GT Prime, one of the best steakhouses in Chicago and the world, just announced that it will officially be closing on New Year's Eve.
According to reports, the shuttering is mainly due to chef-partner Giuseppe Tentori's decision to leave the eight-year-old business, which he opened alongside the Boka Restaurant Group. The two parties have been collaborating on different culinary concepts around town for the past 18 years, so the split is truly the end of an era.
"We accomplished successful projects with Giuseppe over 18 years and we will be eternally grateful for all he brought to the table," Boka co-founder Rob Katz said in an official statement. "We wish Giuseppe the very best in his future endeavors."
According to Eater Chicago, Tentori has not yet announced what his future plans will be, but he did confirm that he will not, indeed, be retiring from the business.
The outlet also reports that the group plans on opening a brand-new restaurant concept in the space now occupied by GT Prime "later this summer."
But this isn't the only piece of news to come out of the Boka universe this week: On Monday, the restaurant group announced the 2025 debut of a new pizzeria in River North called Zarella. Created by chefs Chris Pandel and Lee Wolen, the tavern-style pizzeria will open in GT Fish & Oyster's former space.
"Wolen and I have been talking about pizza preferences for years," said Pandel in an official statement. "It’s been fun to jump in to the test kitchen with him and help create a pizzeria from scratch. We think the alchemy of the menu, design, and tone of the place will be both comforting and unique."
We have faith that the pizzeria will be just as good as the steakhouse that we are already mourning.