Up-And-Comer JJ Johnson Is Now the Chef at Both the Cecil and Its Sister Jazz Club, Minton's

Joseph "JJ" Johnson, 2014 Eater Young Gun and current chef de cuisine of Richard Parsons and Alexander Smalls' Harlem hot spot The Cecil will also take on the role of chef de cuisine at the restaurant's sibling jazz club, Minton's. A rep tells Eater that Banks White, the current chef de cuisine at Minton's, is leaving his position there to pursue his own projects (he'll be traveling through Asia for a while). When Johnson replaces him, he'll also give the menu a total overhaul. It will still be Southern food similar to what's currently on offer, but at a somewhat lower (though not cheap) price point. Expect dishes like sherry she-crab soup, buttermilk fried chicken with biscuits and gravy, and a smoked praline pork chop with bourbon yams, most just under $30.

Meanwhile, Johnson will also continue in his role at The Cecil, serving the same globally-leaning menu that got the restaurant named Esquire's Best New Restaurant by Josh Ozersky. And of course, chef/restaurateur Alexander Smalls is still the executive chef, overseeing the menus at both.