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Dale Levitski Heading To Nashville

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Apr 1, 2014 8:45PM

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Chef Dale Levitski with his knife collection, via Facebook.
Dale Levitski, the chef and one-time Top Chef contestant who earned popular and critical accolades with his restaurants Sprout and Frog N Snail, is leaving Chicago to open a restaurant in Nashville.

Eater Nashville reports Levitski will open a restaurant in Nashville’s historic Melrose Theater. The project is a partnership developer Colin Reed and restaurant group M.L. Rose. Reed said, [i]t was very quickly evident that [Levitski] was the ideal talent for this project" and that "[w]hen he began discussing his vision for the food, it was as if he had a script of conversations we'd had internally."

Levitski confirmed the move in a statement.

“I am thrilled to be joining one of the hottest food scenes in the country,” said Levitski. “While Chicago will always be my beloved hometown, what really excites me about Nashville is the energy and support for the culinary scene. More specifically, the team behind this project, the space in which it will grow, and the high quality of service are all in line with my goals, and I know it’s going to be a fantastic result.”

Levitski has the goods to succeed in Nashville, for sure. In addition to Sprout and Frog N Snail he also worked in such diverse Chicago kitchens as Deleece, Blackbird, La Tache and, most notably, succeeded Grant Achatz at Evanston’s Trio Atelier. Levitski stepped away from both Sprout and Frog N Snail late last year; both restaurants shuttered shortly after.