Chef Samantha Pretto joins The Dark Room

After two months of consulting with chef Wil Pelly, The Dark Room in Midtown revamped its menu in November and tapped The Scottish Arms' Samantha Pretto to take the reins. Pretto started at the wine bar and photo gallery Dec. 1.

She brings “a passion for charcuterie, terrine and pairing cheese with wine,” said Chris Hansen, The Dark Room managing partner. “That passion for food, presentation and delivery fits very well with what we do.”

The Pelly-directed menu offers starters, sharable cheese and charcuterie boards as well as flatbreads, some vegetarian friendly, as well as desserts like affogatos and bread pudding. The menu released in November will run until the new year, when Pretto hopes to inject some of her own dishes reflective of her affinity for rustic Italian cuisine and her 15 years of kitchen experience at Scottish Arms, Market Pub House and more. “I’m looking forward to being able to show who I am through a plate,” Pretto said.

Editor's Note: This post originally incorrectly reported that Samantha Pretto was sous chef at The Scottish Arms. It has been updated to correct the error.