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The Plaza Hotel's Oak Room Desperately Seeking Celebrity Chef

Where: 5th Ave. at 59th St. [map], New York, ny, United States, 10019

With the Plaza Hotel to re-open in January, it's getting to be crunch time for the famous Oak Room restaurant. Graydon Carter, editor of Vanity Fair was looking to take over the legendary bar and restaurant last July but Page Six says that he has backed out.

Carter partnered up with Jeff Klein, of the City Club Hotel on West 44th Street and the Sunset Tower in LA, and Jeremy King, owner of the Woolsey restaurant in London. But a spokesperson told us, "Graydon Carter and his partners Jeff Klein and Jeremy King withdrew their interest Thursday." Peter Glazier, owner of Michael Jordan's and the Strip House steakhouse chain, has also pulled out, citing "environmental issues." Sources say he was referring to asbestos on the premises. But Lloyd Kaplan, a spokesman for Elad Properties, which owns the Plaza, called the asbestos allegation "totally absurd."

Whatever is going on in there, Elad Properties is having a tough time finding a chef and management group. Nello Balan and the Lesort brothers also took a pass. But the Elad spokesman insists the hotel is close to finalizing a deal with a top chef soon. Maybe they should hold a reality show competition for the position?