Todd Sicolo Leaves Royal Palms; New Menu Stays in Place

Just this week, T. Cook's at the Royal Palms launched new dining menus, courtesy of Todd Sicolo, the executive chef hired last fall to fill Lee Hillson's shoes. And just this morning, the Royal Palms announced that Sicolo, who was on board three months, is leaving the Royal Palms mid-March...

By Nikki Buchanan

March 1, 2013

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Just this week, T. Cook's at the Royal Palms launched new dining menus, courtesy of Todd Sicolo, the executive chef hired last fall to fill Lee Hillson's shoes. And just this morning, the Royal Palms announced that Sicolo, who was on board three months, is leaving the Royal Palms mid-March to return to the East Coast. Sicolo told his employers he wants to be near family.

What will happen to T. Cook's and the new menu?

It was hoped that Sicolo -- the guy responsible for making Frank and Albert's and Wright's at the Arizona Biltmore modern and fun -- could work the same magic at T. Cook's, revitalizing its Mediterranean-inspired offerings and, in the process, drawing a younger crowd that would relish a more free-wheeling look at the classics.

Apparently, the new menu -- which focuses on locally sourced ingredients, big flavors, simple preparations, and small plates -- has been well received this week.

According to Royal Palms publicist Ty Largo, the new menu stays, and the culinary team that supported Sicolo will keep everything running smoothly until a new executive chef is found.

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