James Beard Award-winning chef headed to GM RenCen
The Las Vegas chef and his Detroit native wife will open a new restaurant following Coach Insignia’s February exit; concept and name to be announced
A James Beard Award-winning chef will open a new restaurant at the top of the GM Renaissance Center.
Las Vegas chef Shawn McClain and his wife, Detroit native Holly McClain, have partnered with Riverfront Holdings to develop a new restaurant for the iconic skyscraper. The news comes less than a year after the closing of sky-high, upscale restaurant Coach Insignia.
“We are proud to join the culinary explosion that’s happening here in Detroit in partnership with General Motors in this spectacular location,” said McClain in a news release. “We have a shared passion for the city and its innovative spirit. We’re inspired by that bold creativity and aim to transform the space into a dynamic, multi-concept experience that’s about so much more than the amazing views.”
A name and concept for the 20,000-square-foot restaurant will be announced at a later date.
“A space of this magnitude and significance requires brilliance coming together from all disciplines,” McClain said. “Every detail is being meticulously crafted to unfold into an extraordinary experience for our guests, from the way we design and launch our brand story to the special and engaging ways in which we reinvent the space.”
A San Diego native, chef McClain is chef and managing partner at FIVE50 Pizza Bar at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. He and his wife, who comes from a hospitality background, also own Sage at ARIA and Libertine Social at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
His Chicago restaurant Custom House was what earned him Best Chef Midwest awards from The Beard Foundation in 2006. McClain was also named Esquire’s “Chef of the Year” in 2001.
Coach Insignia closed in February after nearly 13 years on the 71st and 72nd floors of the GM Ren Cen. Before then, it was the rotating restaurant The Summit.
mbaetens@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @melodybaetens