Photo: Melissa Hom
Michael White’s Altamarea Group has finally confirmed that White is splitting with partner Chris Cannon. White will leave Alto and Convivio to Cannon while continuing to operate Marea, Osteria Morini, and Ai Fiori (reviewed by Gael Greene today) along with new partner Ahmass Fakahany. Though Cannon had previously snagged pastry chef Heather Bertinetti from White’s stable, White now gets Matt Adler as well as up-and-comer Gordon Finn from Canon’s restaurants. The official release below.
Altamarea Group announced today a change in its partnership arrangement. By mutual decision, Altamarea Group and its owners, Chief Executive Officer Ahmass Fakahany and Partner Chef Michael White, have ended their partnership with restaurateur Chris Cannon.
As part of this agreement effective January 1, 2011, the restaurants Alto and Convivio are no longer associated with Altamarea Group. Cannon will continue to own and operate these restaurants independently and will name new chefs for Alto and Convivio in the early part of this year.
Altamarea Group will continue to own and operate Marea, Osteria Morini, the recently opened Ai Fiori at The Setai Fifth Avenue (400 Fifth Avenue) and Due Terre and Due Mari in New Jersey. All future ventures under the Altamarea Group name will be operated by the partnership of Fakahany and White, including Altamarea Group’s first international project due to open in late Spring 2011 on the Hong Kong harbor. In addition, chef de cuisine Gordon Finn of Alto, and chef de cuisine Matt Adler of Convivio, will be joining Chef White and Altamarea Group in the early part of this year.
