Just a year after opening, Kris Wessel has cut ties with Florida Cookery, the restaurant based on old-Florida recipes.
Wessel, who named the restaurant after his grandmother's cookbook, leaves the restaurant, located inside the James Royal Palm Hotel in South Beach, to pursue other career avenues.
See also: Kris Wessel: Florida Cookery at the James Royal Palm Hotel Is Personal
The chef, who was born in Miami but spent much of his childhood in New Orleans, has formed Consume Restaurant Group and is looking to open dining concepts in both cities.
Prior to Florida Cookery, Wessel owned and operated Red Light Little River, a small, critically acclaimed eatery that opened in 2008, and closed abruptly in 2012, after the hotel the restaurant was located in, changed ownership.
See also: Kris Wessel on Why Red Light Little River Closed
In a statement, Wessel said that his contract with the James Royal Palm has ended, "the restaurant is a year old and we have created an original concept integral to the cuisine and cultures of Florida. I wish the James and Florida Cookery much success in sustaining their beautiful property in Miami Beach."
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