Olive Garden will open at 1102 Beltline Rd. in Decatur, Ala. on Monday, June 18 at 4 p.m. — creating 184 new jobs.
The Olive Garden in Decatur is the newest Olive Garden in the family of more than 750 local restaurants committed to providing every guest with a genuine Italian dining experience.
The 7,441 square-foot restaurant can host up to 246 guests and features a design that is inspired by traditional farmhouses found in Tuscany, Italy. Olive Garden design teams traveled to Italy to work with Italian architects Fabio and Lucia Zingarelli and the result is a restaurant design that recreates the warmth and simple beauty of a Tuscan farmhouse.
The Decatur Olive Garden has a rustic stone exterior, typical of the buildings in the Italian countryside, and an interior accented by Italian imports designed to make the dining experience here a tribute to the restaurant’s Italian inspiration. Ceilings supported by exposed wood beams, stone and wood accents throughout, and terra cotta tile highlight the interior.
In addition, the bar top is crafted from lava stone and hand-painted by artisans in Italy with a design created exclusively for Olive Garden. Vibrant imported fabrics decorate windows and dining seats, while hand-painted plates, adorn rustic stone and stucco walls.
The restaurant also will feature a number of sustainable design elements, including recycled building materials, enlarged windows to increase natural light, low-water landscaping and energy-efficient equipment. These enhancements are part of the Sustainable Restaurant Design initiative launched by Darden Restaurants, Olive Garden’s parent company.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead the Decatur restaurant and a great team at Olive Garden,” said Buddy White, newly named general manager. “In addition to our Italian specialties, including signature items like our homemade soups, garden fresh salad and warm, garlic breadsticks, the menu at the Decatur Olive Garden will feature limited time offers like our Taste of Tuscany entrees: sautéed chicken breasts served with asiago cheese-filled tortelloni, spinach and roasted red peppers in a creamy four cheese sauce, or grilled sausage tossed with sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli and orecchiette pasta in a garlic-butter sauce.”
White brings extensive restaurant industry experience to his new position. He has been with Olive Garden for nine years, most recently as general manager of the Olive Garden located at 2767 Legends Pkwy. in Florence.
White is one of more than 1,400 managers who have visited Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany in the Tuscan village of Riserva di Fizzano, which serves as the source of inspiration for some dishes on Olive Garden’s menu. Each year, more than 100 managers visit CIT and learn about Italy, its food, wine, culture and people. This includes learning the time-honored traditions of Italian cooking and working side-by-side with Italian master chefs. The CIT is designed to inspire attendees to share the Italian culture of hospitality and passion with their restaurant teams and guests back home.
To recognize White’s role as head of the Olive Garden family in Decatur and to emphasize the importance the company places on its general managers, Olive Garden honored White by setting his name in stone. Travertine marble imported from Tuscany was chiseled with White’s name and placed prominently by the restaurant’s front door.
Olive Garden is now accepting applications for employment. To be considered for an interview, please apply online at www.OliveGarden.com/Careers.
Information from Olive Garden press release.
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