We just found out that Citizen Smith's opening chef, Taylor Boudreaux, is no longer affiliated with the restaurant. Even more notable and oddly not public knowledge, the new chef is Mary Ann Salcedo, one of Gordon Ramsay's ass-kicking sous chefs on "Hell's Kitchen."
If you recall, the Thomas Schoos-designed space opened just about a year ago and was another all-scene-no-food notch in Miss Irene's review belt. We noticed a few other chefs that were once attached to the restaurant are now elsewhere: Jesse Baran is at Casey's Bar & Grill downtown, and Will Gotay is tied to Trifecta, a soon-to-open lounge, restaurant and sports bar downtown. Gotay also worked with Boudreaux at Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills. Maybe when one leaves, the other follows. Sounds like a kitchen exodus at CS, which has also gone through at least two PR firms since they opened, and may or may not be on a third. When things start to go downhill, PR is the first to go. These are the makings of a mighty fine Deathwatch if you ask us, but because it's the holidays, we'll give them a few more weeks.
· Citizen Smith review [LA Times]
· Club Buzz: December 14 [Calendar Live]
· Too Hot Tamales, Gourmet Pirate Booty, Cheeky Nostalgia, Weeneez for the Masses and Hitting the Trifecta [LA Downtown News]
