Jeff Ruby

Pascal’s Law Pascal Berthoumieux, a restaurant veteran who most recently worked as the GM at One Sixtyblue, plans to open Bistro Bordeaux, an 80-seat “grass-roots” bistro in the former Le...

Dean's (Wish) List Dean Zanella, the chef of 312 Chicago for years, is partnering with Mia Francesca’s Scott Harris to open Aldino’s (626 S. Racine Ave.), a 120-seat Italian restaurant/deli...

Big news over at Branch 27 (1371 W. Chicago Ave.; 312-850-2700), the West Town American bistro that opened this past April: Chef Bob Zrenner is leaving on November 19th and...

Animated Cookies Joe Bova and Jeff Steinberg, respectively an animator and a screenwriter, plan to open a bakery called Cookie Bar (2475 N. Lincoln Ave.) next month in a former...

Gilt by Association Brendan Sodikoff, who has worked with Alain Ducasse and Thomas Keller—and currently with Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises—plans to open a restaurant called Gilt Bar in the old...

Pollack’s Quick Hit Jason Paskewitz’s latest home, Gemini Bistro (2075 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-525-2522), is a comfortably sleek corner spot with lots of dark wood to make it feel intimate...

Epic ProportionsStephen Wambach, the former corporate chef for Laurent Tourondel’s BLT Restaurant Group in New York, plans to open the locally minded Epic (112 W. Hubbard St.; 312-222-4940) toward the...

Clearing Customs Big shakeup at Custom House (500 S. Dearborn St.; 312-523-0200): Shawn McClain, the original exec chef/partner/driving force, is on his way out at the South Loop standout. While...

A New Table Giuseppe Scurato, a top-flight chef who made his bones at Boka, Landmark, and, most recently, Topaz Cafe, has been looking for his own place for a while...

The Fifth Element The team behind Volo, Paramount Room and two Kitsch’ns plans to open a new concept in mid-October. “It’s our fifth spot, and we are calling it The...