English off the menu at trendy FiDi hotel
FiDi’s fast-growing food scene will have to do without one celebrity chef: Todd English.
The 58-year-old Texan has backed out of a much-touted plan to open a 230-seat, 6,000square-foot, multilevel eatery at the W New York Downtown Hotel, The Post has learned.
English — who colorfully popped up on Page Six in March 2014 for being photographed “with his shirt off stewing in a hot tub full of topless stunners” — was expected to open an eatery called The English in the Joseph Moinian-owned building.
The chef’s Todd English Enterprises signed an agreement in May 2016 with BCCP Development, which leased the restaurant space from Moinian in January 2016. It had previously been BLT Bar & Grill.
The Texan’s role was first reported in The Post in May 2016.
English — who was making a Manhattan comeback after losing his Olives restaurant in the W New York Union Square partly be- cause of his public antics — said at the time his place downtown would bring back “American glamour.” While the deal sounded firm, it was a nonbinding “letter of interest.”
Although BCCP planned to transfer and renew the liquor license, usually a simple process, the old license expired on Aug. 1 — before English knew about it, according to sources.
The state then required a new license, a prolonged process that involves community board approval. Although Community Board 1 didn’t object, English apparently tired of the wait, sources said.
BCCP principal Brian Crawford said, “Todd English is in no way at fault,” adding the company is looking for a new culinary partner.
Gina Gargano, a rep for English, said, “We are sorry the timing for this project didn’t work out, and we wish Brian the best in his new venture.”
Moinian didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.