Gramercy Tavern's Michael Anthony to Take the Helm of Untitled at the New MePa Whitney

This afternoon Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group announces that chef Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern's James Beard Award-winning chef of almost nine years, will become the executive chef at Untitled when it reopens in the spring at the new Whitney downtown. Anthony will still be at the helm at Gramercy Tavern (where he's also a partner) as well, but according to the USHG announcement, his sous chef Howard Kalachnikoff will be promoted to chef de cuisine, so it sounds like Anthony will be playing an active role in the Untitled kitchen when it opens.

The original uptown Untitled closed along with the museum back in October, to prepare for a move to a new Renzo Piano-designed space in the Meatpacking District, near the Highline. At the time there was no indication that the opening chef, Chris Bradley, would be leaving the restaurant, and there's no word on where he's gone now. There's also no word on how much Anthony will change the menu, or whether he'll stick to the diner-inspired fare of the original.

But there's no doubt that this is a power move on the part of Danny Meyer and team, given that the restaurant will be neighbors with the Torrisi team's coastal Italian restaurant, Santina, and almost certainly close to the reincarnated Pastis, when that eventually opens.

Untitled at the Whitney, 99 Gansevoort Street, Meatpacking District