Arman DeLorenz

Arman DeLorenz (born 1940 in California) is a chef and restauranteur.

DeLorenz was raised in San Jose, California and learned to cook from his grandmother, "Nonna" Rose Civitello DeLorenz and his mother, Mollie.

Before moving to Birmingham, DeLorenz trained at the Culinary Suisse in Bern, Switzerland and apprenticed on the Queen Elizabeth II. He later worked at the Savoy Grille and Quatre Saison in London, England and for Costa Cruise Lines in Genoa, Italy.

He was brought to the city from Atlanta by the Kimberly Group to work at Christian's in the Tutwiler Hotel, then moved to the Wynfrey Hotel. He opened his first area restaurant, Arman's at Park Lane, in 1994 in English Village, but sold his share to his fellow investors just over a year later.

He moved to Tuscaloosa in 1996 and participated in the opening of Mezzanine, but was bought out shortly after the restaurant opened for business. He then started a smaller restaurant upstairs from Barrett's Brewpub and Eatery which closed along with the pub shortly thereafter. He moved a few doors down and opened Arman's American Grille, followed shortly by Arman's Coyote Café, both of which he later sold to Tres Jackson.

In 2001, after his non-compete agreement with the owners of Arman's at Park Lane expired, her returned to Birmingham. He opened a string of restaurants, starting with Chef Arman's at Riverchase (which soon changed its name to Chef DeLorenz to avoid confusion). He followed up with Prairie Fire Grille near Greystone, and then was recruited to the newly-redeveloped Vestavia Hills City Centre in 2003. Developer AIG Baker hoped to establish a nucleus of locally-owned fine restaurants and offered a build-out allowance as incentive. Nonna Rose and, later, Brazil, though well-reviewed, opened to disappointing public receptions and increased Delorenz's already sizable debts. A dispute with AIG Baker in 2005 resulted in the closing of both restaurants, and triggered the collapse of Delorenz's other restaurants in town.

Delorenz, who briefly worked as a crane operator for Nichols Industrial Steel, moved to Anniston in late 2006 to become head chef for the Classic on Noble with his son Demian. He later opened Effina's Tuscan Grill in Jacksonville, Florida with his younger son Sebastian (who died in 2010). He also operated Arman’s at Capstone at the Capstone Club of Alabama in Brookwood in 2009.

In the Summer of 2010 DeLorenz began working alongside Demian at FishLips Seafood Grill.

In December of that year he was arrested in Shelby County and charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident.

Restaurants

• Arman's at Park Lane, English Village (1994–1996). Northern Italian-inspired cuisine. Opened with eleven partners. Sold to partners.
• Mezzanine, Tuscaloosa. Sold to partners.
• Arman's of Tuscaloosa (1999–2003). Sold to Tres Jackson
• Arman's Coyote Café. Sold to Tres Jackson
• Chef DeLorenz, The Plaza at Riverchase (June 2001–2003). Creole-inspired cuisine. Closed after Wal-Mart moved out of the shopping center.
• Prairie Fire Grille, Terrace at Greystone (July 2002–October 2005). Contemporary Southwestern cuisine.
• Nonna Rose, Vestavia Hills City Centre (2003–July 2005). Italian cuisine. Closed in dispute with AIG Baker
• Brazil, Vestavia Hills City Centre (2003–September 2005). Brazilian churrasco. Closed due to bankruptcy
• Original Joe's, The Village at Lee Branch (October 2004–September 2005). Contemporary American cuisine. Closed due to bankruptcy
• Crepes Egg-Setera, The Summit. (March–September 2005), purchased from Harold Ruttenberg. Closed due to bankruptcy
• Arman’s at Capstone (2009)

Publications

• DeLorenz, Arman (2002) Nouveau Cucina: Northern Italian & Southern French Cuisine: Recipes by Chef Arman DeLorenz

References

• O'Hara, Jo Ellen (December 14, 1994) "Arman's in English Village offers classic Northern Italian cuisine." Birmingham News
• Nicholson, Gilbert (September 30, 2001) "Arman wants a restaurant at The Summit." Birmingham Business Journal
• Mahoney, Ryan (October 12, 2003) "New Arman restaurant to feature Brazilian fare." Birmingham Business Journal
• Goodman, Sherri C. (September 22, 2005) "Arman's 'horror show': Chef battles debts, reassures employees." Birmingham News
• Goodman, Sherri C. (September 30, 2005) "Arman closes fourth restaurant: Restaurateur says debt forced shutdown of Crepes Egg-Setera." Birmingham News
• Goodman, Sherri C. (October 9, 2005) "Recipe for disaster: Upscale restaurateur leaves trail of locked eateries, mounting pile of debt." Birmingham News
• Goodman, Sherri C. (January 29, 2006) "Arman constructs a debt plan: Bankrupt restaurateur trades chef coat for crane operator's hard hat." Birmingham News
• Carlton, Bob (July 18, 2010) "Arman DeLorenz fends off boredom aiding new eatery in Hoover." Birmingham News
• Daniels, Malcomb (December 30, 2010) "Well-known Birmingham restaurateur charged with DUI, possession, leaving the scene." Birmingham News