Chef Shuffle

M Restaurant Gets a New Chef

M Restaurant's garden
M Restaurant’s garden Photo: M Restaurant

M Restaurant, the gorgeous Washington Square West hideaway tucked away behind what is perhaps one of the city’s most magnificent gardens at the historic Morris House Hotel, is getting a new chef, according to the Insider. He is Michael Caspi and his most recent post was at Stephen Starr’s Parc. He’s also spent some time at New York’s Daniel and Per Se. Caspi, who is Israeli but speaks with a French accent, replaces Pascual Cancelliere, who took over the kitchen at M last year for what was supposed to be a temporary assignment while he completed his own restaurant, the long-overdue Argentine-Italian 943 in the Italian Market. M owner Gene Lefevre has been helping Cancelliere get 943 up and running.

M’s success with Cancelliere is directly related to 943’s delay, according to General Manger Deborah Lefevre. “Pascual was unable to complete his restaurant because he was so busy here,” Lefevre told Grub Street. His departure from M is bittersweet, Lefevre explained. While sad to see him go, she is thrilled he’s fulfilling his own vision. “You can’t hold back a chef’s dreams,” she said.

New chef at M [Insider]

M Restaurant Gets a New Chef