New Culinary Team Takes Over At Lincoln Center's Ristorante

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — A new culinary team is taking the helm at Lincoln Center's premier eatery, Lincoln Ristorante.

The new restaurant leaders come with a bevy of experience in the New York City culinary scene — including former stints at the restaurant they will now helm.

Artem Orlovskyy will take over as executive chef and Kara Blitz as executive pastry chef, according to an announcement.

“Lincoln has always combined elegance with hand-crafted Italian food,” said Orlovskyy. “Today, we are not quite as buttoned up. The restaurant is more intimate and relaxed.”

“We’ve shed some of the formalities of fine dining, while staying committed to quality and sourcing,” said Blitz.

While the restaurant's tradition of a quick pre-curtain pasta and aperitivo at the Negroni Bar will continue, the menu will feature the chef's personal updates. Selected highlights include a cavatelli with lamb sausage, and Tuscan baked apples called Boffoli, stuffed with raisins and pine nuts, then finished with mascarpone.

Classics, like Lincoln Ristorante's Focaccia, is back on the menu, now baked with potato and onion. And the eatery's Tiramisu has been refreshed with a milk chocolate mousse. A Potato Torta with caviar is being called "a classic first bite," according to the restaurant.

Lincoln Ristorante opened in 2010 inside of a brand new, $20 million space to much fanfare, under the watchful eye of chef Jonathan Benno, who previously served as Thomas Keller's second-in-command at Per Se, according to the New York Times.