Ancora restaurant
The arrangement "allowed and management to continue to skim more value for themselves at the expense of shareholders," Ancora Advisors CEO Frederick DiSanto wrote in a letter to J. Alexander's agreed to hire Black Knight Advisory Services, a management consulting firm whose principal member is William Foley II, chairman of Fidelity National Financial. Alexander's, Ancora believes the company's problems arose when it returned to the public markets in September 2015.Īs part of its spinoff deal with Fidelity National Financial, J. Those demands can range from management replacement and board seats to spinoffs or merger proposals.īut for J. Alexander's Chief Financial Officer Mark Parkey said that the company "will carefully review, evaluate and respond to Ancora's letter."Īctivist investors take stakes in what they view as undervalued companies with the goal of agitating for changes they hope will unlock shareholder value. Alexander's, which trade on the New York Stock Exchange, jumped more than 8% Monday. He went on to cook with former Coi chef Matthew Kirkley at L20, a now-closed seafood fine dining restaurant in Chicago, as well as at restaurants in Boston.Ohio-based Ancora, which manages $6.5 billion in assets, said it plans to finance the transaction with a combination of cash equity and debt financing from third-party lenders. His first restaurant job, however, was at a fast food chain his father owned Culver’s franchises in the Midwest. The tasting menu will feature large-format, “interactive” dishes, though Anichini said it’s too early to share more specifics.Īnichini also worked at Dominique Crenn’s Bar Crenn and Petit Crenn. While Anichini will bring a decade of fine dining experience, they want Ancora to feel approachable and fun. A more casual bar section will serve snacks and fish charcuterie, like octopus escabeche and toast topped with cured monkfish liver and smoked trout roe. Provided by Nick AnichiniĪncora, which means anchor in Italian, will open for dinner only at first with both prix-fixe and a la carte menus. Nick Anichini will be executive chef and partner of Ancora, a new seafood-focused restaurant opening in San Francisco.
They plan to spotlight less common seafood caught up and down the California coast. This might look like a whole fish roasted on a live-fire grill or mussels served at the bar. “A lot of restaurants try to to do that but it’s more marketing than anything else. “He’s going to have that true connection to fishermen,” Conte said. Water2Table’s connections mean he’ll be able to head to San Francisco’s piers and pick fish fresh off the boats for that day’s menu.
Ancora restaurant skin#
He was always impressed by Anichini’s commitment to hyper-local fish and passion for aging, like a memorable black cod aged until its flavor intensified and its skin crisped up when cooked.Īnichini, who’s worked at several seafood-focused restaurants, said he was immediately drawn to the potential of an “unprecedented,” direct relationship between chef and fishermen. Joe Conte, who runs Water2Table with his wife Andi, got to know the fine-dining chef through supplying seafood to Atelier Crenn for years. The restaurant is slated to open at 557 Valencia St., the former Locanda space between 16th and 17th streets, in late May or early June. Nick Anichini, Atelier Crenn’s former chef de cuisine, will be the executive chef and partner at Ancora (formerly Seven Fishes).