South Loop restaurant Tribute closes after five months

Essex Hotel restaurant had four chefs in brief time; owners cite economy in shutting doors

12/05/2011 9:58 PM

By Ben Meyerson
Editor

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Tribute, 800 S. Michigan Ave.
File 2011/Staff

Tribute, the South Loop restaurant that operated out of the Essex Hotel at 800 S. Michigan Ave. for the last five months, announced Monday that it was closing its doors.

In a joint statement emailed to Chicago Journal, owner Phil Fernandez and general manager and partner Simon Lamb blamed the economy.

“We have succumbed to the poor economic environment that has not helped out new restaurant grow roots,” they said. “We have tried to weather these crucial beginning months for an operation but we have not been able to sustain.”

The restaurant has been better known for drama in its kitchen than for its food, as it had four chefs from inception until its last day.

Its first chef, Paul Wildermuth, who came up with the idea for the restaurant with Lamb, suddenly collapsed and died from a heart attack in November 2010. Next, they hired Brandon Baltzley, a promising young chef who relapsed into drug and alcohol addiction and went to rehab in June, just a month before the restaurant opened.

The restaurant opened on July 7 with Kendall College graduate Lawrence Letrero, who had been working under Baltzley, at the helm. But just two months later, on Sept. 1, the restaurant announced that Letrero was out, and had been replaced by Jared Case, an acolyte of Wildermuth’s who had been executive chef at Marche.

The restaurant’s statement didn’t make note of all the changes at chef, but Baltzley — now out of rehab — wrote on Twitter that he was sorry to see the restaurant go.

“My heart goes out to @TributeChicago and @SimonDLamb,” Baltzley wrote. “Solid people who always had my back. Good luck, guys.”

Tribute significantly revamped what had been the dated Savoy restaurant, installing modern décor including chandeliers made with an original 35 mm print of Alice in Wonderland. In the release, Fernandez and Lamb said they weren’t sure what would happen to their former home next.

“We are currently exploring options for the space, including potential sale to another operator, but Tribute as it stands now will not continue,” the statement said. “A big thanks to our customers who dined with us these past months. It has been a pleasure to serve you.”


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By Solo from Motor Row
Posted: 12/08/2011 10:36 AM

I like Simon and the latest chef, but who ever was handling the marketing for Tribute really bombed. The space was perfect.. EXACTLY how a new restaurant should look and feel for this area. The issue I have brought up before was that the menu just did not make sense given the cost. Also, where were the 'after work' deals or 'after work' menu as other people have mentioned? Get us in the door, we will spend much, much more money in the end.