pasta station and raw bar.

In addition to the food hall, Grisini will also feature an artisanal coffee shop, and a marketplace providing retail products and packaged, prepared food for meals on-the-go.

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“Marc Murphy is one of the nation’s most celebrated and innovative chefs. We have no doubt that Grisini by Chef Marc Murphy will be an incredible experience,” said Veziroglu, who has helped operate more than 170 restaurants in 12 countries. “We’re thrilled to provide our customers with an unparalleled culinary dining and shopping experience at Grisini Food Hall and Grisini Coffee Shops at American Dream Meadowlands, and look forward to opening our doors.”

The mall's grand opening is scheduled for Oct. 25. According to American Dream's developer, Triple Five, shopping, dining and attractions at the $5 billion mall will open in four phases.

During American Dream's official debut, Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park and The Rink will be open. The DreamWorks Water Park is set to open Nov. 27, followed by Big SNOW, the country's only indoor real-snow park, on Dec. 5. y March 2020, the mall's 350 retail stores will be open for business, Triple Five said.

American Dream's more than 100 dining destinations – which include three food halls, a food court and nearly two dozen full-serve restaurants – will also open next spring, the developer said. Additionally, SEA LIFE Aquarium, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, CMX Luxury Movie Theater, Kidzania and the mall's Observation Wheel will be open by March.

Between 30 and 40 million people are expected to visit American Dream within its first year of opening.