BOSTON—Luxury hotels abound in Bean Town. The 424 room InterContinental Boston, along with luxury condos dubbed The Residences at the Inter Continental, are slated to open at 500 Atlantic Ave. in November. Didier Montarou, who hails from the InterContinental's Cleveland property, is the exec chef of the entire property. Dining venues include a yet-to-be-named Provençal-themed signature restaurant, a sushi spot, and a Tequila venue. To create the Provençal menu, Didier spent time in Grasse, France, at La Bastide Saint Antoine training under Jacques Chibois, who is the hotel's "Ambassador to Provence" chef. • And in June The Westin Boston Waterfront, boasting 793 rooms, opened its doors at 425 Summer St. Pasquale Presa taps his extensive international hotel experience as exec chef. The shtick at the 130 seat signature spot, Sauciety, is sauces, spreads, dips, and chutneys. • Jacky Robert and Loic LeGarrec spawned a second Petit Robert Bistro at 480 Columbus Ave. in July. Look for a French menu priced to make tightwads turn cartwheels. • Christopher Myers (co-owner of Radius, Great Bay, and Via Matta) and Joanne Chang (owner of Flour Bakery) are engaged to be married. • This month Babak Bina and Azita Bina-Seibel, the sibling team who own Lala Rokh on Beacon Hill, open Bin 26 Enoteca at 26 Charles St. (also in Beacon Hill and former home to Torch). Bina-Seibel's focus in the kitchen is Italian fare, while her brother minds the front of the house. • Timothy Curry, formerly of the Harvard Club of Boston, is director of catering and convention services at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge. He replaces Susan Williams.
NEW YORK CITY—François Payard and partner Philippe Bertineau took their act downtown with the July opening of InTent at 231 Mott St. Partners are contractor Davor Florcic and architect Xavier Dela grange, who together created a sexy and exotic interior replete with desert tones and a tented ceiling. "InTent is very different from Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro," explains Payard. "Being downtown, the style and clientele are already more relaxed. We wanted to create a comfortable, neighborhood restaurant where you would want to go every night and not have to break the bank to eat there." Exec chef/partner Craig Freeman, formerly exec chef of Tastings, the catering arm of Payard, mines all corners of the Mediterranean for his menu. Desserts by exec pastry chef Eric Estrella, who comes from Payard, are equally well traveled (think red wine poached Medjool dates with feta cheesecake and white pepper ice cream). • In a similar culinary vein, Pera Mediter ranean Brasserie opened last month at 303 Madison Ave., focusing on the cuisine of Turkey, the Middle East, Africa, and Southern Europe. Owners are industry newbies Cem Erenler and Burak Karaçam. In the kitchen find Jason Avery, formerly of Park Avenue Cafe, and Sezai Celikbas, who is also exec chef at Kosebasi, a restaurant with locations throughout Turkey and known for its skewered meats, a specialty at Pera. • Later this fall look for the 120 seat FR.OG (an acronym for French origins) at 71 Spring St., the creation of chef Didier Virot and Philip Kirsh, who together own Aix. The menu is a study in foods influenced by the French (Vietnamese, Moroccan, Lebanese, et al). • This month The One Group (ONE Little West 12th) launched STK, an urban steakhouse, in the still-hot meatpacking district (26 Little West 12th St). Exec chef is Kert Eggers (formerly of Cité and 1 CPS). • I-Chin, which opens this month at 247 East 50th St., fuses Chinese cooking with subcontinental flavors. Owners are chef Vik Lulla and his wife, Sienam Lulla, who also own Chinese Mirch and several places in Bangalore, India. • Chef/owner Tim Love opens a NYC offshoot of his Fort Worth, TX The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro this month at 29 W. 21st St. At press time chef details were still being hashed out. • The Morgan Dining Room and The Morgan Café opened in The Morgan Library & Museum last spring. Restaurant Associates operates both venues. Exec chef Charlene Shade, recently of Petrie Court Café in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is serving American fare. • Jimmy Rodriguez transformed Jimmy's Downtown into Sofrito in July. On the menu find Puerto Rican fare based on family recipes created by the same trusty kitchen staff that he has been working with for the past 10 years. • After 13 years Monica Von Thun Calderón and Jim Lahey, co-owners of Sullivan Street Bakery, parted ways in June. Calderón retains ownership of the Sullivan St. location, which she redubbed Grandaisy Bakery after her grandmother, and Lahey now owns the Hell's Kitchen outlet and the wholesale operation. • Eric Dupaix left his position of f&b at The Essex House Hotel to hold the same title at The Westin New York at Times Square, replacing John Sheedy. • Josh Dechellis left his top toque position at Jovia in July but continues to consult for Sumile. Stay tuned for his Jovia replacement. • After five years SQC served its last meal in July.
