There’s lots of chef-shuffling going around Dallas these days. Joel Harloff was still – as far as I know – working at Mi Piaci in Park Cities last month. Now he’s got a new gig thingamajig at Battuto Italian Kitchen, the north Dallas restaurant owned by Gene and Julie Gates.
Joel Harloff is taking over for Battuto’s opening chef, Gustavo Herrera, who is moving back to Wisconsin to be with his family.
UPPITY DATE: Hi, it’s Nancy. I’m busting into Carol’s post. Battuto’s opening chef, Gustavo Herrera, used to be at The French Room. He signed for a three-month deal with Gene and Julie to open Battuto. G & J begged him to stay but Herrera’s wife moved to Wisconsin because she got a great job as a professor. Herrera stayed behind to get the restaurant open. He wants to be with his wife and his new job as sous chef at Harvest, a farm to table restaurant in Madison, WI. This week he’ll be teaching Harloff the restaurants recipes. Harloff will gradually introduce a new lunch menu.