Joe Germanotta, i.e., Lady Gaga’s father, has taken the space at 70 West 68th Street that formerly housed Vince and Eddie’s. He plans to reopen it around Thanksgiving as Joanne, the name of his beloved sister who died when she was just 19 and the middle name of his famous daughter. Germanotta is telling friends that Art Smith — the culinary force who founded Common Threads, worked with Oprah, has been on Top Chef Masters, and launched a healthy fast-food chain — has signed on as chef. In typical Chef Art fashion, however, this was his response to Grub Street when asked about the project: “Birds are achirping, but the big birdie of them all is sitting on his nest.” Oh, come on, Chef Art, really?! It’s neither a confirmation nor a denial, but he does have a fried-chicken-based friendship with Gaga, so that could just be his poker face.
