PRESS RELEASE- 21c Museum Hotels, the award-winning boutique hotel, contemporary art museum and restaurant group, is proud to announce the appointment of Jared Bennett as executive chef of Metropole restaurant.
Bennett, a native of Athens, Ohio, and chef de cuisine at Metropole since the restaurant opened in 2012, succeeds Michael Paley, who is departing this fall to pursue other opportunities. Paley and Bennett will continue to collaborate in the coming months to ensure a smooth and seamless experience for guests and the team.
Bennett’s dedication to mastering the custom-built hearth and to wood-fired cooking has helped guide the menu at Metropole since day one. In addition to showcasing the region’s sustainable farmers and producers, including Carriage House Farm and the restaurant’s Woodland Farm, the Metropole menu will also retain signature dishes like Seared Octopus, Burnt Carrot Salad, and House-Made Charcuterie. Bennett has contributed some of the restaurant’s most beloved dishes during his tenure, including the Compressed Local Melons with burrata, pork belly, Cerignola olives & anise hyssop; Chilled Corn Soup with summer sausage, charred corn & scallion; and Potato Gnocchi with guanciale, escarole, oyster mushrooms & pickled garlic. He will gradually introduce new menu items, drawing inspiration from historically American techniques and heirloom ingredients interpreted for a modern audience.
“I am honored to work alongside such a dynamic team and thrilled to be part of Cincinnati’s vibrant dining community,” Bennett says. “I look forward to maintaining our high level of service and utilizing producers from the Ohio River Valley on our ever-evolving menu. Metropole is about letting beautiful food speak for itself and that will not change.”
“We wish Michael Paley well on his next endeavors and thank him for the considerable contributions he’s made,” says Sarah Robbins, Senior Vice President, Operations. “The 21c family of restaurants has always been a great incubator for culinary talent, and we are proud to promote Jared Bennett from within to lead the kitchen at Metropole.”
For more information about 21c Museum Hotels or Metropole please contact Sarah Abell (sabell@baltzco.com), 917.584.8567 or Beth Hengeveld (bhengeveld@baltzco.com), 303.296.2711 at Baltz & Company.
