L2O To Close At Year-End
By Lisa White in Food on Oct 29, 2014 7:25PM
If you've been wanting to enjoy the luxurious seafood focused cuisine at L2O, you officially have a deadline for grabbing one of the last reservations ever. Lettuce Entertain You announced today that they will be closing the Michelin-starred restaurant at the end of service on Dec. 31.
The Lettuce Entertain You restaurant empire will retain the space and reconcept it, as well as keep chef Matthew Kirkley onboard. No word yet on the type of cuisine, but Chicago magazine reports that the the pricey tasting menu will be switched out for a more affordable dining experience. LEYE's Rich Melman told Chicago magazine that the space will undergo a lighter, brighter makeover and they are hoping to open the new venture by the end of January.
L2O opened to much fanfare (and drama) when Chef Laurent Gras left the restaurant after numerous disagreements with Rich Melman. Shortly after, the restaurant was awarded three Michelin stars. The restaurant struggled after the departure of Gras, dropping to one Michelin star in the 2011 Michelin guide before finally regaining focus under the watchful eye of Kirkley, earning the restaurant two Michelin stars in 2012 and keeping both of them in 2013.