ATLANTA—This month chef Shaun Doty, the former owner of MidCity Cuisine who recently manned the stoves at Table 1280, resumes his career as chef/owner with the launch of his 90 seat neighborhood joint, Shaun's, at 1029 Edgewood Ave. (once home to the shuttered Inman Park Patio). Doty continues to consult for Table 1280. • Richard Blais left One Midtown Kitchen in July to be culinary creative director for the Miami-based Barton G., an events design/production/management company that also owns and operates the restaurant Barton G. (South Beach, FL). At press time One Midtown Kitchen was searching for his replacement. • Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View's new exec chef is Christian Messier, formerly sous chef at The Phoenician (Scottsdale). He took over for Chris Hall in June.
LAS VEGAS—October ushers in Michael Mina's first steakhouse, Strip Steak, to Mandalay Bay. The kitchen bells and whistles include two wood-burning grills with four chambers each, allowing chefs to cook over different types of wood each night. The Japanese design firm Super Potato created an opulent dining room, using lots of wood and jewel tones, appropriate for the luxe-loaded menu (think duck fat fries and foie gras sliders). • This fall the nightlife gurus at Pure Management Group (Pussycat Dolls Lounge and Tangerine) open their first restaurant, Social House at TI. Look for a Pan-Asian menu by exec chef Joseph Elevado, formerly of Nobu in Las Vegas, served in a tricked out setting; the dining room deftly morphs into a lounge at night as tables are mounted on a hydraulic system for swift conversion into low slung cocktail tables. • In the wake of opening a second Japonais in NYC in July, partners Miae Lim, Rick Wahlstedt, and Jeffrey Beers (who also created the swank interiors) are slated to open a third spin-off of the Chicago original this month at The Mirage. Co-exec chefs/partners Gene Kato (hot food) and Jun Ichikawa (sushi) are in charge of the food programs at all three venues. &bull: With locations in Yountville and NYC already, Thomas Keller opened a third Bouchon Bakery in The Venetian in June. • John Cunin, formerly gm at Mix, has joined the tony Wynn Las Vegas as director of fine dining, replacing Antonello Paganuzzi in June. Speaking of the Wynn, the summer chef shuffle is as follows: Taka shi Yagi hashi is no longer exec chef at Okada. Masa Ishizawa, formerly of Hotel Nikko San Francisco, takes the reigns. David Walzog left The Country Club at the Wynn to be exec chef of its SW Steakhouse, replacing Eric Klein. Rene Langer, a vet of the NYC-based The Glazier Group, takes over at The Country Club.
SAN FRANCISCO—Jocelyn Bulow closed La Suite last summer and reopens it this month as a revamped Pan-Asian bistro. At press time, he hadn't settled on a name but had recruited the talented Mike Yakura, formerly of Le Colonial, to helm the kitchen. In other Bulow news, David Bazirgan, who was exec chef at La Suite, Baraka, and Chez Papa, has moved on. • With locations in the Ferry Building Marketplace and Point Reyes Station (also home to the creamery), Cowgirl Creamery Artisan Cheese opened its first East Coast outlet in Washington, D.C., in June at 919 F St. N.W. The new shop peddles upwards of 80 different cheeses at a time and boasts a cheese tasting bar (opened this month) specializing in individual cheese boards. • Joe DiMaggio's Italian Chophouse, a 254 seater honoring The Yankee Clipper, opened in June at 601 Union St. Owners are brothers Jeff and Rick Dudum (owners of Walnut Creek's Bing Crosby's Restaurant & Piano Lounge and McCovey's Restaurant). Peppering the American steakhouse menu with Italian touches are culinary director Frank Palmer (also exec chef at Bing Crosby's), exec chef Allen Vitti (recently of SF's Fringale Restaurant) and exec sous chef D. Michael Bussinger (hailing from SF's Puccini & Pinetti Italian Grill & American Bar).
