James Connell and Craig Chapman spoke with me today about their restaurant projects. As of last Friday, Grillside Central was sold operationally to Bob Churuti (he became the managing director, replacing Chapman). Churuti has brought in Greg Pugh, owner of Ringside Café, who in turn has hired Domenica Macchia to oversee the food at the new Diner 437.

Over at Chappy’s Louisiana Kitchen, Craig Chapman’s second restaurant, opened last July, business continues as usual. According to Connell, they are courting more catering and group reservation business (weddings, organizations’ events), but the Louisiana culinary concept remains the same: “Everything is status quo and we have a great lease on that property.”

Meanwhile, a couple weeks ago Chapman and Connell signed a lease on the old Bonefish location at 5901 Fourth St. N., which has been empty for the past several months. It will become Chappy’s Martini Bar and Grill, open for lunch and dinner, continuing the Chappy’s brand but not accenting the Louisiana style quite as much.

According to Chapman, at the new location they “will do more seafood and add some shellfish, and focus on more upscale cocktails (even some low-cal martinis).” Aiming to be open the first week in July, “it will look like a spin-off on Chappy’s, but not as much a fine dining restaurant with white tablecloths.”

And what went wrong at Grillside Central? 

“I decided I didn’t want to juggle two brands,” says Chapman. "I need to focus on the restaurant that I’m going to grow a brand with.” Still, Chapman says he’s looking for another location for Grillside Central, a bigger space in which to do Southern “low country” cooking.