AS chef Eberhard Muller begins his first week at Bayard, we now hear he’s recently partnered up with Harry’s at Hanover Square. “I’m doing a steakhouse there,” says Muller. “It’s already a steakhouse, but it’s a little old-fashioned, and we want to make it more modern.” Harry’s – no relation to Cipriani – seats 300, has a wine list of 85,000 bottles and is only one floor away from Bayard.
Since Muller moved on, the focus has turned to the fate of Lutece, his former restaurant.
The culinary landmark, which rose to national prominence under famed chef Andre Soltner, will close its doors for renovations in January and is expected to reopen with a new look and a new executive chef.
The word is that Muller’s replacement, Robert Kirchoff, will not be offered the executive chef position from the Ark Restaurant Corp., the owner of Lutece.
*
Chef Geoffrey Zakarian‘s new restaurant Town is slated to open in December at the new Chambers hotel at 13 W. 56th St. This will be the first restaurant in which Zakarian (formerly of Patroon, “21” Club and “44” at the Royalton) will have a financial stake.
*
Not only is Steve Hanson opening a new Italian restaurant at 206 Spring St. sometime in the spring, he’s also moving his headquarters to the five-story SoHo structure from his present digs at Park Avenue South.
Hanson, who’s opened nearly a restaurant a year for the past decade with places like the Coconut Grill, Blue Water Grill and Atlantic Grill, is premiering an unnamed sushi and jazz place at 675 Hudson St., the former site of an S&M club (perhaps he can name it Grill Me, Baby).