Former Caulfield's Chef Stephen Kalt Developing Gesto in Melgard Public House Space

Late last year, it became apparent that the Melgard Public House space on the corner of Melrose and Gardner wasn’t going to be coming back from the dead. Since then, the spacious restaurant with an ample patio has sat dormant, waiting for someone with the right wallet to come along and snatch it up.

Well it now appears that a secretive suitor has indeed shown up to take the place over. This ABC license highlights a pending revival of the former casual beer spot, to be reborn under the name Gesto, which is Italian for "gesture."

The permit was filed in the name of one Food Think LLC, which — after a fair amount of digging — seems to point to Stephen Kalt, the Iron Chef contestant, name behind New York City’s now closed Spartina, and former executive chef from Corsa Cucina inside the Wynn in Las Vegas. Most recently, Kalt was the chef at Caulfield's Bar & Dining Room in Beverly Hills before decamping last April.

If true, Kalt's arrival on Melrose would be a big get for the area. The man has a way with Italian dishes, and it's always seemed like in the right hands that ample Melgard patio could really become something special.