FoodWire: New Balaban's Names Chef

Balaban's Wine Cellar & Tapas Bar (1772 Clarkson Road) has named Kevin Sthair chef. Sthair previously served as sous chef at the original Balaban's, thus giving the new restaurant another tie to the Central West End institution. The new Balaban's is owned by Steve McIntyre, who bought the original restaurant from Herbie Balaban and owned it for much of the next twenty years, and Brian Underwood.

Sthair, a St. Louis native, graduated from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Arizona. Locally, he has worked at Araka and Kreis'. For more on what to expect from the new Balaban's, read my chat with McIntyre from last week.