Foundation Hotel releases preview video, announces new chef

Almost a year ago, we checked in with the Foundation Hotel, which will be located at the old Detroit Fire Department Headquarters at Larned and Washington. They were hoping to be ready by the time of the Auto Show, but as that deadline has passed, they’re now planning to open this spring. They’ve released a short preview video and announced a big hire.

According to Eater Detroit, the Hotel just hired a Michelin-starred chef, Thomas Lents, to lead its kitchen. Lents grew up in Battle Creek, worked in Vegas for a while, and joined Sixteen (at the Trump Hotel) in Chicago in 2012. According to Brenna Houck at Eater,

“The decision to return to Detroit is highly personal. Lents tells Mark Kurlyandchik, that he was diagnosed with cancer several years ago and while he is now in remission, the experience redefined his priorities. Additionally, like other chefs at Trump properties, Lents says “the election has been difficult for everyone involved and frustrating to see all the great product that's been put out by this hotel suffer because of situations that are outside of our control."

The Detroit Foundation Hotel’s web site is also up, which says, “Detroit is returning to the beauty and limitlessness of its most valuable resource. Its people and their ardent devotion to forge the next Detroit from the deconstructed urban decay.” OK, we’re gritty. While we anticipate visiting soon, you can take a sneak peek at their video to get at least a little idea of what’s in store.