Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, a lauded tasting-menu restaurant in midtown Manhattan, has been closed since July, when its head chef, Cesar Ramirez, was fired by the owner amid a legal battle over the finances and future of the venture.
Now, the owner, Mounir Issa, says he has hired two European chefs who worked at the restaurant to replace Mr. Ramirez.
Mr Issa said on Monday that Max Natmesnegg, 35, who is an Austrian national, will be co-executive chef with Marco Prince, 37, who hails from the Netherlands. Both chefs have worked in a number of Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe and the United States. They have worked together in Europe and at Chef’s Table.
“Max and Marco are two of the best chefs in the world,” Mr. Issa said. “They will impress a lot of people.”
Mr. Issa said he plans to reopen the restaurant on October 4 with new chefs. Meanwhile, his dispute with Mr. Ramirez is taking place in the state supreme court in Brooklyn.
Mr. Ramirez sued Mr. Issa and the restaurant’s holding company, the Manhattan Fare Corporation, claiming he was wrongfully fired and defamed, and seeking tens of millions of dollars in unpaid wages and other damages. Mr. Issa responded in court notes that he fired Mr. Ramirez because the chef stole company property, including plates, oven parts and expensive cases of wine.
Mr. Ramirez said in a text message on Monday that, on the advice of his lawyer, he would not comment on the matter or discuss his next move. And the New York Post reported last month that he did I signed the lease 5,000 square feet at 333 Hudson Street in Manhattan.
Mr. Ramirez was a star on Chef’s Table, personally serving each customer at the restaurant, in the back of a supermarket at 431 West 37th Street. Diners paid $430 for a multi-course tasting menu executed with jewel precision. The restaurant, which first opened in Brooklyn in 2009, earned three stars from The New York Times; Times restaurant critic Pete Wells ranked it sixth in his recent list of the best restaurants in New York City.
Can the two new chefs generate the same excitement? In an interview on Monday, Mr. Prince described Mr. Ramirez as a great chef and considered him a mentor. “But we are a new generation,” said Mr. Natmesnej.
He said he and Mr. Prince plan to create a “more positive” atmosphere than the strict authoritarian regime imposed by Mr. Ramirez. article Business Insider, which was published on Friday, reported that several employees said he could be angry and abusive on the job.
“There can be fun and warmth,” said Mr. Natmesnej, who was most recently the chef. Alois Dallmayr Fine Dining, a restaurant in Munich, Germany, with two Michelin stars. Mr. Prince has held the position of Head Chef and Consultant beauty in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
The chefs said they planned to maintain the restaurant’s 13-course menus. “Tasting menus is our natural forte,” said Mr. Natmesnej.
The stylish kitchen underwent a renovation several months ago and is now a bit less industrial looking. There are 18 seats at the table, and more seats at six tables. Reservations require a non-refundable $200 deposit. A spokesperson for the restaurant said refunds have been made to those whose reservations were not honored due to the closure.
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