It’s no surprise that renowned Gramercy Tavern chef Michael Anthony will be the “culinary consultant” for the Waldorf Astoria’s planned reopening. The New York Times reported.
However, “culinary consultants” are rarely in charge of anything. New Yorkers want to know when famous public spaces like the legendary hostel and Peacock Alley will finally reopen after being closed for more than six years. The prolonged closure is an embarrassment for Hilton, the operator that has spread the Waldorf-Astoria brand around the world while the original New York brand remains in the dark.
The hotel will shrink from its original 1,400 rooms to 375 to make room for luxury condominiums. Hilton and the landmark building’s owner, China’s Big Snake Insurance Group, have remained silent on a reopening date.
USA Boutique Hotelier reported that it is “scheduled to debut late in the fourth quarter” of this year. However, the condo’s spokesperson did not answer our questions about the hotel itself, although he tried to excite us with the word that it would be ready by the end of 2024.
“I have no intention of diminishing my contributions to Gramercy,” Anthony told the Times. Unless he can be in both locations at once, his Waldorf association will primarily aim to give the hotel and restaurant (whose names have not yet been revealed) some much-needed local credibility. It seems that he is doing so.
