Earlier this week, a new Garces Trading Company location opened inside the Kimmel Center, providing foodies with a new option to grab a meal or drink near the University of the Arts. 

“This major opening continues our expansion plans into the new year,” said Jose Garces, Iron Chef and the mastermind behind the concept. 

According to its website, the concept is centered around “an exchange of cultures that friends, coworkers, commuters can explore and connect over new dishes and flavors.” 

Initially opened in 2008, Garces Trading Co. was closed in 2018 and bought out by Ballard Brands. Garces reused the space as a ghost kitchen during the early part of the pandemic. 

In September 2022, Garces Trading Co. was officially revived, opening on the ground floor of Cira Centre in University City, in partnership with Brandywine Realty Trust.

“Garces Trading Company is really special to me,” said Garces. 

The new cafe at the Kimmel fills 1,700 square feet, and has indoor seating for 55 guests, and available outdoor seating for 20 more. 

Garces Trading Co. will function as a coffee shop, restaurant, bakery, marketplace, and catering option, all rolled into one. 

Visitors will be treated with unique culinary options that pay tribute to superstar conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin of The Philadelphia Orchestra, with offerings that include a braised short rib, nicknamed “The Spotlight,” a chicken pot pie, nicknamed “The Standing Ovation,” and a country ham, Amish butter baguette nicknamed, “The Bravo.”

“Garces Trading Company is truly an outpost for foodies that incorporates discovery and connections, and I am excited to bring new life back to the GTC idea in an all-new way,” Garces noted. 

Garces is no stranger to the Kimmel Center, however.

In 2014, Volvér — which highlights Garces’ culinary travels through a menu that “emphasizes seasonal ingredients prepared with modern techniques that capture and amplify their inherent flavors” — was opened in the same venue. 

“Since opening Volvér in 2014, the Kimmel Cultural Campus and the Garces brand have had a special relationship, and I’m so pleased to be able to continue to grow that as we bring Garces Trading Company to campus,” said Garces. 

The new Garces Trading Co. location at the Kimmel will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours to 11 p.m. when performances take place on the campus.