Garces to the Divine Lorraine?
The prospective developer says he's entered talks with the Iron Chef.
This one is speculative and tentative, so put down your fork:
Iron Chef Jose Garces is being wooed to open a restaurant in the Divine Lorraine Hotel at Broad Street and Fairmount Avenue, which developer Eric Blumenfeld is trying to take over and refurbish. Blumenfeld told The Inquirer's Jennifer Lin that he has entered talks with Garces. (See Jennifer's Sunday story about the project.)
I tracked down Garces in France, and he said he was interested in touring the space. "Talks" ... "interested" do not, of course, mean a deal.
And developers woo restaurateurs all the time.
But Blumenfeld has a way of cinching deals with the town's top restaurateurs.
Down the block from the Divine Lorraine is his building 640 N. Broad St., home of the Marc Vetri destination Osteria, as well as 600 N. Broad St., home of Vetri's Alla Spina and Stephen Starr's Route 6. Blumenfeld also owns the former Ridge Avenue Shelter around the corner, where Starr's catering arm has a kitchen.
Photo: Blumenfeld on the Divine Lorraine roof. MICHAEL S. WIRTZ / Staff Photographer