Celebrity Chef Curtis Stone Announces Closure of Maude Restaurant in Beverly Hills

The acclaimed tasting-menu restaurant will soon transform into the Pie Room by Curtis Stone. Additionally, Grand Award recipient Picasso is closing, and there’s an upcoming new venue in Nashville.

What’s new: Curtis Stone, the Australian chef based in Los Angeles, has decided to close his decade-old restaurant, Maude, located in Beverly Hills. Since 2019, Maude has been recognized with a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence. The restaurant was named in honor of one of Stone’s grandmothers, similar to his other restaurant in LA, Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant, which he operates with his brother, Luke Stone.

Speaking to Wine Spectator, Stone shared his philosophy, “I’ve never been keen on staying static. We envisioned Maude as a creative space where we had the liberty to cook freely and craft something unique from our collective experiences. We intentionally avoided having a signature dish so as not to be bound by it. I believe we achieved that—it’s a really special place. Yet, I think it opens up further creative avenues moving forward.”

Closing date: September 28, 2024

Why Maude’s closing: Stone indicated that although Maude was economically viable and enjoyed popularity among audiences and critics, its purpose extended beyond financial success. Two pivotal reasons underpinned his decision to close.

The first reason is timeless and universal: “I’m feeling quite stretched in terms of time,” Stone remarked. “So, I contemplated, ‘How do I resolve this?’ Every detail in the restaurant, from the decor to the utensils, was chosen by me. It’s a deep reflection of who I am. However, I also have children with whom I want to spend more time. Sometimes, you need to close one door in order to open another.”

The second factor emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic: “In an effort to maintain our team spirit, we gathered and discussed what the world needs,” Stone shared. “When the idea of a hug through food came up, we thought of pies.” Thus was born the Pie Room by Curtis Stone, offering savory pies typical of Australian and British cuisine, as well as tarts, quiches, and sausage rolls from a compact kitchen, leading to daily sell-outs. This success led Stone to reconsider and eventually decide to close Maude.

Looking ahead: While the original Pie Room pop-up concluded in 2021, the concept is set to be revived in the former Maude location after Sept. 28 with an upgraded setup. The baking will be handled in a newly acquired, larger kitchen facility equipped with deck ovens and ample room for chocolate making and other bakery essentials. Stone will also incorporate charcuterie sourced from Gwen. Initially, the revamped Pie Room is envisioned as a combination of bakery and wine bar, catering to a broad range of preferences. Given Stone’s enthusiasm for adaptability, further developments are anticipated.

Owen Dugan

What’s happening: After 26 years as one of the most prominent restaurants in Las Vegas, Picasso has closed its doors at MGM Resorts’ Bellagio Las Vegas, where it had overlooked the hotel’s iconic fountains. For 22 of those years, the restaurant earned a Wine Spectator Grand Award (the highest level for our Restaurant Awards), in recognition of its world-class wine program.

Spanish chef Julian Serrano opened Picasso in 1998, following several positions in Europe and the United States, the most notable being a 14-year tenure as executive chef of the now-closed Masa’s Restaurant in San Francisco, a landmark of nouvelle cuisine. Serrano’s masterfully presented prix-fixe menus blended Spanish and French traditions and made the restaurant a central player in the movement that brought haute cuisine to Las Vegas. In addition to this culinary artistry, Picasso’s guests dined among artworks from the restaurant’s namesake: Nine Pablo Picasso paintings and two ceramic sculptures were displayed in the dining room until 2021, when MGM Resorts sold them for a collective $110 million.

When Picasso closed: Aug. 16, 2024

The future of the wine cellar: The remaining bottles in the Picasso cellar will be distributed among other MGM Resorts restaurants, according to a representative of the company. The most recent wine program boasted 1,750 labels, with 15,000 bottles in the cellar. Highlights from the list included a selection of more than 100 Champagnes, a Bodegas Vega Sicilia Unico vertical that went back to 1965 and an eye-popping collection of Screaming Eagle. The restaurant’s most expensive bottle of Screaming Eagle was the 2014 vintage at $14,600, though this was not nearly the most expensive bottle on the list; that distinction was held by the Domaine de la Romanée Conti Romanée Conti 2007 at $65,775.

