Nick Kim & Jimmy Lau OUT at Neta in Greenwich Village

Chefs Nick Kim and Jimmy Lau have left Neta, the wildly popular, two-star Japanese restaurant that they opened last year. Neither Kim nor the restaurant's management will explain the reason for the breakup, but both camps say that the split was amicable. Now, the restaurant will continue to serve food in the same style, prepared by chefs that trained under Lau and Kim.

Nick Kim tells Eater:

We spent some time there, we put our notice in a while ago, and we tried to see the transition through as best we could. We trained a great staff, and made sure that it went seamlessly.... Jimmy and I will take a little breather, and regroup and focus on our next venture.

There wasn't any fight or anything crazy. Everything about our experience over there was amazing, and we met customers that we're friends with for life now. Jimmy and I were able to do our interpretation of Japanese food well. We're so proud of what we did over there. We wish Neta nothing but great success.

Neta was the duo's first solo project, but now it sounds like the chefs have another restaurant in the works. Back in April, Kim told Eater: "We're actually looking at spaces for like a small type of izakaya that has a bar, sort of thing. Half of this size, something a little more sophisticated and refined...like a 1950s Mad Men-style place, but Tokyo." Kim tells Eater that their next project will most certainly be located in New York City.
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Neta

61 W 8th Street, New York, NY 10011 212-505-2610 Visit Website