Tongues are wagging about a new collaboration between Food Network celebrity chef Tyler Florence and Copia: The American Center For Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa.
According to a published report last week, Florence is being tapped as the center?s dean of culinary studies, responsible for all food education and culinary instruction as well as for the online food and wine content on copia.org.
Copia?s new CEO Garry McGuire said he would not comment on the matter for another two weeks, when Florence?s arrangement with Copia officially begins. Florence?s office also refused to comment until that time.
However, sources familiar with the situation confirmed there is an agreement on the table for Florence to run the culinary education program, and that he would like to head up the center?s restaurant, Julia?s Kitchen, as well.
When the 37-year-old Florence relocated to the Bay Area from New York City early this year, the celebrity chef was said to be looking for a space to open his own restaurant for the first time. Many dining Web sites, including zagat.com, reported that Florence planned to open a restaurant, Bar Florence, in the York Hotel in San Francisco, which is being renovated and transformed into Hotel Vertigo. His office confirmed that Bar Florence will open in early 2009.
The chef?s company, The Florence Group, opened Tyler Florence Mill Valley, a lifestyle-kitchen store in Mill Valley, this summer.
Florence lives in Mill Valley with his wife, Tolan, and has two sons, Miles and Hayden, and a daughter, Dorothy. He sits on the board of the Culinary Council for Macy?s Department Stores and has a new tabletop line with Mikasa.
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: