Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Michael Peterson leaves Hickok's Bar & Grill to open his own restaurant

Posted by Charles Ferruzza on Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 1:39 PM


Chef Michael Peterson created the menu at Hickok's Bar & Grill -- and moved on.
  • Chef Michael Peterson created the menu at Hickok's Bar & Grill -- and moved on.
A few weeks after The Pitch ran a positive review of chef Michael Peterson's menu at Hickok's Bar & Grill, the 44-year-old chef announced that he was leaving the stylish Southwest-style saloon in the River Market and was scouting locations for his own restaurant.

He might stay in the neighborhood, however.


Peterson tells Fat City that he had never committed to a long-term position at Hickok's Bar & Grill, owned by veteran restaurateur Forbes Cross.

"I was under contract for three months to do the menu, create the recipes, and to hire and train the kitchen staff," Peterson says. "Now that the contract is up, I'm in the process of looking for a location for my own restaurant."

click to enlarge Michael Peterson
  • Michael Peterson
Two of the locations that interest Peterson are in the River Market, just north of Hickok's. These include two vacant venues that we touted in Fat City just two weeks ago: the space in the old Gillis Building formerly occupied by the River Market Brewing Company and, catty-corner to this, the first level of the former Merchant's Bank building, once occupied by the Hong Vuong Market.

"I'm excited for Michael," says Forbes Cross. "He did a great job for us and I welcome new restaurants opening in this neighborhood -- it's good for the entire River Market area."

Peterson's concept for his new restaurant will be a sophisticated cafe catering to the downtown lunch crowd in the afternoon and offering an upscale but accessible bistro menu during the evenings.


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I find it odd that Forbes restaurant in Lee's Summit catches on fire, just before he opens a new restaurant...

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Posted by jay on 03/30/2011 at 8:00 AM

Still Michael's menu, but he is not there to execute it.

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Posted by Crazylegs on 03/09/2011 at 8:47 PM

It's about time that cat opened his own place...every place he touches has awesome food, but it seems that the people he creates menus for are a little green when it comes to restaurant ownership. I wish him nothing but the best and I cannot wait to try his new concept...Good Luck to you Michael Peterson

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Posted by Crazylegs on 03/09/2011 at 8:46 PM

I've been real happy with the food each trip I've had. I hope it continues to succeed, and I hope to see the market keep growing with unique food destinations that aren't too "chainy"

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Posted by jbuford on 03/09/2011 at 5:32 PM

It's still Michael Peterson's menu, Abe, and the food is still very good. I had lunch there today.

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Posted by Charles on 03/09/2011 at 1:13 PM

Hope that it doesn't derail Hickok's before it gets going. The menu looks great, walked by it the other day and the food looked great through the window. I've been meaning to eat there very soon.

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Posted by Abe on 03/09/2011 at 1:09 PM

That would be awesome! Good Luck Michael, I hope you stay in the market here!

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Posted by jbuford on 03/09/2011 at 12:59 PM
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