Eric Ripert Leaves Another Hotel Restaurant

So, Eric Ripert's secretive New York project looks like it's going to be big; the chef has cut ties with yet another hotel restaurant (the first being Westend Bistro in the Ritz Carlton in Washington, D.C.) to focus on his New York agenda.

Ripert announced today that he will be ending his partnership with 10 Arts at the end of 2012, leaving sous chef Nathan Volz in charge of the restaurant at Philadelphia's Ritz-Carlton. Philly.com reports that Miguel Hernandez, the assistant food-and-beverage director at the Ritz-Carlton, will manage the dining room.

Ripert's New York project, which he hinted about in the Westend Bistro departure announcement, will reportedly be affiliated with Le Bernardin, Philly.com says. In an interview with the Washington Post, however, Ripert said, "There will always be only one Le Bernardin."

In the meantime, Eater casts light on the fact that Ripert will only have one hotel restaurant left come January: Blue, at the Cayman Islands Ritz-Carlton. Ripert's representatives tell us he won't be leaving that restaurant anytime soon; the chef simply decided it was time to move on from the Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. restaurants.