When you study certain fringe aspects of the economy, you see glimmers of a brighter outlook. Look at the food industry. Just yesterday, the long-awaited announcement was confirmed: Michel Richard would set up shop at the Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner in the beautiful space that once housed Maestro. Although Michel will not open until October, the deal is sealed. Maybe sealed with a little irony as Michel’s first chef at DC’s Central was a sous at Maestro! Maybe Cedric will return to work with Michel at a space he knows well. One to watch.
With a major chef signing at the Ritz, this translates quickly into good news: Good for the restaurant community, for the metropolitan area, and for those who look for clues that the restaurant world is suffering less and climbing out from under the rocks of the economic debacle.
Let’s see what other little clues we can unearth:
Even though the BLT Restaurant Group has had its share of management changes, they are still expanding their brand and moving into the Italian mix with Casa Nonna expected to open this summer.
Another Italian offshoot will be gracing the DC landscape. Carmine’s, the famous family style restaurant in New York, has taken its show on the road with plans for a spring opening in the bustling Penn Quarter section of town. You’ve read enough about small plates; these are gigantic platters. Round up your friends.
New York City turned to chef Todd English to create a food hall at The Plaza Hotel, The Plaza Food Hall, which is scheduled to open this spring. The plan is to have cooking stations and a variety of foods, sort of in the European tradition. Definitely one to watch.
Lettuce Entertain You, the large restaurant corporation with Chicago headquarters, has just joined the burger crowd with their newest restaurant, M Burger. The M stands for Michigan Avenue and it tells you they want to be right at the action with the burger food trend that continues to grow.
No matter who does what, each of these openings casts a peek at expectation. A healthy nod.
Napkin, please.
