Contest to award free Huntridge restaurant to winning chef

 What would you do to have a truly great coffee shop in the neighborhood where you work – or maybe an amazing diner, or a classic old-school deli?  Developer J Dapper, who’s in the process of renovating the Huntridge Shopping Center on Charleston Boulevard, is apparently craving a good sandwich and a great cup of Joe so badly that he’s willing to spend close to a million bucks building one – for the right chef or restaurateur.

Dapper has launched The Great Las Vegas Coffee Shop Giveaway: an effort to secure a coffee shop, diner, deli or similar restaurant for the development. And he’s brought in some heavy hitters to help him choose the winner.

“I miss having a gathering place in the Huntridge neighborhood where everyone can sit and relax and have great food,” Dapper explained in a press releasee announcing the concept.

“We want to bring that back to the neighborhood, and hope to find someone who has a great concept, who just needs the help in putting it all together.”

He’s asking anyone with an idea for a great restaurant to submit a detailed presentation by February 1. Qualified applicants will be invited to pitch their ideas and business plan to a panel of judges, and the five best will take part in a cookoff at the Vegas Test Kitchen. One winner will then be selected to receive a brand new, nearly 3,000-square-foot custom-designed restaurant -- fully built out with furniture, fixtures, equipment, branding and signage. The estimated value: over $950,000.

To make sure he finds someone good, Dapper has brought in an all-star team of local restaurant pros to help judge the submissions. They include Carson Kitchen’s Cory Harwell, Firefly creator John Simmons and Marc Marrone  of Graffiti Bao and skinnyFATS.

If you think you have what it takes to serve the Huntridge community, you can find all the details and deadlines at lasvegascoffeeshopcontest.com. 


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