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Janina and Sean O’Leary, the pastry chef and interim executive chef, have parted ways with LaV. Janina told Eater, "We wish them luck and we are very excited about the future." The couple haven't announced what their next plans are yet.
The restaurant has undergone many shuffles over the past year. Recently, Vilma Mazaite left her position as wine director and partner to consult for the restaurant. Executive chef Allison Jenkins departed in June. Sean took over the position of executive chef while the restaurant searched for a replacement.
Update, October 30: LaV released a statement on the restaurant's recent departures from owner Ralph Eads and general manager Jamie Wagner:
From the beginning our mission at laV has been to offer an inspired menu, world-class wine and service in a lovely setting. We continue to be humbled by the support and recognition laV has received as a result of the hard work and dedication of our collective team. Since opening we've learned valuable lessons about how to build a great restaurant and remain steadfast in our commitment to providing the best possible experience for our guests. For that reason, we are taking our time to conduct a comprehensive search for an executive chef and are making excellent progress. We have been gratified by the quality of candidates who have expressed interest in joining laV. We expect to conclude the search process in the coming weeks. In the meantime, we have a great culinary team at laV who continue to produce some of the best food in Austin. We would also like to express our thanks to Chef Sean O'Leary for helping us on an interim basis during our search. Chef Janina O'Leary is a great talent and we wish her the best as she moves on to her next adventure.