Laurent Tourondel is a classically trained French Chef with an impressive resume.  As the Executive Chef of Brasserie Ruhlmann in Rockefeller Center, he is also responsible, along with ex-partner Jimmy Haber, for the BLT and LT restaurant locations all over the world.  Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Panama City, Miami and Scottsdale have all had the pleasure of enduring the mark Tourondel leaves and now New York can further experience what Tourondel has to offer.

This fall Tourondel will be opening the Arlington Club on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in conjunction with the Tao Group.  The Tao Group is a premier restaurant and nightlife group in control of Tao, Lavo and Asellina both in New York and Las Vegas.  The Arlington Club will be located on Lexington avenue between 73rd and 74th street where Payard Patiserrie & Bistro was shut down in 2009 for health code violations.  Unable to past inspection and reopen, the space has been vacant ever since.

Tourondel was originally set to open BLT American Brasserie this fall after reaching a partial settlement in the lawsuit ex-partner Jimmy Haber had standing, but has decided to put that idea on hold.  When Tourondel removed himself from the BLT Restaurant Group, it had been agreed that he would retain the rights to the BLT moniker for his future endeavors while Haber maintained control of the restaurants.  However, when LT Burger in Sag Harbor NY was opened, Haber filed a lawsuit claiming that the restaurant's menu and decor where just replicas of previous BLT restaurants.

A partial settlement has been reached allowing Tourondel the rights to the BLT moniker but other aspects of the suit, such as rights to recipes, have yet to be determined.  The Arlington Club, perhaps, would be a means by which Tourondel can influence New York City nightlife independent of the BLT Group influence.