Mike DeCamp and Jesse Held to Revitilize Former Porter & Frye at The Hotel Ivy

He might be better known as YC, but Mike DeCamp, the longtime chef de cuisine at La Belle Vie and possessor of the baddest beard in the business is decamping to a new Italian eatery.

Jester Concepts, the same team behind Borough/Parlour, Coup d'etat and Marche will run the new restaurant on the first floor of the Hotel Ivy. This means more cocktails from Jesse Held.

The restaurant's cuisine is being described as "coastal Italian." It will be fascinating to see what DeCamp does - this is the man who microwaved foie gras. His creativity could really be unleashed on the awaiting public in this environment.

There will be a main floor eatery with a sub-level, independent concept bar. There will be a total of three bars, each with a separate concept: the main level restaurant, downstairs and a hotel lobby bar. Says Held, "Our cocktail focus is four fold: nostalgic favorites done in modern ways, off-the-beaten track classics and a category of just The Ridiculous and a Captains Cocktail list." Very exciting news for drinkers, indeed. Jeff Erikkila, of Parlour, will also be shaking up the cocktails in this new, still unnamed spot.

Michelle Massey will run the front of house.

Renovations are underway and the restaurant should be open by late spring of this year.

• DeCamp to head to new Hotel Ivy restaurant [STRIB]
• The Feed [MSPMAG]
• Porter & Frye Has Closed [EMPLS]