Looking ahead: While no information has been shared about a permanent successor, the transitional period has provided an opportunity for the Bellagio to refresh another esteemed dining establishment: the Best of Award of Excellence recipient Prime Steakhouse, which will make a temporary move to the Picasso venue this autumn during renovations at its main site.

Despite this change, wine aficionados will still find a plethora of prestigious dining choices at Bellagio including Restaurant Award recipients Michael Mina, Le Cirque, Spago by Wolfgang Puck, among others. Serrano’s additional venue at the hotel, the Best of Award of Excellence acclaimed Lago by Julian Serrano, will continue to operate even though Serrano will no longer manage its kitchen. The celebrated chef remains in charge at Julian Serrano Tapas at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, also part of the MGM Resorts portfolio.

Who’s behind it: San Francisco-based restaurateur Brandon Jew, the executive chef at Chinatown’s Mister Jiu’s, has introduced his modern interpretation of Chinese American cuisine in downtown Nashville’s vibrant Gulch area. Choy, a high-end East Asian project with an exceptional wine selection, represents a joint venture with Nashville restaurateur Moni Advani and former Mina Group Director of Operations, Nishaan Chavda, who co-owns the establishment.

When it opened: July 30, 2024

The culinary approach: Jew created the menu alongside executive chef Brian Griffith, who hails from Tennessee and was previously the sous chef at Mister Jiu’s, noted for its modern twist on Cantonese fare. In contrast to Mister Jiu’s, Choy’s meals draw inspiration from the American South, utilizing local produce from Tennessee and nearby areas for a unique spin on Chinese-American cuisine.

The menu kicks off with starters such as a pressed pig’s ear terrine enhanced with 10-year-aged black vinegar and hot mustard, alongside pan-fried turnip cakes featuring shiitake mushrooms and scallop XO sauce. Continuing with an array of rice, noodle, and dumpling options, Choy dishes out squid and pork wontons in a sesame and squid ink vinaigrette with fermented Fresno chiles, and chicken rice bowls with okra and yellow squash topped with a sacha inchi emulsion, reminiscent of primi at Italian venues.

A standout on the menu is the large-format Peking roast duck, perfect for groups of four to six, marinated with brown rice syrup, dark soy sauce, and a unique 10-spice mix, served alongside duck liver mousse, greens, peanut butter hoisin sauce, and pancakes. Main dishes also include a salt-and-pepper whole-fried flounder with green tomatoes and fermented kohlrabi, or a chicken-fried steak covered in mapo tofu sauce. Dessert favorites feature dark chocolate jian dui (crispy sesame balls) and sorghum ma lai go (a steamed cake with brown sugar and vanilla).

What’s on the wine list: The extensive wine selection, curated by wine director Justin Mueller, formerly affiliated with the Award of Excellence winner Beckon in Denver, features over 150 choices. Mueller’s goal is blending quality with accessibility, particularly on the by-the-glass list, which includes options from crisp Assyrtiko to mature Sauternes. Mueller emphasized to Wine Spectator the importance of offering high-quality, sustainable selections from benchmark or family-owned producers.

The selection heavily features French wineries, prominently displaying choices from regions like Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Loire Valley, and the Rhône Valley. Notable among them are wineries like Billecart-Salmon, Château Cos-d’Estournel and Domaine Leflaive. The list also includes significant entries from Italian and Californian wineries, such as Piedmontese and Tuscan varieties, along with renowned Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc from top West Coast producers like Rivers-Marie, Dunn, Opus One, and Spottswoode.

The wine list curated by Mueller is notable for its selection of mature wines, with a focus on those that have aged over ten years, such as Mayacamas Mount Veeder 2004, Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino La Casa 2004 and Château Ducru-Beaucaillou St.-Julien 2001. Mueller enjoys offering wines that are significantly developed, to demonstrate their quality potential.

The space: The 120-seat venue was designed by the Tennessee-based Carlton Edwards firm, inspired by Art Deco style eateries from mid-20th century Shanghai. The two-level interior boasts retro wallpapers, enhanced by murals and Chinese oil paintings. A significant feature is the red-and-black marble bar and the glass-enclosed wine cellar which houses more than 1,000 bottles from Mueller’s collection.—Olivia Nolan

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About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!