Karen Nicolas has been named the first executive chef of Equinox Restaurant in Washington, D.C. Chef–owner Todd Gray previously ran the 12-year-old restaurant’s kitchen.
Most recently the executive chef at Simon Pearce Restaurant in Philadelphia, Nicolas brings her early experience with California cuisine and at some of Sydney, Australia’s top restaurants to Equinox. She will prepare at Equinox such dishes as citrus-marinated beet salad with pomegranate seeds, toasted pistachio and ricotta beignets and roasted pork loin with sweet potato purée, braised escarole, honey-roasted Seckel pears and baby turnip confit.
Arthur Cavaliere, former executive chef of Central Michel Richard in Washington, D.C., has returned home to the Philadelphia area to open In Riva, a Neapolitan pizzeria and antipasto restaurant in East Falls, Pa. It’s slated to open in December.
Matthew Kirkley has been promoted from chef to executive chef of L20 in Chicago.
The Baltimore native began his career at Striped Bass in Philadelphia before working at NoMI, the Four Seasons and RIA at the Elysian Hotel, all in Chicago, and Joël Robuchon at the Mansion at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Chrysta Poulus is the new pastry chef at Woodfire Grill in Atlanta. Previously the pastry chef at Swift in Atlanta, Poulus also served in the military for four years, working on B1 bomber planes, before becoming a pastry chef.
Daniel Winans has been promoted from chef to executive chef and general manager of The Grill on the Alley in Dallas. Previously corporate chef at Neiman Marcus, Winans oversees the preparation of dishes ranging from seared scallops with orange fennel beurre blanc to chicken-fried tenderloin with country gravy and macaroni with creamy blue cheese.
Joseph Quinn is the new chef de cuisine at Da Campo Osteria at Il Lugano Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Most recently, he was executive sous chef at Sanctuary Golf Club in Sanibel Island, Fla.
The Wildwood, N.J., native will make such dishes as osso buco with mozzarella-filled polenta, gremolata and arugula and gnocchi crab carbonara with pancetta and a poached egg.
Daniele Tonin is the new chef at Sea Breeze restaurant at The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico.
Most recently, he was chef of Da Marco Italian Restaurant in Shanghai, China.
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected].
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