D'Amico Kitchen

Rating:

Aren't ultimatums silly?

You know the kind: "If [insert name of odious politician] wins the election, I'm moving to Canada."

Sure you are, and drop me a line from Saskatchewan. I overheard a doozy at the gym the other day, from a self-proclaimed and obviously disgruntled Chambers Kitchen fan, operating, perhaps, out of loyalty. "I don't care what you say," he said. "I'll never step foot inside D'Amico Kitchen."

Hey, it's a free country. Yes, celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and his high-voltage crew no longer illuminate the Chambers Hotel in downtown Minneapolis, and yes, locals Richard and Larry D'Amico are now running the show, with the temerity to drop the Chambers name in favor of their own and stamp their familiar Italian imprint on the menu.

The switch was a shrewd move on hotelier Ralph Burnet's part. Don't get me wrong, I was all over Chambers Kitchen, and sat shiva for it when Burnet pulled the plug. But it's history, and why not move on with one of the state's most recognizable food names? Let's face facts: Despite how we insecure Minnesotans love to look down upon our local success stories, "D'Amico" resonates with a whole heck of a lot more of us than "Vongerichten."

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