The Latest Dish

David Guas will launch his much anticipated bakery, Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery, in November in the Courthouse neighborhood of Arlington. This homey, deep south, 70-seat café will offer plenty of Louisiana favorites from the New Orleans native. Delights include muffalettas, boudin, andouille sausage, jambalaya, porKorn, beignets, chicory coffee, pralines, cakes, pies, and puddings. There will be lots of Counter Culture coffee to complement the savory and sweet all-day menu.

SWEET CHEF UPDATE: Peter Brett has been named pastry chef for both the Park Hyatt Washington and its restaurant, Blue Duck Tavern. Brett is a graduate of Boston University’s graphic design program and L’Academie de Cuisine’s pastry arts program, where he studied under former White House pastry chef, Roland Mesnier. Quite impressively, one of his wedding cakes is also featured on the United States Postal Service wedding stamp.

SAVORY CHEF UPDATE: Jason Brumm has been tapped to be the chef at P.J. Clarke’s, at 16th & K Streets, NW. He was previously at Radius 10 in Nashville. DC Central Kitchen and its for-profit arm, Fresh Start Catering, have hired some well-known chefs to run their programs. David Strong has been named culinary director of Fresh Start. He was formerly executive chef with Haute Cuisine on Capitol Hill (a division of Ridgewells). Tim Miller, formerly of Mie N Yu, has been named executive chef. Ed Kwitowski, formerly of Ris and Bistro Bis, has been named executive chef of Fresh Start Contract Foods. Demetri Recachinas has been named Fresh Start programs manager. Previously, he had been with Buck’s Fishing & Camping. The team is headed by Gregg Malsbary, director of revenue generating programs.

WOMEN RULE: Kimberly Geherin is the new general manager at Morton’s in Crystal City. She hails from Morton’s in Denver. Sherry Abedi has been named general manager at Ping Pong Dim Sum in Penn Quarter. Amy Troutmiller has been named general manger of West End Bistro by Eric Ripert at The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC. She was previously assistant general manager at Urbana Restaurant & Bar at Kimpton’s Palomar Hotel in Dupont Circle. Linsey Haynie is the new event coordinator for Ris in DC’s West End. She moves over from the Metropolitan Club.

From the folks who brought you Againn and Againn Tavern comes Italian Shirt Laundry (wood-fired pizza with a splash of gourmet deli) and Italian Cinema (If pronounced correctly, it’s “Chinema”.). They will join the hot spots that have recently opened along 14th Street, NW. Both restaurants are slated to open early in the first quarter (permit Gods willing) and both will have low price points ($10 per person). Italian Shirt Laundry is named for what used to be in that space during its last 100 years – yup, a laundromat. For Italian Cinema think Italian cheeses and salami (charcuterie). Check out the videos projected on the walls, which define its cinema moniker.

Healthy dining comes to DC by way of France — no joke. Annie and Didier Leconte, joined by their son Eric, plan to open a healthy café called Litestars. There is a limited menu: savory tartlets, salads, and soupdrinks (drinkable soups – no spoon needed). They plan to open mid-October at 21st & L Streets, NW.

Aiming to open by the beginning of October: Cubre Libre (Penn Quarter), DC3 (Barracks Row), Arlington Rooftop Bar & Grill (Clarendon), Serendipity3 (Georgetown), Galileo III (Downtown DC), Pizza Paradiso (Old Town, Alexandria), and P.J. Clarke’s and Sidecar, its spiffy clubby downstairs (Downtown DC). One of its unique attractions that will lend a nod to its NYC roots: the men’s room will house a pair of large, winged urinals from the 19th-century that have graced the original P.J. Clarke’s saloon since 1884. Rustico’s new Ballston location plans to open mid-to-late October. Steve Mannino will be executive chef over both Rustico restaurants – Ballston as well as the original one in Alexandria. Yes, there will be a Buzz Bakery next door to the new one in Ballston. Michel, the restaurant by Michel Richard at The Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner, is targeting a mid-October opening. Queen Vic, on H Street in Atlas District, hopes to be open by mid-to-late October.

Slow Food DC will be joined by Poste Moderne Brasserie to host a pig roast (ah, memories of Jean-Louis Palladin) to announce the new program, “Slow Food DC Snail of Approval.” The program intends to identify local food establishments and artisans that exemplify the Slow Food mission: good, clean, fair food. Nominations for Slow Food DC can be made after October 3, by members and supporters, using a simple form on Slow Food DC’s website — www.slowfooddc.org. Slow Food DC will give out the first round of Snail of Approval stickers in 2011. A panel comprised of chefs, culinary professionals, and industry representatives will judge the award submissions.

The Amsterdam Falafelshop, a fast casual restaurant in Adams Morgan, became only the eighth franchise system to be headquartered in Washington, DC, according to Arlington, VA-based FRANdata. FRANdata is a franchise research company that tracks and analyzes franchises and their performance. Their planned expansion is strategically targeted to the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast regions.

Congratulations to Didier Rosada and Mike McCloud of Uptown Bakers. Uptown Bakers’ master baker and vice president of operations, Didier Rosada, was named a Top Ten Bread Maker in America by Dessert Professional magazine. Featured in the October issue, the annual award pays tribute to the country’s best bakers, based on quality and creativity. Uptown Bakers is owned by McCloud.

ON THE CALENDAR: Tuesday, October 26: March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction with Chef Ris Lacoste and WJLA-TV anchor Leon Harris. Saturday, October 30: Les Dames d’Escoffier’s Taste of Stokes event at the E.W. Stokes Public Charter School in NE DC to bring attention to the unique school lunch program and the community partnership. Thursday, November 11: Capital Food Fight to benefit DC Central Kitchen.