CULTURE

Larry Ellison Zeroes in on Star Chefs to Revive Nikita Malibu (Report)

1:19 PM PST 12/30/2014 by Chris Gardner

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Larry Ellison

Chefs from Picca, ink. and Stella Barra are reportedly being approached by the Oracle billionaire

Billionaire Larry Ellison has reportedly come up with a shortlist of famous chefs to help revive his oceanside eatery Nikita Malibu.

Ellison has zeroed in on Ricardo Zarate, Michael Voltaggio and Jeff Mahin, reports Eater L.A. Peruvian chef Zarate, the man behind Picca, Mo-Chica and Paiche, is currently available after being ousted from his restaurants, while Voltaggio hails from ink. and Mahin from Stella Barra.

Read more How Larry Ellison Transformed Malibu's Dining Scene

The news comes just days after Nikita closed its doors with no advance warning on Dec. 27. It was a surprise blow to the Malibu dining scene, which had been booming thanks to Ellison's influence.

He owns hotspot Nobu and opened Nikita — named for his Ukranian girlfriend, actress Nikita Kahn — in the summer of 2013. Led by chef Massimiliano Blasone, Nikita was described by THR as "Italian-inclined Mediterranean through a Californian lens" when it opened.