LOS ANGELES AREA—In June SBE Restaurant Group (Privilege and The Lobby, among others) opened Katsuya, a sleek Japanese spot designed by Philippe Starck (who is also a partner) at 11777 San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood. Master sushi chef Katsuya Uechi, who also owns Sushi Katsuya in Studio City and Encino, runs the kitchen. Down the pike are plans to open additional Katsuya outlets in L.A. and beyond. • In June the New York City–based chef/food stylist/artist Nir Adar opened Crispycone in Arcadia (400 S. Baldwin Ave.), a fast-food spot where you can get everything from pizza to ham and eggs to desserts stuffed into a delicious cone for easy, utensil-free eating. Plans are in the works to roll out the concept nationally and internationally. – Sapphire Laguna, a new spot in Laguna Beach, opened in August at 1200 South Coast Highway. Chef/owner Azmin Ghahreman was recently exec chef at St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa (Dana Point), and his menu is globally inspired, seasonally driven.
SEATTLE—At the tender age of 32, Ethan Stowell, chef/owner of Union, opens his second place this month. His partner is Patric Gabre-Kiden, who was in charge of desserts at all of Tom Douglas' restaurants. Tavolata (2323 2nd Ave.), which means "gather around the table," serves Italian fare focused on house-made pasta (wheat is ground in-house!). Stowell will oversee both kitchens; the chef de cuisine is Randy Whiteford, recently exec sous chef at Campagne and Cafe Campagne (Seattle). At Union, Jason Stoneburner makes the ascent from sous chef to chef de cuisine. • With locations in Woodinville and Kirkland, Purple Café & Wine Bar opened a third spot in downtown Seattle at 1225 Fourth Ave. Running the kitchen is Alex Nemeth, who hails from Kirkland's Woodmark Hotel. Robb Kirby is exec chef of all three locations. • Pastry chef Sue McCown left Earth & Ocean in July with plans to open her own place, Coco La Ti Da, later this fall.
MARYLAND—Annapolis welcomed the swanky Mediterranean Kyma ("wave" in Greek) to 69 West St. Exec chef Jose Picazo, a protégé of José Andrés, steers the menu toward Spain and Greece, riffing on mezzes and tapas. Washington, D.C.–based Adam stein & Demetriou (IndeBleu) designed the space with a subtle nautical theme, using flowing lines and wave patterns throughout. Owners are Jack Boyle (also owner of Mie N Yu in D.C.) and the Annapolis-based Sfakiyanudis family. • Jeff and Barbara Black of the Bethesda-based Black Restaurant Group sunk $2.7 million into a head-to-toe revamp of Black's Bar & Kitchen (Bethesda) and reopened in July. Exec chef Mallory Buford left Rockville, MD's Addie's (a BRG property) to replace David Craig at the helm. Pastry chef Janelle Birdsall is also an Addie's alum. Buford's new menu has a lighter American touch and makes ample use of local and organic ingredients. Standing in for him at Addie's as chef de cuisine is Andre Cavallaro, formerly exec sous chef. • Last summer Tony Chemmanoor, owner of Baltimore's Saffron, recruited Edward Kim (one of the city's favorite chefs, who recently was at the helm at D.C.'s Mercado) as Saffron's exec chef/partner. Kim purged the menu of Indian fusion, replacing it with contemporary American flavors. • The modern tavern trend hit Baltimore with the opening of Kolpers Restaurant & Lounge (1520 Clipper Rd.). Exec chef John Shultz is a vet of the national hotel f&b scene. David and Connie Kolper are first time owners.
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