The line-up for Chef’s Schoolyard reads like a who’s who of Detroit’s hottest chefs. The charity event returns May 8 and 9, after last year’s success, and will take place at Great Lakes Culinary Center in Southfield, again benefiting Detroit Prep. Check out their website – that’s where tickets are currently being sold, “When they came to me this year and said we want to do two days, I was like, of course you want to make two days out of this thing – why wouldn’t you?” laughed John Vermiglio, chef at Grey Ghost, who helped with the event both last year and this year. “But it was like, all right, challenge accepted.” Chefs participating – Vermiglio said everyone asked said yes as long as their

They’ve only been open two years but Red Dunn Kitchen – 331 Trumbull Street, Detroit, adjacent to the Trumbull & Porter Hotel – is already making big changes. As of March 8, the Corktown restaurant had a newly appointed executive chef, Mike D’Angelo, and a new menu focused on poultry and game. “Michigan has always had a rich culinary history when it comes to game, yet it is noticeably missing from the current restaurant landscape,” said D’Angelo, who worked at iconic restaurants like Coach Insignia and Capital Grille prior to Red Dunn. D’Angelo’s menu includes many locally-sourced items and dishes created with preparations that guests will be familiar with, like Irish Pheasant Stew made with

Craving BESA for lunch? You aren’t alone. “We’ve had a lot of requests from guests wanting to dine with us during their lunch break or for a mid-day business meeting, and we’ve answered that by now offering lunch service every weekday,” said Mario Camaj, managing partner of BESA. Located at 600 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, the restaurant’s new lunch hours are from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Rice Flour & Coconut Udon, Wild Ahi Crudo, Steak Frites, and a Fried Chicken Sandwich – along with an array of salads, soups, and more entrees – grace the new lunch menu designed by Executive Chef Kyle Schutte. Metro Intelligencer is a monthly column devoted to news stories, tidbits and gossip items about what's

Chef Matt Prentice — formerly of Shiraz, Coach Insignia, and Detroit Prime, among others – is finally heading back to the kitchen after a temporary non-compete order from a former employer. This time he’ll be in Clawson, at Three Cats and a Cook – 116 W. 14 Mile – and partnering with Leon & Lulu shop owner Mary Liz Curtin. The space will seat about 100 people and expand on the cafe that’s already there, adding a state-of-the-art, up-to-date kitchen. Curtain said they are shooting for a late spring opening of the restaurant/retail space, which is right next door to Leon & Lulu. Guests can expect a constantly changing small plates menu with a Michigan focus, all at a low price point with the h

Washington Township’s Brown Iron Brewhouse is going to have a second location come fall as part of the upcoming development adjacent to Beaumont Hospital’s Royal Oak campus. “I’m just very excited to be at that corner, to be part of Beaumont’s vision...I can’t wait to get there,” said Patti Eisenbraun, who co-owns the brewhouse and smokehouse with her husband, Tim. Since opening the brewhouse – which specializes in American craft beer – they have been voted Best Craft Beer Bar in Michigan from 2016 to 2019 by CraftBeer.com, and have donated over $85,000 to local charities, like Fallen & Wounded Soldiers. (This hits close to home, as Tim is a veteran.) So what can people expect when they open

For owner Emily Steffen, the Gathering Coffee Co. has been years in the making. With plans to open late this summer Steffen hopes its much more than just a coffee shop, she wants it to be a place for the community and one where they can craft change for the area. Located inside the Eightfold Collective space – 2831 E Grand Blvd., Detroit – there will be a pretty traditional drinks menu, think everything from lattes to cappuccinos, but they’ll also have additional syrups like chocolate, caramel, and a whiskey simple syrup to add some punch. They are working with multiple local partners, including the anticipated bakery and restaurant, Poppies, and coffee roaster, Populace Coffee. One of the m

Kristen Calverley and Nate Peck are coming home. The co-owners of Michigan & Trumbull – which started in Pittsburgh – are moving their Detroit-style pizza place to well, Detroit, at 1439 W. Elizabeth Street. With the hopes of opening as early as August Calverley knows you can get the infamous style pizza on all over Detroit, but it was after they started receiving positive feedback about their toppings and dough that they began to seriously consider a move to the mitten. The menu will include lots of pizza, including the Packard Pepperoni, which has red sauce, mozzarella, pickled chiles, pepperoni, and hot honey, as well as some additional sides, like wings, onion rings, and they’re thinking

Inside Fort Street Galley – 160 W. Fort Street, Detroit – the bar has transformed into a cocktail lounge, Magpie, as of March 15. The space will be open when the restaurants are but once they close it will serve as a more intimate bar, with its own private entrance, and stay open until midnight during the week and 2 a.m. on weekends. “Because it has these four different food contents, and it’s tucked away in a food hall...it’s a little bit of an odd circumstance, it gives us a little bit of the freedom to really do whatever we want,” said Marlowe Johnson, bar manager. As for the brand new cocktail menu – which is unlike any of the other bars by the Galley Group – expect whimsey and many drin