Carole Greenwood, a longtime Washington chef and restaurateur who most recently co-owned Buck’s Fishing and Camping and Comet Ping Pong in Northwest D.C., has taken the top toque at Food, Wine & Co. on 7272 Wisconsin Ave. in Bethesda. Greenwood replaces Paolo Buffa, the founding executive chef of the restaurant, which opened in September.
Owner Francis Namin said that Greenwood, whose first day in the kitchen was today, January 17, will be revamping the menu in time. “She thinks the restaurant is beautiful, but the menu doesn’t have the character to match,” he said.
Greenwood, a demanding chef who developed a reputation for not allowing diners to make substitutions or special requests to her dishes, was busy in the kitchen when I called for comment. She left the two Northwest restaurants in May 2009, telling Washington City Paper that she needed to address urgent family matters and wanted to pursue other creative projects.
The outgoing Buffa, whose last day was January 8, said he left Food, Wine & Co. because he was working 80 or 90 hours a week, and it was taking a toll on him. “I have to take care of my family,” he said. “I was starting to have personal issues at home.” Buffa has taken a job as senior sous chef at the new restaurant that will be opening in the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. in June. The hotel is currently undergoing a $5 million renovation.
Buffa’s departure follows a string of turnovers at Food, Wine & Co., whose long and painful birth I chronicled for a story in the November/December 2010 issue of the magazine.
