After we broke the news that Michel Richard was negotiating a deal with Social Hollywood, we knew he wasn't closing Citronelle or Centrale in Washington D.C. to take over one of Jeffrey Chodorow's projects. The expectation was that he'd be in a consultant postion, because what else would a chef of his stature do in Hollywood? This became even more clear when Richard was pegged to do the menu for an upcoming Variety luncheon at Social, and he was at the Ratatouille DVD launch party there last week.
So, no, Richard isn't opening Citronelle Hollywood; but per the LAT (who originally heard the rumor from "the blogs"), he will construct new menus for what will become Citrus at Social. He says the food will be "casual postmodern, where 25-year-olds can come for dinner and not have to have a second mortgage on the house." We don't know what's more out of touch with that statement: That LA is rampant with 25-year-old mortgage holders, or that he thinks they're all going to Social for dinner. Anyway...it's also noted that Richard is "in negotiations" to do something at Caesars in Vegas, which we think is with Chodorow's group as well. Why so busy? Apparently the chef has six kids to put through college.
· BREAKING: Michel Richard's Return to LA [~ELA~]
· Michel Richard and Social CONFIRMED [~ELA~]
· Michel Richard Loves Ratatouille, the Movie and the Dish [~ELA~]
· Michel Richard's L.A. 'return' -- the straight scoop [LAT]
