Fabio Says Arrivederci to Maestro and DC

Word on the street for some time now has hinted that Fabio Trabocchi (at right), the celebrated chef of Maestro, would soon leave to open a restaurant of his own in Northern Virginia. For my own selfish reasons, I was hoping the rumored new spot would be as close as possible to downtown.

When I said "downtown," I meant D.C. — not Manhattan.

Word came late this afternoon via e-mail and text message that Trabocchi had resigned and would leave Maestro in two weeks. A fuller picture of the story comes from a "food flash" from The Washington Post's Tom Sietsema. According to Sietsema, Trabocchi is heading to New York to join Fiamma Osteria.

And just when we thought all the big chefs were setting their sights on lil' ol' D.C. (thanks Eric Ripert, Wolfgang Puck and Laurent Tourondel), we lose one of our greatest talents to the Big Apple.

But Sietsema indicates the move might not be permanent. (Is anything?) Read up for more details.

Comments

Anonymous said…
and I never even got to eat there. :(
7/23/2007 11:09 AM
Anonymous said…
Does he leave in 2 weeks or is his last day August 18? There is a big difference, especially for those who still want to try to get there one last time.
7/23/2007 12:01 PM
Anonymous said…
Trabocchi will continue at the restaurant until mid September
7/23/2007 12:37 PM
Amanda said…
This just in from the Ritz-Carlton's press release:
"The restaurant has begun an immediate search for Trabocchi's successor, however Trabocchi will continue as Chef de Cuisine until the new chef is hired in mid September."

But note, the restaurant takes an annual vacation Aug. 21-Sept. 10.
7/23/2007 2:13 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ENTERTAIN } For The Love Of Salt

Image
I'm bidding a reluctant adieu to summer on this first day of fall and looking back with fond memories on one of the season's highlights — our Summer Salt Fest at the Gordy's Pickle Jar headquarters. Ever since opening Salt & Sundry three years ago, I've been dreaming of a down-home party that celebrates all things salty. With the perfect partners in crime, Sarah and Sheila of Gordy's, and my phenomenal team at Salt & Sundry, we hosted a gathering of good friends and toasted our shared love of salt. The feast included fried chicken, boiled peanuts ( made by my husband !), Rappahannock' s Olde Salt oysters, deviled eggs topped with Gordy's Sweet Pepper Relish, and probably the best fried pickles I've ever eaten (yes, I've eaten a lot) ... Gordy's Sweet Chips and Cajun Okra dipped in roasted garlic aioli. There was crisp Virginia rosé from Early Mountain Vineyards , local brews from 3 Stars and DC Brau , and a watermelon cooler tha
keep reading »

STYLE } Bar Styling Tips with Framebridge

Image
  I've always been noncommittal when it come to putting anything on my walls. Art? Photos? Prints? But what if I change my mind? Add the hassle of framing something and voila, a growing pile of unframed prints and photos gathers dust on a shelf. So I much appreciated a recent gentle nudge from friends at  Framebridge , a DC-based company that's making it easier and less expensive to get those pretty-if-neglected pieces framed and on display. We hung out at my place, whipped up some Green Hat gin and tonics, and I shared tips for stocking and styling your bar at home. (Any old table will do!) And yes, I actually put a nail in the wall and hung a print. Head this way for my full interview with Framebridge . Cheers! all photos by  Laura Metzler Photography  for Framebridge
keep reading »

Hello Cupcake Opens

Image
Cupcakes await the first customers at Hello Cupcake For a sweet spot in this final week of August, head to Hello Cupcake , which opens at 10 a.m. today at 1351 Connecticut Ave. NW. I had the chance to sample a few flavors with owner Penny Karas. The fluffy icing on the peanut butter blossom (above) is seriously addictive, and the seasonal root beer flavor is a delightful surprise with spicy root beer cake topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting. I'm going for a Velvet Elvis, banana cake with peanut butter frosting, next. There are gluten-free and vegan options on the menu, as well. Check out all the flavors here . Metrocurean photo
keep reading »