New York chef continues to expand beyond Manhattan in partnerships with Ritz-Carlton
The owners and management of the Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia have announced plans for a multimillion-dollar renovation of the historic hotel, the highlight of which will be a new restaurant to be helmed by chef Eric Ripert of New York’s Le Bernardin restaurant.
“We chose Philly because it’s very close to New York, and it will be easy for us to oversee the quality, as opposed to somewhere more distant,” Ripert said. “Also, we were struck by the beauty of the room.”
Ripert, a native of France, has cooked professionally in France and the United States for the last 25 years, under such highly regarded chefs as Joël Robuchon and the late Jean-Louis Palladin. He is executive chef and co-owner, with Maguy Le Coze, of Le Bernardin, which holds a three-star rating from the Michelin Guide to New York.
The Philadelphia project, as yet to be named and slated to open in spring of 2008, is Ripert’s third collaboration with a Ritz-Carlton property. In 2006, he opened two restaurants, Blue and Periwinkle, at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman where his work continues on a consulting basis. He is also working with the Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C., on another yet-to-be named restaurant that’s projected to open in September.
Dining and Cooking