Chef Michael Sichel Leaves Galatoire’s For a Hotel With an All-Pink ‘Ladies Bar’

Galatoire’s chef Michael Sichel, who rose to national fame competing on Top Chef, is leaving the 113-year old French Quarter institution to become executive chef at Hotel Bennett in Charleston. He’ll leave Galatoire’s at the end of this month and start his new job in August, reports Food & Wine.

Charleston’s newest luxury hotel’s main claim to fame is an all-pink “ladies bar” designed to make women feel “comfortable.” In that context, it’s hard not to bring up the time that fellow Top Chef competitor and now James Beard Award-winning chef, Nina Compton, famously rebuked him on the show for calling her “baby” and “booboo.”

He spoke with Eater New Orleans in 2015 about his work as executive chef at Galatoire’s, a position he held for the last seven years: “We’re proud to hang our hat on the traditional cuisine, we embrace it, we embrace this New Orleans cuisine. People come here just to be a part of it. I’m really proud to be a part of Galatoire’s and a part of New Orleans.” There are no details as to what Sichel has planned for the menu at Hotel Bennett.

According to the Advocate, Galatoire’s has not yet tapped a replacement for Sichel. Sichel will serve his final meal on June 26.

• Galatoire’s Chef Tapped to Helm Kitchen at New Charleston Hotel [Food & Wine]
• Chef Michael Sichel Leaves Iconic New Orleans Restaurant for Charleston Hotel [EATER CHARLESTON]
• One Final Friday Lunch: After Seven Years of Galatoire’s Service, Chef to Depart for Charleston [ADVOCATE]
• Former Galatoire’s Executive Chef Hired To Oversee Hotel Bennett’s Signature Restaurant [POST & COURIER]
• Galatoire’s Michael Sichel Discusses His ‘Top Chef: New Orleans’ Experience [NOLA.COM]
• Decipher the Details on Hotel Bennett’s Forthcoming Food Offerings [EATER CHARLESTON]
• Charleston To Get its First ‘Ladies’ Bar’ [POST & COURIER]
• Michael Sichel to Take Over as Galatoire’s New Executive Chef [ENOLA]
• Galatoire’s Michael Sichel on the Enduring Nature of Shrimp Remoulade [ENOLA]