Roger Herring Exits Grand Tour; More Shuffles

RAVENSWOOD—Former Socca chef Roger Herring is no longer the chef at Grand Tour. Herring, who opened the international-themed sports bar and restaurant less than six months ago and also ran the kitchen at sister spot Quay, calls the Grand Tour gig a "dead end" and says that the "whole staff has changed." Owner Jesse Boyle declined to say who is running either kitchen now; Herring is now cooking on a personal grand tour around the country.

UPDATE: Grand Tour owner Jesse Boyle wrote in with the following statement:

"While there is always much more to the story, like any responsible employer, I won't provide any private details on the employment of Roger, nor the details of the termination of that employment relationship. That is a respect that I have for our entire team, knowing that things evolve and may turn out to be a less than ideal fit. I will say that when we recognized that something was out of sync with the menu in regards to the location and the neighborhood, we had to make difficult changes to respond to what our customers were saying. Our new chef is a terrific newer talent, Greyson Kindy (Rocking Horse), and has a full grip on the direction that Grand Tour is going. I am very excited for the neighborhood to give this new menu another shot, and I think that people will find it much more approachable for everyday dining, combined with enjoyment of recreation and international sports like we always envisioned. There is a lot more to come at Grand Tour."

RIVER WEST—Is Anthony DiRienzo already out at The Dawson? According to eyewitnesses he was let go this week, although reps, ownership and management all issued a "no comment" and declined to speak further. DiRienzo was the third chef to run the kitchen at Billy Lawless' large and busy drinking-focused restaurant in less than a year in business.

WICKER PARK—Announced via social media, Bryce Caron left his unspecified role at Carriage House after service August 3, scant weeks after former executive chef Mark Steuer's departure. The group behind Carriage House and The Bedford were rumored to be looking at opening a third restaurant with Caron at the helm at one point, but those plans never materialized. Steuer added Caron to the Carriage House team back in February 2013.
· All Grand Tour Coverage [-ECHI-]
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