Joël Antunes no longer with Oak Room at Plaza Hotel
Joël Antunes, the chef who left his namesake restaurant in Atlanta to take over the kitchen at the fabled Oak Room in New York’s Plaza Hotel, has been let go, according to Oak Room management.
Antunes was hired following a national search to helm the kitchen in the Oak Room, which reopened several months ago following a massive face lift. His luxurious French cooking was pitched to evoke the Gilded Age glory days of the Oak Room.
But reviews have been poor. After receiving a one-star takedown from the New York Times’ powerful restaurant critic, Frank Bruni, the chef got drubbed again in the most recent edition of New York magazine with a zero-star review.
No word yet on the chef’s next move, but sources say the chances of him returning to the Atlanta restaurant that bears his name are quite unlikely.
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61 comments Add your comment
Ed Mc
March 4th, 2009
2:15 pm
I have eaten at Joel’s on three occasions in the past. None of those visits were enjoyable and on one occasion the food was downright awful. What was the Oak Room thinking when they hired this guy in the first place?
There are excellent chefs in Atlanta, but I would agree that there are more in NY. Paris probably has more fine chefs than NY. So what? I enjoy trying different restaurants and am typically more impressed by getting an excellent meal at a lesser known and less expensive restaurant than I am by getting a great meal at a renowned restaurant where diner for two can run upwards of $500.00.
The Rudy
March 4th, 2009
7:05 pm
I don’t know I heard he was hard but just expected results out of his staff. I have worked with and for some of his former employees and none of them have ever complained about him to me.
Kevin Sbraga
March 8th, 2009
9:44 pm
OK Monkey’s listen up…Joel Antunes is a BEAST in the kitchen, a true rare talent. I am not sure what happened at the Oak Room. To tell you the truth I wasn’t so impressed with what I saw their either. But make no mistake Joel can cook as good, if not better than any other chef in NYC. Whether it’s Daniel, Jean-Georges, Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, Joel Robuchon, or any other chef you can think of. Unless you have worked in the kitche with Joel or any of these other chef’s you have no place to question his talent. Lucky for me, I have. I know what he is capable of and I can’t wait to see him land on his feet. Anyone that has a negative comment is has a “shoe maker” palette.
jkessler
March 8th, 2009
11:29 pm
Interesting comments, Kevin. By the way, my wife just ate at Tinto and loved it!
Charles
March 9th, 2009
10:11 pm
Most of you writing here are morons. Joel is one of the most talented chefs in the world, not just NYC, not just ATL, the world. He came from Troisgros and the Oriental, Bangkok (for any of you that even know what those are). If any of you who actually read the reviews, you would realize that its the incompitent staff that sucks at the Oak Room and the Chef always takes the blame (as he should). It is also evident that Joel just made the wrong choice ever going to the Oak Room where he did’nt have total control. Also you idiots that think 30 or 40 dollars for an entree is expensive are just ignorant and have no clue how much great ingredients cost. I can’t wait to see Joels comeback. You all don’t deserve it in Atlanta. Look at the BS menu at JOEL now. Its a shame Chef Cyrille has to be reduced to cooking this silly bistro food because of the lack of sophistication in your city.
Charles
March 9th, 2009
10:17 pm
Kevin, I have cooked with Joel, and you are absolutely right. He is the best cook maybe ever, I bet if you ask Eric Ripert or Thomas Keller or Jean Georges or Daniel they would agree as well. Its wasy to write. Harder to cook.
yannick heyndrickx
March 11th, 2009
2:45 pm
I’m sorry but joel deserves a lot more respect, just look at his culinary history! some people say that the prices of the food in atlanta are too high but believe me I used to work for him in ATL, a lot of the food was inported. Why?? because how can you experience french cuisine with american products?!?! all of the ingrediënts are top quality.
he’s a man with a passion. It’s this passion that you see in the food, he’s a very good chef. everybody who knows him will tell you so!
Mike Owen
March 15th, 2009
2:48 pm
Okay: Can someone please explain why Joel would “voluntarily” leave his “namesake” restaurant in Atlanta, sell his house in a bad market, and move to New York to head up a risky venture at the Oak Room? I might have been born on a weekend, but it wasn’t “last” weekend! What happened in Atlanta? Was Joel fired here too? My guess would be “Yes” and the Joel “illusion” cam completely unraveled once in New York and having to go it alone!
Kenny Gilbert
March 24th, 2009
11:29 pm
All I can say is WOW! This is totally crazy to me. Being a former Ritz Dining Room Chef during the same years as Joel, I can say from a JD Power and Associates rating system for overall guest satisfaction within the company, Joel always did very well. This is mind blowing to me. Joel is an incredibly passionate Chef and I know when speaking with him at last years Culinary Vegetable Institute Event in Milan Ohio, he was pumped about going to NY and showcasing his skills in a most respectful manner.
I hope that the perception that “You are only as good as your last meal, does not totally hold true with Joel”. Nobody is perfect and everyone deserves a second chance. Every restaurant has its own mystique, atmosphere and overall feel. Its not fair to compare, but the overall experience is what matters. Either you like it or you don’t, bottom line. But I can say this, Joel’s Trenettes with Jerusalem Artichoke Mascarpone Cheese Puree and Perigord Black Truffles compares to Gray Kunes Capellinni Pasta with Fresh Black Truffles when at the St Regis Hotel.
Overall, everyone has memories good and bad. In this current economy, we should be asking ourselves how we can help each other during these difficult times vs crushing a person that maybe had a bad day.
Betsy Bennett
October 18th, 2009
12:03 am
For heaven’s sake! They knew they were hiring a FRENCH chef (one of the best!) and the owners and manager tied his hand in dictating a menu that was American after promises that Joel could have carte blanche over the menu. Their cheapness set him up for failure! They will continue to fail without new management. Joel, where ever you are, we miss your greatness in Atlanta. Leave London! Return to Atlanta!
Bill Saunders
November 12th, 2009
9:14 pm
Even if Joel does not come back to Atlanta some of his proteges are making excellent food right here in our own backyard. Cyrill is doing his best at Joel Bistro and the food is outstanding. I ate at a restaurant in Sandy Springs called the Tasting Room. The food was phenomenal, and I heard later that the new chef worked with Joel at one time. He may be gone, but he has left his mark on Atlanta.