Odd that we get this news so far in advance – Imperial Chef Ben Bettinger is leaving the restaurants Imperial and Portland Penny Diner this August. According to Eat Beat, Vitaly Paley will be taking over the restaurant until a replacement is found. No word on where Bettinger is headed.
Bettinger is an alumni of Paley’s Place, which he left in early 2008 to head up the kitchen at the now closed Beaker and Flask. He returned to run the kitchen at Imperial when it opened in late 2012.
Good Food For Me says
May 27, 2014 at 11:49 pmSorry to hear about Ben’s departure. The kitchen won’t skip a beat ( Vitaly will make certain of that ) and they will have plenty of time to search for a proper replacement. Bleaker and Flask wasn’t a challenge for Ben at all. Maybe he will launch his own place. Most chefs take that path, it seems.
Ross Pullen