Note: Since this article was first published on June 6, 2008, plans to open Tyler Florence's restaurant in the Hotel Vertigo have been canceled.

Restaurants: Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 exotic thriller Vertigo, starring James Stewart and Kim Novak is a visual masterpiece with plenty of twists and turns. At the time of the film's release, it was not a box-office hit, but has since been dubbed one of the greatest films ever made. The work is a mesmerizing romantic suspense/thriller about a macabre romance between John "Scottie" Ferguson, a disabled police officer played by Stewart and a mysterious woman played by Novak.

Honoring the rich heritage of the film, the cutting-edge San Francisco boutique hotel company Personality Hotels, is reinventing their Hotel York located in San Francisco's exclusive Nob Hill District. The 97-room hotel is currently undergoing a $5 million renovation spearheaded by award-winning, LA-based Thomas Schoos Design, Inc., renowned for the interior design of Huntley Hotel and O-Bar, Koi, Table 8 and Tao restaurants. Even more exciting, Personality Hotels has announced it has signed a deal to partner with one of America's hottest culinary stars -- Tyler Florence -- to open a restaurant in Hotel Vertigo. This will be Florence's first restaurant, and it is highly anticipated to shake up the San Francisco gastronomic scene. Florence's restaurant will be located in the hotel's former Empire Plush Room space, and is scheduled to open late this fall.

"Tyler is one of the world's most popular chefs, and we are very energized and honored to bring such a talented, creative and fun personality to the San Francisco culinary scene," says Personality Hotels' President and CEO Yvonne Lembi-Detert. "The City is truly gaining a shining star sure to ignite our taste buds and spice up our imagination!"

"I am thrilled to be working with Personality Hotels to bring my first signature restaurant to San Francisco," says Florence. "Having recently moved to the Bay Area from New York City, I wake up every day in awe of this true culinary utopia. I look forward to being a part of it, and bringing something very special to the City of San Francisco."

A recent transplant to the San Francisco Bay Area, Florence's culinary expertise, complemented by his personable style and charisma, has lead to an extremely successful career for more than a decade. Named the "Sexiest Chef Alive" by People magazine, prominent chef, television celebrity and acclaimed author Florence is the star of three Food Network television programs including How to Boil Water, a cooking show for novices, Food 911, his hugely popular "recipe rescue" show and Tyler's Ultimate, showcasing crowd-pleasing classic comfort food. In addition, Florence is the author of three cookbooks - Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen, Eat This Book: Cooking with Global Fresh Flavors and Tyler's Ultimate.

By Ruth Mitchell
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