Chang watch: Might the elusive chef be back?

Where are you Peter Chang?
FILE PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO

Back in April, chef Peter Chang’s “consultant and translator,” Gen Lee, told Dish that the famous Chinese chef had found a place of his own near Short Pump that would be open in three or four months. Now Lee reports that the Short Pump deal fell through, and that Chang is within weeks of securing a location in Charlottesville.

We know, we know...

Since Chang wooed us and made us weep, we’ve lost track of the number of wistful food writers who’ve reported similar Chang plans, only to watch the quixotic chef slip away. Indeed, while Lee tells us Chang wants a place in Charlottesville, a blogger in Atlanta says he was told the Chang was returning to a restaurant called Tasty China.

But we can hope, can’t we?

While Dish won’t be convinced that Chang has decided to stay until he sees him in the kitchen of his own place in town, Lee makes a convincing case.

“We want something really bad in Charlottesville,” he says, “but there are always delays. But we have the money, everything is ready, we just need to sign the papers.”