Gilt At the Palace Hotel Names Christopher Lee Executive Chef

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. October 14, 2008

NEW YORK, NY, August 31, 2006. Gilt, a restaurant and bar located just beyond the wrought iron gates of The New York Palace Hotel at 50th and Madison, today announced that Christopher Lee has been appointed Executive Chef. Named as one of this year's 10 "Best New Chefs" by Food & Wine Magazine, Chef Lee was also honored with the Gallo Sonoma "Rising Star Chef of the Year" Award at the 2005 James Beard Awards for his accomplishments as Executive Chef at Striped Bass in Philadelphia. Chef Lee will be creating a Modern American menu for Gilt.

"We are thrilled to be working with a chef of Christopher Lee's caliber," said Jeffrey Selden, Executive Director of Food & Beverage at The New York Palace Hotel. "Having had the pleasure of eating at Striped Bass, we were amazed by the brilliance of his food and the fact that he was able to accomplish the nearly impossible task of creating a menu that is both highly sophisticated and refreshingly down to earth."

The front of house staff remains in place under the leadership of Restaurant Director Carolos Tomazos. In addition, Pastry Chef Nick Morgenstern has joined Gilt from Gramercy Tavern. The extensive wine offering at Gilt will continue to evolve under the leadership of Wine Director Jason Ferris.

"I worked with Christopher Lee at Striped Bass and I have a great appreciation for his food," said Mr. Ferris. "To have a grasp of a chef's cuisine style from day one is a tremendous advantage. This knowledge presents us a with a unique opportunity to pin-point wine pairings and offer the guests of Gilt the very best marriages of food and wine. I could not be happier with our new course and I cannot wait to see what Chef Lee creates next."

A graduate of The California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, Christopher Lee, 30, has worked in renowned Manhattan restaurants such as Daniel, Jean Georges, and Oceana throughout the course of his career. Born in Queens and raised on Long Island, Chef Lee will be returning home from Philadelphia to take the helm of the kitchen at Gilt.

"This is a dream come true for me," said Christopher Lee. "As a chef you grow accustomed to very small and outdated kitchens, so the opportunity to work in a space this large and expertly designed is a real privilege. I have heard many great things about Gilt over the last year, and I'm excited to be in an environment that is known for having such an impressive service offering and expansive wine program. I cook for the people, and there is no better place to potentially reach any person in the world than a landmark hotel in the heart of New York City. I'm looking forward to creating a menu that will honor the legacy of these historic rooms at The New York Palace Hotel and embrace the energy of Manhattan as it exists today."

Chef Lee will be in the kitchen when Gilt re-opens, with a limited menu, following summer vacation on Tuesday, September 5th. The published, Modern American menu created by Chef Christopher Lee will debut on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006. The first signature dish of the published menu will be the Tuna Wellington, yellow fin tuna baked in puff pastry with porcini mushrooms and flat leaf spinach and served with red wine reduction and foie gras sauce. Chef Lee will also be introducing a Bar and Lounge menu that will include such selections as Truffle Potato Fries, Lobster Sliders, and Caviar Service.

Gilt Bar is open seven nights a week starting at 5:00 p.m. The Dining Room of Gilt will be open for dinner on Tuesday through Saturday, with seating starting at 5:30 to allow for pre-theater dining. The three-course prix fixe pre-theatre dinner will be offered for $55, the three-course prix fixe dinner will be offered for $78, and a five-course tasting menu will be offered for $105.