The latest chefs on the move

has returned to New York City to be executive chef of Rayuela after a stint in the Bahamas as executive chef of Mesa Grill at The Atlantis.

Originally from the Dominican Republic, Ureña spent many of his formative years in New York, where he worked at River Café, JoJo and Blue Hill, as well as doing a seven-year stint at Bouley.

He also has worked at such legendary European restaurants as elBulli in Rosas, Spain; Le Clos des Cimes in St. Bonnet-Le-Froid, France; and Martín Berasategui in Gipuzkoa, Spain.

At Rayuela, Ureña is tapping his Dominican heritage with dishes such as Conejo de la Abuela, an homage to his grandmother’s goat stew, although made with rabbit. He is also expressing his own “freestyle Latino” style with dishes such as fluke and pineapple ceviche and grilled rib-eye with chimichurri, Brussels sprouts, shiitake mushrooms and truffle oil.

is the new chef de cuisine at Morimoto in New York City. An eight-year veteran of Jean-Georges Management, Battes has previously worked as chef de cuisine at Perry Street and Jean-Georges. Before that he spent three years as corporate chef of BLT Restaurant Group.

Although Battes hasn’t updated the Morimoto menu yet, he said he plans to use what he learned about Asian ingredients in Western cooking while working with Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

David A. Carson has been promoted from chef de cuisine to executive chef of Bacchanalia in Atlanta, replacing Daniel Porubiansky, who is leaving after 10 years with the restaurant. Carson has been at Bacchanalia, the flagship of Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison’s restaurants, for eight years.

, former executive chef of ’Cesca in New York City, is the new executive chef of Morello Italian Bistro in Greenwich, Conn. Garcia also spent three years in Mario Batali’s kitchens, as pasta cook at Lupa and chef de cucina at Del Posto, both in New York City. That experience is reflected in dishes such as pappardelle with mixed mushroom ragù and veal meatballs with cherry tomato sauce.

Armando Martinez is the new executive chef at El Corazon de Costa Mesa in The Triangle in Costa Mesa, Calif. Most recently executive chef of Red O in West Hollywood, Calif., Martinez, a southern California native, is making dishes such as yellowtail in aguachile; spicy tuna jícama tacos, in which the jícama replaces tortillas; and pork tamales in manchamanteles sauce.

is the new chef de cuisine at Portola Hotel & Spa in Monterey, Calif. Most recently the chef de cuisine at Seascape Beach Resort in Aptos, Calif., Ilabaca has introduced a new oyster bar with seasonal oysters on the half shell, barbecued oysters and oysters Rockefeller.

Jennifer Nguyen is the new executive chef at Zentan in Washington, D.C. Most recently the executive chef of Ozumo in San Francisco, Nguyen, who will unveil her new menu in May, said her experience with Japanese food and her affinity for Southeast Asian flavors will be reflected in the new offerings.

, former head pastry chef of Chicken and the Egg in Marietta, Ga., is the new pastry chef of Woodfire Grill in Atlanta. The daughter of a career military officer, Brown spent her formative years sampling the pastries of southern Germany. She traveled elsewhere in Western Europe before studying pastry at the Atlanta campus of Le Cordon Bleu.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: April 23, 2013 An earlier version of this article has been updated with the correct name in the caption of Jennifer Nguyen's photo.

Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected].
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